What I liked
This show was very hyped up for me. Sold out before the festival even started. Rave reviews. Multiple people telling me it was worth it to get on the waitlist and hope for a chance to catch it.
Somehow, all of that undersold it.
Jon Schnitzer is one of the most skilled storytellers I’ve ever had the privilege to witness, and the team backing him up on props, tech, and lights is operating on that same level. In the intimate space of the Broadwater Studio (he explains why he performed there and not a larger theater), Schnitzer welcomes us in and makes the theater feel like a slumber party or campfire.
I’ve always loved the saying “Every ghost story is a love story,” and this thread lives in all of Schnitzer’s stories. A towering monument to his grandmother and the love that bonds his family together, Schnitzer’s casual kind honesty and easy sense of humor kept the audience hanging on every word and leaning in…making the scares even more effective. I can’t recall the last time I felt like this in a theater.
Schnitzer is so talented, I couldn’t tell where the stagecraft ended and the true spookiness began. I’ve been reviewing my own spectral skepticism after seeing something I can’t rationalize last year, but I genuinely can’t tell what was stage magic and what was a spirit. The commentary on the light spectrum was very thought-provoking.
Cancel your plans. Get on the waitlist. Good luck.
What I didn't like
A larger venue so more people can see the show…but I also understand why that wasn’t doable this time around.
My overall impression
Ride along with Jon Schnitzer as he tells you spooky, hilarious, and touching stories about his family and his experiences with the paranormal…
