What is Tarot? A little history....a little fun.

“How would you feel if we burned a cross on your lawn?” the voice challenged on the phone. 

“Go ahead and try it! I will let everyone know that some religious zealot…who will remain nameless, whose religion preaches tolerance, came against me.” E.B slammed the phone back on the cradle waiting for the backlash which never came. E.B proudly displayed her wooden sign “Stellar Thoughts” out on her front lawn inviting people into her place of business and home for tarot readings, homemade goods, and massages. The threat never came to fruition even though there has been backlash; it has been mostly in the background.

In a city flush with LDS individuals, there is a real prejudice against those who believe differently. E.B. opened “Stellar Thoughts” as a way to combine her psychic nature and her love of counseling. There have been some confrontations with citizens in the community but overall they have kept to themselves, albeit with a few eye rolls here and there and the random verbal threat. 

Outside of Southeast Idaho, there is a better connection with the different psychic arts. Florida and New York have spiritualist communities where one can receive card readings, psychics, crystals, energy healing and to be a part of it one must follow the rules and must pass qualification tests to become part of the community. This is a positive thing because patrons know if they go into the community they will get a good reading for a baseline price. In other areas, there is no regulation to pricing or ethics when it comes to psychic or tarot readings. 

E.B. has heard readers in Idaho Falls discuss openly clients or readings performed. There is a need of an ethical background for readers of the tarot. They are personal to the one being read and should not be shared with others.

Tarot reading is a world that is outside of religion. Many religions feel that one can define oneself through study and having a relationship with God or higher power. Tarot goes hand in hand with this idea. People have found the guiding influence in their life by little lessons learned from having their cards read. Some readers are intuitive and use different decks, but the stories seem to resonate with those who are having their cards read. 

Tarot reading is becoming more salient in our culture right now because a lot of people are looking for guidance within their lives. It is not taking the place of religion but it helps one find guidance from external forces that they might not have recognized before. It adds a sense of perspective. Tarot reading is not speaking with the dead, reading people’s minds, or telling the future. It is about helping a person tune in to their own intuition and finds a path to take them from where they are now. It is nothing more than guidance.

Many religions place Tarot in the same realm as Ouija boards, fortune-telling, and occultism. The main problem with this idea is a lack of understanding of its history and what the cards are used for. “The Court De Gebelin, who was an 18th-century clergyman wrote about tarot having mystic possibilities,” Paul Ratner, a writer on the Big Think website, states, “yet this mystical link to the tarot has persisted, even though there’s no real evidence for it.” This unholy connection still persists within religions across the country. 

***

E.B. has been reading cards, metaphysical counseling, intuitive readings, and crystals, along with performing massages like chakra cleansing, for over 25 years. She considers herself a psychic intuitive whose feelings guide her readings. She is a down-to-earth teacher whose genuine nature puts one instantly at ease. Her cats insist on making themselves known but are easy to ignore when the cards are being dealt. The walls are filled with books and crystals of all shapes and sizes as well as beautifully colored tapestries covering two Futon couches.

E.B. has had many struggles opening a metaphysical store in a city with a large population of LDS. She initially started doing readings part-time on the side but an underlying distrust, from employers, of her choice in life has propelled her to do it full time. The Idaho State Fair is a fun time for her, she sets up a booth and sells mystical items, homemade wall hangings, as well as readings. When she first set up the booth there was some backlash with her job in the school district. Parents began complaining and didn’t want a ‘witch’ being anywhere near their children. E.B. finished out the school year and started looking for another job. 

With her counseling degree, she looked to the private sector. To streamline the troublesome questions she said, “I am a psychic and read cards on the weekend, do not hire me if you have issues with this.” Even with this warning to her boss, she was hired. Over time, they started having prayers at meetings and using religion in discussions. There was an uneasiness from everyone who talked to her in the office. After her ‘mediated’ prayer in a meeting, “they stopped prayers altogether. I didn’t even use any religious terms which would hurt them.” She laughed, “I guess they couldn’t handle my weirdness.” 

E.B.
made it through three years before she threw up her hands, quit, and worked “Stellar Thoughts” full time. Her job has allowed her time to travel across the country to different fairs, where she makes the majority of her money as a metaphysical counselor and tarot reader. She loves meeting new people and feels more at peace in this world. 

