There are, it has been said, two kinds of people when it comes to fall: the first kind whip out the pumpkin spice, the scarfs, hayrides and hot cider. The other kind, so it goes, break out the cobwebs, the skeletons and the witch's brew. Halloween is becoming a season of its own, lately; perhaps because there is something appealing in scares we can control. Ghost stories have always been with us, and the world of spirits and monsters has always provided rich inspiration for the artist.
Ghost Light, a presentation of the KCRep, is a celebration of such inspirations. It is primarily a musical concert with stories interspersed throughout. The songs and stories are diverse, coming (as the program says) "from KC's cultural crossroads". The main bulk of the show comes from Enrique Chi and Juan-Carlos Chaurand from the band Making Movies, a Latinx band whose songs touched on multiple aspects of the supernatural throughout the evening.
What was interesting in the telling of the stories was not only the diversity of subject matter, but the ways in which they were told. Each teller drew from their own background to spin a story uniquely their own. There was a personal touch to each, one that really gave the stories that extra bit of frisson.
Ghost Light is being presented outdoors on the front lawn of the Nelson-Atkins through October 17. Bring a chair or blanket and a face mask for when you're not seated.
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