'Arsenic' and 'Little Shop' among theater offerings

'Tis the season for spooks and chills. Forego the haunted houses this time around and settle in for the plenty of eerie theater offerings:

"Arsenic and Old Lace," Oct. 16-Nov. 7, Heritage Theatre, 2505 S. Hwy. 89, Perry.

This is a story about two spinsters who have taken to murdering lonely old men by poisoning them with a glass of home-made elderberry wine laced with arsenic.

Throw a couple of cooky relatives into the mix and you have a murderous comedy. The play stars Alan Smith, Susan Haderlie and Darlene Miller.

Shows are Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., with matinees available. Tickets are $8-$9 (435-723-8392 or www.heritagetheatreutah.com).

"Frankenstein," Mortal Fools Theatre Project, Oct. 17-31, Provo Theater, 105 E. 100 North, Provo.

A new ensemble-based theater company featuring faculty from Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University and Utah valley actors is offering an adaptation of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." This is the group's first production and a perfect show for Halloween terror, although it is not recommended for children younger than 12.

It stars David Morgan and Ward Wright.

Shows dates vary, 7:30 p.m., with a special midnight showing on Halloween night. Tickets are $6-$12 (www.provostage.org).

"Little Shop of Horrors," Oct. 16-Nov. 16, The Empress Theatre, 9104 W. 2700 South, Magna.

The doo-wop musical about Seymour and Audrey, two down-on-their-luck residents of Skid Row, whose lives are turned around by a strange and exotic plant.

It stars Danny Eggers and Jacob Clark, double-cast as Seymour, and Erin Fair and Brianna Mackay, double cast as Audrey.

Shows are Mondays, and Thursdays through Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $9-$11 (801-347-7373 or www.empresstheatre.com).

"Long Arm of the Law," Ozone Publishing, through Oct. 24, The Sugar Space, 616 E. 2200 South.

An evening of five one-act plays — slapstick, satire and dramedies — and performance monologues written and produced by Loren Lambert. All plays and monologues will be punctuated with slam poetry.

Shows are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays nights, 8 p.m., with Saturday matinees available. Tickets are $15 (801-568-0041 or www.arrowlegalsolutions2@gmail.com).

"Wait Until Dark," Pleasant Grove Players, Oct. 16-Nov. 2, Pleasant Grove Library, 30 E. Center.

Susy Hendrix is a recently blind housewife who becomes the target of three thugs searching for heroin hidden in a doll. Her husband just transported the doll from Canada as a favor to a woman who since has been murdered.

Its a murder mystery that will have you questioning your own eyes. It stars Hailey Nebeker and Dennis Purdie.

Shows are Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., with Saturday matinees available. Tickets are $7-$8 (801-922-4524 or www.pgplayers.com).

e-mail: ehansen@desnews.com