***

Historically, the tarot was considered a playful game of divination and had nothing to do with the occult. In the 1500s, “Tarrocchi Appropriati” was part of the Italian aristocracy’s world. Random cards were dealt and the associations with the card design were put into poetic verse. Imagine the kids game ‘MASH’ with cards. It made a connection in the cards with destiny and the future. 

Wealthy families had their own cards commissioned. The designs were marked with suits and cups, swords, and coins. These suit cards were very similar to what many people today believe to be tarot. The most widely used design today harkens back to Rider Waite in 1909. William Rider, a publisher, worked with a popular mystic of the time A.E. Waite, and created tarot cards strictly for divination and mystical readers. “Gone were the games,” Gia Bathory says, “Tarot became a strong signifier of a metaphysical reader. One has to be intuitive to read the cards.” 

Though the beginning of the Tarot isn’t specifically known. It doesn’t really matter because it is claimed across cultures creeds and continents. Bakara Wintner, author of WTF is TAROT said “The tarot is becoming more popular because of its resonation with existence. Everyone has a collective history and with the guiding aspect of the Tarot people can be led.” 

On the other side of the world in New Zealand, “I sometimes receive visions of a person’s past and invite them to a reading,” Rebecca May O’Sullivan says, “I like to use this intuition to guide the reading more than the cards. They are a means to deciphering what the world wants this person to know.” Every reader finds their own niche within the world of the tarot and uses it to their advantage.

The tarot has gone through cycles of popularity and attrition. “We are beginning to see a drive to know oneself better because the media,” Bresnahan states, “although great, has disadvantages of intuition. This is where face-to-face readings come in handy.” 

Intuitive readings are different than cold readings when it comes to the cards. The directions of reading tarot are rather intense and are left to interpretation. Most readers learn the deck for themselves but then lets intuition guide them. 

The Raider Waite deck is the most common deck used in Tarot readings today. There are thousands of designs of tarot decks, depending on what an artist feels should be portrayed, and yet their basic tautology is the same.  Split into two distinctive sections, The Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Arcana follow an overall narrative which helps reveal things about our life. 

The Major Arcana is made up of 22 cards and is based on the major mysteries of existence including landmark lessons, the moral of a particular story, or the moments when we are at a pivotal point in our lives revealing some larger energies at play. The storyline follows with the idea ‘The Fool-0’ moves towards ‘The Chariot-7’. These cards are there to reconcile society. As one continues through the Major Arcana one meets ‘Strength-8’ through ‘Temperance-14’ which reconciles personal difficulties and issues. The final seven are ‘The Devil-15’ through ‘The World-21’ which reconcile spirituality and purpose. One can get into deep discussion just focusing on the Major Arcana. 

The story arc can be looked at in this way: We are growing up and getting ready to leave our home and safety net and claim our place in the world, it is our first glimpse at interdependence (the first 7 cards). We are continuing on and find our place in life and we have cemented our place in the world. We have gone through many issues, yet have made it through, and now face ‘Death’ (cards 8-14). Finally, we have reached our happy ending. We reflect on what we have accomplished, feeling whole. A long journey and we are arriving home. Yet we want to continue on a new adventure which leads us back to the Fool, and a new journey a little wiser than we have been before (cards 15-21). The Major Arcana is cyclical and teaches us when we are at a pivotal point in life, helps us find the moral to troubles we are experiencing, and helps us find the energies that affect us day today.

The Minor Arcana has four suits, Ace through Ten and the Court Cards. The Cups suit follows the elements of water and usually deals with emotions, feelings, and creativity. The Swords suit harkens to the element of Air with power, rationality, and intellect. Pentacles follow the element of Earth which deals with money, material possessions, and the physical realms. Finally, the Wands suit deals with the element of Fire which usually deals with inspiration, spirituality, and energy.

Reading the Tarot seems like a lot of memorization but follows a simplistic narrative arc and to understand what is involved means working the cards personally. It also means getting your cards to read from other practitioners. Doing so can help one gain a clearer understanding of the cards as well as learning to use one's intuition. Memorization is only a fraction of learning the cards.

