Dead North

13 - CHRISTMAS SPIRIT: THE GHOST YOU WANT TO HAUNT YOU

“Christmas Spirit: The Ghost You Want To Haunt You”

Written by Nissa Nordland Morgan

Performed by Nissa Nordland Morgan, Zach Morgan, and Taj Ruler

Sometimes ghosts are terrifying. But other times, they are a wish fulfilled.

Special When Lit unapologetically pushes the boundaries of storytelling, finding a universal humanity in the weird, the extraordinary and the supernatural. We particularly enjoy using spectacle, blood and emboldened sexuality to create a visceral experience for the audience. Founder, Nissa Nordland Morgan, wrote plays The Fae and Incarnate, both performed at the Twin Cities Horror Festival. Nordland also wrote the audio horror Nisse-Natten, which was a part of Blight Christmas and received praise from the judges of the Atlanta Fringe Audio Festival. She was awarded the TC Arts Reader Critic’s Choice Award and won the Theatre in the Round Venue Pick for her play Xena and Gabrielle Smash the Patriarchy. Nordland is an alum of the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre, a member of the Playwright Cabal, company member of Theatre Pro Rata, and the Artistic Director of the Twin Cities Horror Festival. 

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w

12 - TAILOR OF SORROWS

“Tailor of Sorrows”

Written and performed by Tim Uren for Ghoulish Delights

Sometimes life imitates art. Sometimes we don’t even notice.

Ghoulish Delights is a theatrical performance company dedicated to bringing tales of horror and suspense to Twin Cities stages. The company was established in 2013 and its productions include original work, established stage plays, and adaptations of classic tales of terror. In 2016, Ghoulish Delights began producing The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society, an ongoing weekly podcast that revisits the great horror, crime, and suspense shows from the golden age of radio. Find out more at ghoulishdelights.com

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w

11 - THE CAROL

“The Carol”

Presented by Rogues Gallery Arts

Written and performed by Duck Washington

Our narrator has a holiday earworm stuck in their head. And speaking of sticking things in heads…

Rogues Gallery Arts has been producing theater in the Twin Cities area since 2010 including three productions in the Twin Cities Horror Festival.

Find them online at: https://www.facebook.com/roguesgalleryarts

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w

10 - INNKEEPING

This story was inspired by her mother’s suggestion, and the lack of Christmas stories that focus on Mary.

Paradox Productions (Catherine Hansen) creates supernatural tinged stories that play with expectations. In August, Catherine debuted a new story The Great Room for Wordslingers Way at CONvergence 2022. She is currently developing some comedy sketches, plays, screenplays, and digital experiences. More of her work can be found here: https://minnesotaplaylist.com/talent/catherine-hansen

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w

09 - HORRORS OF WAR ON CHRISTMAS

“Horrors of War on Christmas”

Written and performed by Matthew Kessen for Reverend Matt’s Monster Science

A lighthearted lecture on some of the monsters of the holiday season.

Matthew Kessen is a writer, performer, producer, dramaturg, and novelty soda enthusiast who has worked with Comedy Suitcase, the Chameleon Theatre Circle, Green T Productions, and all kinds of folks like that. He is best known for his solo comedy-lecture show, “Reverend Matt’s Monster Science,” which has appeared at numerous museums, libraries, conventions, bookstores, and theaters across the country, and which is a monthly livestream these days as well. He has a pet gecko called Linus.

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w

08 - ANGEL EYES

“Angel Eyes”

In Christian theology, Jesus was crucified. This piece invites you to imagine… what if it had been another Christmas icon?

phillip andrew bennett low is a Chinese-American playwright and poet, storyteller and mime, theatre critic and libertarian activist. His solo performances have won acclaim from Minneapolis to Atlanta, New York to LA - even as far as Melbourne, Australia. He was the co-founder of the Rockstar Storytellers (a supergroup of bestselling Twin Cities spoken-word artists), founder and producer of the touring theatre troupe Maximum Verbosity, and founder and host of the country's only recurring open-mic dedicated to speculative fiction (the Not-So-Silent Planet) and its associated podcast. He has published collections of political humor, comic fantasy, and horror.

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w

07 - REMARKS UPON A RECENT VISITATION, part 2 & ON THIS THE DUSK OF SUE'S DEPRAVITY

“Remarks Upon a Recent Visitation, part 2”

Written and performed by Patrick Harrigan

In this second  story in the style of M.R. James, a man recounts a tale he’s been told, of a ghostly visitation.

Patrick Harrigan, local blowhard, occasionally edits academic books about New Media and games (e.g., First Person, Second Person, Third Person, Zones of Control), co-hosts a podcast about the TV show Doctor Who at getoffmyworldpodcast.com, and inflicts spoken-word pieces on Twin Cities audiences (collected in the books The Lecture Tour and On Tour Forever). Despite this, he's usually pleasant to be around and you should buy him a drink sometime.

“On This the Dusk of Sue’s Depravity”

By Rob Ward

Inspired by John Milton's "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity" 

This Christmas, Sue Adanske has finally had enough. CONTENT WARNING: Graphic body horror.

Rob Ward is an actor, author, choreographer, and boogeyman based out of Minneapolis. "On This the Dusk of Sue's Depravity" is the fourth piece of his to be featured on Dead North. His debut novel, Click, is available on Amazon, Apple Books, and Barnesandnoble.com . To learn more about Rob and see what he's up to next, check out his website RobWardCreative.com. 

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w

06 - MAY THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN

“May the Circle Be Unbroken”

By The Winding Sheet Outfit

A close encounter with Welsh holiday tradition has haunting consequences.

The Winding Sheet Outfit are theater-makers in the Twin Cities. Keep an eye out for future performances at thewindingsheetoutfit.com. 

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w

05 - REMARKS UPON A RECENT VISITATION, part 1 & ANTIGONISH

“Remarks Upon a Recent Visitation, part 1”

Written and performed by Patrick Harrigan

In this  story in the style of M.R. James, a man recounts a tale he’s been told, of a ghostly visitation.

Patrick Harrigan, local blowhard, occasionally edits academic books about New Media and games (e.g., First Person, Second Person, Third Person, Zones of Control), co-hosts a podcast about the TV show Doctor Who at getoffmyworldpodcast.com, and inflicts spoken-word pieces on Twin Cities audiences (collected in the books The Lecture Tour and On Tour Forever). Despite this, he's usually pleasant to be around and you should buy him a drink sometime.

“Antigonish”

Written by William Hughes Mearns

Produced and performed by Wesley Erickson

A spooky poem from the turn of the 20th Century, regarding a little man who isn’t there.

Wesley Erickson is a pro voice talent and actor residing in Minneapolis. He is just starting his venture into the world of VoiceOver and is excited to take part in this show. He loves Christmas and he loves horror. To him, there's nothing better than to read a spooky old ghost story around the Christmas Tree to get through the long, hard  Minnesota winter.

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w

04 - YULE BE FINE

“Yule Be Fine”

Created by J&J&J&Shea Productions (Jhax Berryhill, James Lyndon Fairbairn, Jeff Roberts Gyllen, and Shea Roberts Gyllen)

Yule Be Fine is a co-created piece that explores how a holiday quickly turns from cheer to fear when the wintertime beasties of Scandinavia are quick to retaliate if they don't get their offerings.

Donate to support the artists participating in Blight Christmas at our paypal fund: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Py1X4qI8w