Preble, NY — After hosting “Stories in the Park” this past summer, Cortland Repertory Theatre thought it would be a good idea to use that theme for Halloween. Ghosts in the Park is a family friendly drive thru event at Dwyer Memorial Park. As you are driving your car through the park, you get a chance to observe the decorations spread throughout the park and get to witness performances from volunteers in the area.
“Since trick or treating itself isn’t a great idea this year, I hope that it’s something that the kids will enjoy,” Eric Behnke, the production manager says. “It may be different, but it will be a whole lot safer.”
Kerby Thompson, the Artistic Director at Cortland Repertory Theatre, echoed that line of thinking.
“If people aren’t comfortable going trick or treating, this is another way to give their kids something to celebrate the holiday,” Thompson says. “And as they are leaving, we have bags of candy from the grant we received from the Guthrie Foundation.”
The event will also be important for the volunteers and kids who will be performing, Many of them did not have the opportunity to participate in theatre this year due to the pandemic. This event will give them the chance to do so.
“It is two-fold where it’s going to give volunteers and kids in the community a chance to be involved with this in the future,” Thompson says. “It also just creates memories for everyone, specifically those driving by.”
The event was put in place, as a way to celebrate Halloween, in a safe, socially distanced manner. However, Thompson believes that if the event is successful, they may have accidentally found something special.
“After the crisis is over and we get back to what we normally do, we might just continue this because we have had such a great response.”