***

The Catholic Church does not support people who are finding connections in the tarot. “The reading of cards is considered a form of divination,” Father Julio Vicente says, “it is a way to trust your life and future to superstition or power other than God.” Recently, the Catholic Church has recalled some of its higher priests to Vatican City to be trained in exorcisms due to a recurrence of people interested in the occult practices. Even though there is a larger call for exorcisms, the church is placing more credence on teaching priests how to discern between mental illness and the need to exorcise a demonic entity, which is rare. “People who are dealing with emotional distress should not find peace with the occult,” says Father Henry Carmona, “The Bible and religious leaders are trained to help with this trouble.” The Catechism gives guidance on tarot and divination, 

“Superstition is the deviation of religious feeling and the practices this feeling imposes. It can even affect the worship we offer the true God, ex. When one attributes an importance in some way magical to certain practices otherwise lawful or necessary. To attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from the interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition” (Mt 23:16-22).

However, the Catholic Church does not throw out the history of the Tarot. As it was originally a game in Italy, the church has no issues using the tarot being used as a game. “I believe Catholics should take care not to cause scandal,” Father Carmona continues, “many people would be shocked to see a Catholic playing game with a tarot deck.” Many theologians feel that engaging in anything “offensive to pious ears” or giving the appearance of going against the church, no matter the innocence of fact, should be avoided at all costs. 

Many churches hold to the idea of avoiding the appearance of guilt. If a religion believes alcohol or gambling is a sin, going into a liquor store or bar will give the appearance that they are sinning. Going into a purveyor of “divination” can be considered the appearance of sinning. Religion is a boon to many people when finding peace within the books of scripture and guidance from their leaders. When looking at the issue of the appearance of sin, one cannot help but think of this scripture, “Those of you who are without sin, cast the first stone.” Judging others for one's beliefs is not something that should be taken lightly. 

***

Tarot reading will probably never be free of controversy but to the thousands of people who believe in its voracity, it doesn’t really matter. In a world that is continuously online and filled with problems, people are having trouble finding personal connections or guidance in their life. Tarot is more of a guiding hand than something that can give you specifics. One has to act to make it come to fruition, and sometimes the outcome is different than expected

Many people have found peace unplugging from their online world and focusing on themselves through personal readings. Though there is a large following of people who read cards online using Skype or Facetime. However, there is something visceral that draws people to the tangible handheld tarot cards. The profusion of tarot readers across the globe shows its ability to persist through persecution.

The popularity of the tarot and its history of being claimed by many cultures and creeds shows there is something that can be gained for many people. Tarot will continue to fascinate many people and there is a place for those who need guidance. If one can find peace and happiness in the guiding hand of the tarot, who are we to judge? As one affirmation read with ‘The World’ tarot card it states, “I am awareness, I recognize and accept all aspects of myself.”

Halloween is my favorite holiday

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because of the way it impacts the soul. The weather gets colder, the leaves begin to fall, and the air has a smell that makes one think of connection to one's history. Historically, Halloween was used to remember the dead and pay homage to the ancestors. In today's society there are a lot of people who celebrate the harvest time through holding a dumb supper to honor the dead. A place is set at the dinner table and dinner is eaten in reverse. This symbolizes welcoming in the family members who have passed and being grateful for the sweet things.

This article was crafted after doing research collecting old articles from Blackfoot's newspapers. 

History is a fascination for many people. With the Halloween holiday fast approaching there are some historical and even local histories that are interesting to learn about. Halloween has had a rocky history with religion and history.

The origins of Halloween began with the Celts. It was a time that was marked by bonfires, celebrating the end of summer and harvest season, and preparing for the time when winter would be plaguing many of them. At the bonfires they would burn pieces of the harvest or do sacrifices as a way to hope for a winter where their food stores would last. It was a time also associated with death because of the trees and plants dying. It was widely believed that during Halloween, spirits and demons would walk the earth. Many people refused to leave their home during this time, unless they wore masks or costumes so they would be mistaken as fellow spirits and demons. They would also keep the ghosts away by leaving food outside to appease the spirits. 

When Christianity came to the Celtic lands, and as a way to blend the older rites with the newer religion, November 1 became All Saints Day, which was called All-Hallows or All-Hallowmas, which is a celebration with big parades, costumes and bonfires.  Halloween would be named after All Hallows Eve, as the traditional night before the day the saints were honored.

