Boo.

Welcome to the Halloween edition of This Week in Theatre, and the first time since we’ve been in Austin that some company hasn’t produced a play about mystical and spooky stuff to commemorate this festive occasion. So, in lieu of seeing a “horror” play this weekend—an event where busty blondes disappear for no reason, only to return later after a highly unfortunate series of events has stripped them down to their underwear; or, you know, some play where a nice lady from the suburbs is having Satan’s baby—we suggest you see our Austinist Pick of the Week:

Have You Ever Been Assassinated? Whenever the Rude Mechs produce a show, we’re pumped. They could probably perform a grocery list and we’d be excited to see it. This “old-fashioned/new-fangled song-and-dance on the death of vaudeville” is directed by Carlos Treviño (director of Physical Plant’s wildly famous Not Clown), and features music by A Scanner Darkly composer (and local music legend) Graham Reynolds. It’s at the Off Center tonight and tomorrow (and beyond) at 8pm. Check out the Rude Mechs' site for tickets and details. See you there.

Also new this week is a production of Shakespeare's Henry V, directed and starring Japhy Fernandes—a decidedly odd man who promoted the show to us as follows: “Lots other people doing things alot [sic] harder than memorizing a few fucking shakespeare [sic] lines. do [sic] it.” If you are one of the other actors in this production, please email us, we’d love to hear about your experience. Ok. If that’s not your bag, the Austin Playhouse opens Kingfish, a play about Huey P. Long, the corrupt former Louisiana senator John Goodman played in the mid-90s; Austin Cabaret Theatre gets swanky with Rosalyn Kind, Wednesday and Thursday at 8:30pm at the Mansion at Judge’s Hill (ACT website for more info); and Ballet Austin presents Classic Beauty—the third act of Sleeping Beauty—tonight and tomorrow at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm at Bass Concert Hall.

Lastly, here’s some grab-bag theatre news and events to round things off. The B. Iden Payne Awards ceremony is Monday night, 6pm at the Zach Scott Theatre. (Even if you don’t want to attend, you could stand outside, brandishing pitchforks, and demanding to know why your favorite show wasn’t nominated for more awards.) Also, two local shows have been extended thanks to roaring success: Hyde Park’s St. Nicholas (‘till Nov 4th) and Rubber Repertory’s At Home With Dick 2 (‘till Nov 18th). Plus, The Unbearables—composers of the music to Loaded Gun Theory’s Bitten: A Zombie Rock Odyssey—are holding a CD release party for the soundtrack to said production this Saturday at the Victory Grill.