While many people celebrated Halloween on Friday night by dressing up and going to the bars or throwing house parties, Saturday night saw another celebration, as "Samhain: A Celtic Celebration of Hallowe'en" brought people who were looking for something different from the traditional Chico Halloween.
Every seat in the Blue Room Theatre was sold out. Staff members had to bring in folding chairs to provide extra seating for people who were put on the waiting list.
Local Celtic band Ha'Penny Bridge started the event with an original song, "The Stories I Can Tell You." Lead singer Molly McNally began the song in the audience and moved her way to the stage to join the other members. Her mellow vocals, along with the band's easy-going beat, started the night and welcomed the crowd to the event.
Jenny McNally, the mother of the Ha'Penny Bridge lead singer, came from Reno, Nev., to see her daughter perform and enjoyed the show, she said.
"It was a lot of fun and very funny," she said. "I felt like I was a part of it."
There were several skits that had three men at one campfire onstage and three women at another on the other side telling stories. The stories helped the audience understand the background of the holiday and also provided some hilarious moments that poked fun at the play.
One of the men tried telling a story before some unknown spirit sprayed a potion on him, causing him to urinate in his pants.
"I pissed myself," he shouted.
The other two men had the same thing happen to them. The women took over exchanging stories about Samhain. One of the women described the holiday as "a night to honor and commune with spirits of the dead."
The men looked at each other in confusion.
"Why can't we have good lines?" one of the men asked. "We need better writers."
"Clan Feud," a parody of the "Family Feud" game show, pitted the three men and three women from the campfire skits against one another as they answered questions based on Irish traditions. One of the questions asked them to name something Celtic that has crossed into pop culture.
The women's first answer was "Dance of the Covenant." The men's first answer was "keg toss." Both were incorrect.
When it was revealed that six audience members said "faeries," the host jokingly said, "It looks like six members of our audience are voting yes on Prop 8."
The No. 1 answer was Lucky Charms cereal, which had 89 votes.
When the play finished, Irish step dancer Kathleen Spanos took the stage. Joining her onstage were Irish step-dance instructor Maria Oliver and Chico High School senior Oliver Wong to perform "Selected Reels." Members of Ha'Penny Bridge played the music as the three dancers showed off their skills with some floor-shattering taps and kicks.
A night of music, storytelling and dancing pleased audience members who were looking to do something different.
Junior Alice Stark, 20, enjoyed the event, she said.
"It was a creative and fun atmosphere," the psychology and child development major said. "My favorite part was the dancing."
Professor Gail Holbrook directed the event and is planning on doing it again next year, she said. The event brought about 120 people, which equaled somewhere around $1,300 in ticket sales. The benefit helps the Blue Room Theatre, but the best part is the performance itself.
Holbrook has been a big help on this project, guitarist and vocalist for Ha'Penny Bridge Mark McKinnon said.
"Gail saved us and resuscitated the group," he said, referring to everyone at Blue Room Theatre.
David Wangberg can be reached at dwangberg@theorion.com
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