Halloween had very limited celebrations in the early colonies. It was more common in Maryland and the South. The colonial celebrations had the telling of ghost stories, and mischief making. There were also bonfires and food of the season, including festive costumes. By the twentieth century the Halloween traditions lost many of the frightening and grotesque celebrations, the religious and superstitious overtones died out. Around the 1920 to 1950, trick-or-treating was revived as an inexpensive way for communities to share in the Halloween spirit. It was widely believed a family could avoid tricks being played on them by sharing treats with the children in the neighborhood. 

Blackfoot had a society section in the local newspaper and many people who had parties would send in the fun people had. In the Bingham County News, on November 1, 1916 there was a description of the festivities that were celebrated in town:

"Hallowe'en ushering in the week with a new moon, led to the disappearance of Dull Care and Duty, and for the time being one night almost believed from the appearance of masqued dances on the streets, Tuesday evening, that they were in New Orleans at Mardi Gras, for the ghosts, witches, fays and fairies with their weird lights darting in and out among the trees lend a charming effect to the madcap season. Many bonfires helped to light the city and the good natured way in which the pranks of youngsters were received told that fun, mirth, and frivolity was the order of the day. Many parties were given among them being the beautiful afternoon card and Kensington given by Mrs. John Guthrie Brown and Mrs. Samuel Wilson at the K. of P. Hall, to about 100 guests. The hall was a symphony in its autumn colors and the spirit of Hallowe'en shone forth from a myriad of golden lighted candles. Beautiful yellow popcorn chrysanthemums decorated the tables. Punch was served by Mrs. Fred Cowan and Mrs. Fred T. Dubois. Assisting the hostesses were Mesdames Earley, Aldrich, Thoresen, Patrie, and Miss Hart. Miss Brennan carried off the prize for cards while Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Cheney were given the Kensington prizes. The ghosts of all departed spirits-white and Indian-returned from their happy hunting grounds and paid a visit to Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Johnson from the witching hours of 9 to 1, Tuesday evening. judging from the sound of hilarity the spirits welcomed their release. None seemed to fear the sight of the spooks walking the streets. The air was full of the sounds of horns and bells and upon entering the dance hall-the newly finished garage-one was simply entranced by its fairy-like beauty. It had been transformed into a sylvan glade where tiny lights only relieved the impression of the home of the gnomes, witches, and fairies. Over it all the good witch presided and brewed a drink that seemed to cheer the spirits to greater pranks. Father Time was there, and a very agile Father Time he was. At the sound of twelve he moved his scythe and the merry spirits departed, leaving the request of their hosts that they might be called back each year.

Mrs. Margaret Dubois was hostess at the Hallowe'en party given in honor of the teachers in the high school and their friends. During the evening they gathered around the fireplace, the lights were turned out and Miss Barron gave most graphically "Poe's Black Cat." Judging from the sounds it was most realistic. Toasted marsh mallows, cider, coffee, and doughnuts added some zest, while Miss Turner, Miss Barron, and Mrs. Parkinson furnished music.

Progress Hall furnished was the scene of a merry party. Also one was given at the stake building where a good old witch did her best to make all happy by telling fortunes.

A merry crowd of little ghosts with Jack O'lanterns darted here and there along the streets, making a beautiful sight. In all this has been the happiest Hallowe'en our little city has ever experienced.

Mrs. F. C. Christ was hostess to the guild this week. The ladies are preparing for their Christmas bazaar. The Methodist ladies are to have a bazaar and luncheon Saturday afternoon at the V I 8 rooms in the City Hall."

A collection of stories from the society pages tended to give the people who couldn't make it to the festivities, a chance to feel connected to the fun.

Review: Repo-The Genetic Opera

 *Personally, I miss everything about my old writing job of reviewing plays and events around town. I loved the people and the whole spectacle. There are so many people who are talented and I have been blessed to see a lot of them perform in integral roles. Even with the changes from Covid (an excuse for a lot of people) I have been able to find an alternative way to see some of the most interesting reproductions of dark musicals. 

Idaho State University put on a piece of the early version of Repo, before it became a cult success on the silver screen. The music was kitchy and irreverent, I absolutely loved the whole idea. After finishing my program at ISU I forgot about the story until a few weeks ago. I found it on a free streaming service and decided it was time to see it in its full glory.

