BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — Seasons have officially changed, and new ones are beginning — and while Football season has already commenced, the Dakota Stage Playhouse is also beginning to raise the curtain on its new lineup of shows.

With a new season comes new shows — and coincidentally, October is a perfect time to perform more spooky stageplays. To begin the season, the playhouse will feature a performance of the chilling musical Sweeny Todd.

” Sweeney Todd is really the story of a barber in 1800s London,” explains Dakota Stage Board of Directors member Brian Nelson, “and he’s kind of out for revenge. So there’s a little bit of revenge, there’s a little bit of blood, and there’s a little bit of adult themes. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and perfect in time for Halloween.”

Due to its graphic content, the Sweeny Todd performances is recommended for mature audiences only — however, more child-friendly performances and activities are also scheduled throughout the season. Other upcoming events include 2 showings of the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show on October 28th, as well as a zombie prom and a makeup class.

” October is really busy for us,” Nelson explains. We’ve got our Shade Tree players, which is our youth education program, holding a number of classes for kids. On October 19th, we have “Twisted Tales”, which is a storytelling and script writing workshop for kids. It’s on one of the days that Bismarck doesn’t have any school, so it’s a great way for kids to stay busy.”

The season doesn’t end its run in October, of course, and there are plenty of performances to prepare for deeper into the year. One of these is the theater’s annual production of “A Christmas Carol.”

“We put on A Christmas Carol every year,” Nelson explains. “It’s really fun, and a great tradition. Auditions are October 15th and 16th, right here at Dakota Stage. We’re really looking for anyone. We’ve got a number of roles ranging from ages 14 and up, so please come check it out.

In order to purchase tickets for any of the stage’s many shows and events, visit their website using this link.