Join us for a night of film, art, and seasonal vibes to benefit the restoration of the Mighty Wurlitzer!
Halloween Party at the Senate—A John Carpenter Themed Fundraiser
Sat. Oct. 29
Doors – 6:00 PM
Organ Overture - 7:30 PM
Film – 8:00 PM | 1hr 31 min | R | Horror | USA
After Party 10:00 PM - Midnight
Tickets - $6 (with optional donation)
Full Bar | Costume contest | Halloween themed art | Dark and eerie John Carpenter music
It’s the Saturday before Halloween and a force of nature has wreaked havoc on the vital parts of our most precious organ. No, we don’t mean Michael Myers, that personification of evil with a William Shatner mask and a fondness for knives. And the organ we’re talking about doesn’t pump blood. No, the organ in question is the Senate Theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ. The force of nature is time.
Enjoy this special screening of the classic 1978 Halloween where all proceeds support further restoration of the historic Senate Theater Wurlitzer. In addition to a very special Halloween organ overture, expect a costume contest judged by Michael Myers himself, an art show, the eerie music of John Carpenter, and a full bar. Admission will remain $6 but donations of any amount are graciously accepted.
And now, about the movie:
If you don’t know, John Carpenter’s Halloween is one of the most revered, respected and influential horror films of all time. It tells the story of a single-minded and silent psychopath who has recently escaped from a mental institution and stalks a group of teenagers on Halloween night. Using Hitchcock’s Psycho as inspiration, it even stars Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of the earlier film’s Janet Leigh. A huge success with audiences and ultimately with the critics, Halloween set off an explosion in horror cinema, spawning dozens of imitators and a slew of sequels, remakes, and reboots.
The spare yet striking visuals, moody and minimalist score, suspense-soaked screenplay, and playfully dark humor have been expanded upon, reimagined, and even, arguably, improved upon. There is nothing, however, quite like the original So grab your friends, don your Halloween best and come party for a cause at the Senate Theater.
About the Restoration
Last year, nearly catastrophic flooding temporarily took the Mighty 4/34 Wurlitzer out of commission as we restored the blower and motor from water damage. Partially because of that time spend quiet, we are turning this year to restoring several mechanisms called regulators (pictured below). When functioning they ensure that any particular pipe receives the precise amount of air it needs in order to produce the intended sound. And in order to do this our regulators need to be be restored, particularly their fast deteriorating leather parts.
Halloween Party at the Senate is Sponsored by:
The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts.