+After an unfortunate event of bankruptcy and reposession the brains behind the Repo storyline was Darren Smith. He created an idea of where a world where people would be forced to pay monthly on their organs or the Repo Organ Man would come to repossess the organs, usually killing the host. Terrence Zdunich and Darren Smith expanded on the entire idea and created the world of the genetic opera.

The movie begins in 2056 where the world has seen some devastating illnesses that have decimated the population by organ failures. GeneCo became the savior of the people by creating organ transplants through a repayment plan. They became a super corporation with too much money. Beyond the much needed transplants, they also created Zydrate the ultimate addictive pain killer. 

We meet the Gravedigger at the beginning after a sequence of comic strips describe what is happening in the world in 2056. The GraveRobber who concocts a Zydrate alternative which is crafted from the bodies of the dead. He sells it on the street. If one has ever seen musicals like Cabaret with the Emcee or plays with a chorus on the sidelines, one can grasp the idea of the GraveRobber. The GraveRobber speaks to the audience watching and then imparts wisdom to Shilo.

Shilo has a blood disease that her overbearing father Nathan believes he can cure. In his past, Nathan and Rotti (The head of GeneCo) both fell in love with the same girl. Rotti creates a situation where Nathan is forced to become the RepoMan for GeneCo and collect the organs that have fallen into arrears. Shilo is unaware of her father's nighttime job, as she is kept in her room. She does happen to escape and meet the GraveRobber. Rotti entices her outside with the promise of a cure for her illness, and in hopes to poison her against her father.

As a lot of dark musicals go, some of the unsightly characters have nefarious ideas beyond the storyline. Rotti's children want the entire company to themselves while being drugged up, surgery addicts, and more. Rotti hopes to give it to Shilo if he can maneuver her in the right way.

This musical met with negative reviews as well as many people who hated the cheap gore. A lot of people hated some of the ways the music was ill-fitting, poorly rhymed, chanty, and poorly assembled. The earlier parts of the musical do have some poor tonal qualities, but as it continued through the storyline the songs got better and had a better range for the singers.

There were three characters I liked overall. The first was Nathan, played by Anthony Stewart Head. Many people know him as Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was in the musical episode that Zdunich knew he wanted Head as Nathan. He has a great voice and his rock-esque demeanor makes his bloody alter-ego fun to watch as he is tearing into bodies. The gore is far from realistic, so suspension of disbelief make the musical more fun. The second character was the GraveRobber, played by Zdunich. The GraveRobber doesn't follow the rules and breaks the fourth wall interacting with the audience. His character is a lot of fun and pops up to reveal pertinent information for his own fun. Finally, I love Shilo, played by Alexa Vega. Her singing voice is incredible and the songs she performs show an impressive range.

If one likes fun music with awful gore effects then this musical is for you. It is an intriguing storyline and has music that one will find singing off and on throughout the day. 

Camping Hacks

*Now that it is summer, there are more and more people camping and taking their loved ones out into the woods. I always feel there are bases that need to be covered when heading out. From novice to the avid, it is good to brush up on skills. 

Being out in the woods is something that uplifts people as well as giving them a chance to get back to nature. Camping is a great family pastime. As well as bringing people together it also gives one a chance to brush up on skills that can be lacking during the year. Emergency preparedness is something most people use only in emergencies. However, camping gives you a chance to use pertinent skills that can be lifesaving during an emergency. Here are a few tips and tricks that are important for camping and will be helpful in an emergency.

Pitching a tent: When pitching a tent outside of normal campgrounds, it is important to remember placement as well as comfort. In the mountains, there are a few places that are important to avoid. If there is a divot or an area that is lower than the tree range, avoid it! These areas can be flooded quite easy. Even if the weather calls for clear skies, there are chances of raining on the top of the mountain, which could cause flash flooding.

Water: One important aspect of hiking and camping is making sure one drinks enough water. When you are hiking it is important to take plenty of water, because you will be exerting more energy. Do not plan on drinking from streams unless you take proper precautions. Items like a water filter can help remove the harmful bacteria present in unpurified water. Some of the more popular filters for backpackers are Lifestraw ($20) or the Sawyer Mini-Water Filter ($20). Both filters are small and remove 99% of bacteria present in standing water. When hiking if you feel thirsty you are already at the point of dehydration. Stay on top of drinking water when exerting yourself.

Food: There have been some incredible advances in freeze-dried meals. There is no need to eat stale MRE (military surplus meals) anymore. Some of the top camping freeze-dried meal makers are Wise, Augason Farms and Mountain House. Their company sells smaller packaging which are lightweight and fit well within backpacks for easy traveling. Many require heated water to properly cook them.

Heat: In the mountains, the temperatures can get below freezing during the nighttime. It is important to find ways to stay warm. Proper clothing and using a sleeping bag can help keep your body warm. A fire can keep everyone warm if properly taken care of. The best way to heat up water is using a camp stove or camp oven. Camp Chef and Amazon have some great options for camp stoves that are cheap but versatile for every camper’s needs.

This summer keep on top of the camping hacks to keep your family and friends safe. One does not need to sacrifice safety for a fun time. There are numerous camping sites online which give tips and tricks to help you in any camping scenario. 

Staying Safe in the Hot Weather

 

The weather recently does not seem to be breaking, but as many Idahoans know, the Summer heat is right around the corner. Hot weather should not be trifled with. There are many different issues that can pop up during the hot weather, which can make many people unhappy. There are a few simple steps you can do to help keep you cool during the summer heat.

*Sunburns: When people think of summer, many people think of being sunburned. Stinging skin is not a fun way to spend a few days after playing in the sun. Damage of the sun isn’t always visible; UV light can alter the DNA of your skin and one can age prematurely. A sunburn is usually apparent with skin turning red, swelling, and sometimes blisters. Many times, a severe sunburn can coincide with a feverish feeling, chills, nausea, headache, and weakness (the early stages of heat exhaustion). Remember: even if the sky is overcast, one can get a sunburn!

Treatment for sunburns is relatively simple. Cool baths or a cold compress, can help relieve the sting of the burn. Any cream or gel with menthol, camphor or aloe, helps reduce redness and pain of sunburns. Stay out of the sun until the sunburn heals and drink more water to stave of dehydration.

*Dehydration: The body sweats to cool itself in hot areas. If there is not enough water in the body, heat sickness can come on quickly. One rule of thumb when hiking or being in a hot area, if you are thirsty you are already feeling the effects of dehydration. Any time you slow down or take a break drink water.

*Heat Exhaustion: Heat exhaustion has symptoms of excessive sweating, weakness, headache, lightheadedness, vomiting, and muscle cramps. If the body cannot self-regulate, through sweating, heat exhaustion can quickly become heatstroke. The mental status of an individual can deteriorate as well.

Treatment for heat exhaustion mainly involves stopping the activity, getting to a cool area, and drinking water or sports drink (like Gatorade). It is important to get out of the hot environment. One complication of heat exhaustion is the individual is left in a hot environment, the activity has stopped yes, but when left in a hot environment the exhaustion can lead to heatstroke. Get into the shade and cool off.

*Heat Stroke: Heat stroke is one of the scariest heat-related illnesses. It can strike at any time and is like someone having a stroke. There are some indicators to keep in mind when checking on your loved ones. Heatstroke victims will have trouble speaking and thinking. Even though their body is overheating they will not be sweating and have a flushed dry skin. Their heartbeat will be going very fast. They will have trouble breathing or hallucinating. Many times, those suffering heatstroke will be very queasy, throwing up and be extremely weak.

Treatment should be sought IMMEDIATELY. Take them to a cool shady place and remove clothing to make them more comfortable. A person suffering heat stroke should be cooled slowly to keep them from going into shock. A towel or shirt cooled with water should be applied to their neck, underarms and groin area. Keep them conscious. Notify emergency services as soon as the heat stroke sufferer is out of the heat.

Small Children want to play more and have trouble understanding body regulation. Parents with small children should make sure they stay hydrated and use sunscreen. Keeping on top of heat-related illness will ensure you have a better time on your vacation.

 

Review: The Devil's Carnival by Darren Lynn Bousman

 Musicals and pop-operas are not considered a well loved mode of theater. However, a musical with an intriguing storyline tends to have a better audience response. Add audience participation and the musical becomes a new thing in itself. Musical Comedy Horror Films like "Rocky Horror Picture Show" "Sweeney Todd" and even "The Nightmare Before Christmas" resonate with audiences after they leave the theaters. 

Darren Lynn Bousman is a director on numerous Saw franchise movies, and created the musical horror film "Repo: The Genetic Opera". Cult horror musicals have created a following where audience members participate in the music and dress up, making it an event.

After Bousman created "Repo: The Genetic Opera" with Terrance Zdunich they postulated creating a sequel to "Repo". They used three stories from Aesop's Fables to create the artistic world of "The Devil's Carnival."

                                           *This is the Ticket Master (Dayton Callie) and the Devil (Terrance Zdunich)

John (Sean Patrick Flanery), Tamara (Jessica Lowndes), and Ms. Merrywood (Briana Evigen) are introduced in a flutter of scenes. The audience is given a glimpse of their intense issues. John is having issues in a bathroom and we see him engulfed in grief over his son's death. Tamara is being pursued by her boyfriend, and he is seen with a gun. Ms. Merrywood is seen in her trailer with a bag full of stolen jewels. She is pursued by the police. As the intensity increases, we assume that each character succumbs to the drama and are killed. 

As each character decides the scenes change in intense ways. John, as he slits his wrist, sees the devil and the room melts around him. Tamara's boyfriend shoots her through the window, but the car begins to freeze. Finally, we see Ms. Merrywood's trailer explodes in confetti and garish clowns drag her out.

As the musical continues we discover the three main characters are a part of the evening's performance including the other side show acts. The ringmaster discovers the three characters wandering around the carnival and informs them of the "666 Laws of the Carnival." The audience finds out that the sins the main characters are being relived in the carnival for all to make mockery and hopefully they will learn their lesson.

The Devil (Terrence Zdunich) decides to take part specifically in the night's festivities. He tells three Aesop's fables: The Dog and Her Reflection, The Scorpion and the Frog, and The Devil and his Due. Each of these fables typify the new arrivals to the carnival. 

The Dog and her Reflection is about Ms. Merrywood. She commits the sin of greed and thievery, which is against the laws of the carnival. She is whipped in front of the crowd while the hobo clown sings "A Penny for a Tale." The song gives evidence of Merrywood's sins where her greed is never enough and led to her downfall.

This musical is definitely a lot of fun to watch. Bousman created the world of the carnival with lights and colorful painted animals, but with the glow of red all around. If the audience looks around and reads some of the signs, one can see that the lights do not change the fact that one is attending a carnival in hell. 

There are some interesting trivia facts that make this show worth a watch. Bousman shot this film in 7 days. The shooting was done at night because there is no sun in hell. The makeup for Zdunich only took an hour to take off. When the film went on tour they wanted to create a whole experience. Audience members showed up dressed in costumes for costume contests, creating a world. 

One can dismiss this as a weird show or only for weird people: However, one cannot deny that the atmosphere and aesthetics of the carnival draw people in to the storyline. The music is catchy and the new arrivals in hell, although their backstory is a little short, play their roles.

Personally, I was a little wary when it first started. The opening song "Devil's Carnival" was off key and weird. However, some of the best shows I have seen start poorly. The world of the carnival was rich with colors and I especially loved the juxtaposition of red and blue colors within the world. The two songs I like the most were "Beautiful Stranger" and "Penny for a Tale." Beautiful Stranger is sung by Merrywood's copy (the carnie Twin morphs into a mirror of the character, or someone that would create the best psychological torture). Briana Evigen has an amazing voice and her facial expressions give her character a lot of range.

"Penny for a Tale" is sung by the Hobo Clown, who is played by Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch. The deep sultry voice of Moody gives the clown character real range. It looked like he had a lot of fun playing his character.

"In All My Dreams I Drown" is a song that was added to the credits where Tamara is singing with the Devil. It's a haunting tune that gives the idea her character will continue to commit the same sin of trusting men who just want to use her. 

I highly recommend seeing this production, if not for the music, then to see the aesthetic of a carnival that would be run by the Devil. Historically, side shows and carnivals were considered a place of sinful fun. It would make sense that the devil would be running a carnival where his acts must perform over and over again reliving their sins they commit in life. 

Rating: This show is definitely not for younger audiences. There are issues dealing with suicide, murder, and sexual encounters. There are innuendos throughout the production. 

**Stay tuned for my review of Alleluia: Devil's Carnival (A review of Heaven, before the Carnival got off it's feet). Not everyone in heaven is good intentioned.