The Silver Spring Penguin

The guys in The Penguin mailroom weren’t too happy to learn that there would be no local football this weekend. The Terps are taking midterms, and the Skins play Monday night against the Steelers. But this weekend’s crammed schedule should give them plenty of opportunities to find trouble.

The biggest piece of mayhem hitting the streets this weekend is the first annual Zombie Walk. I’m banking on that gig to be completely insane. And then there are an assload of theater productions, for those who prefer their entertainment on the stage instead of the street.

Brace yourselves:

Friday

7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd) rolls FW Murnau’s classic vampire flick Nosferatu, complete with a live soundtrack performed by the Silent Orchestra. Tickets are $20 each ($15 if you’re rocking an AFI membership card).

8:00 p.m. The Spooky Action Theater performs two plays by Samuel Beckett: “Krapp’s Last Tape” and “Ohio Impromptu”. This event takes place at Montgomery College’s Black Box Theatre (Philadelphia and Chicago Aves, Takoma Park). Patrons are asked to pay what they can in admission.

10:00 p.m. Halloween hits South Silver Spring like a mofo with “Loda”, a music-and-multimedia party at the Gallery lounge (1115 East-West Hwy). This time, the grooves roll deep into Saturday morning, so expect a pancake breakfast starting at 3:00 a.m. Ten bucks and convincing ID get you through the door; breakfast costs a little extra.

Saturday

9:00 a.m. Freshfarm holds its weekly farmers market on Ellsworth Drive, between Fenton Street and Georgia Avenue. There is no admission fee.

10:00 a.m. Members of the Silver Spring Historical Society lead a two-hour walking tour of Georgia Avenue, complete with historical tidbits for your brain to nosh on. The gig starts at the B&O railroad station (8100 Georgia Ave) and costs $5 per person.

1:00 p.m. The Silver Spring Stage (10145 Colesville Rd) auditions starving actors for roles in its upcoming production of “Arms and The Man”, a George Bernard Shaw joint. Click here for details, then get your head shots together.

2:00 p.m. The Downtown Silver Spring shopping center throws a float-decorating party to prep for this year’s Thanksgiving parade. Grab your Elmer’s glue and safety scissors, then hit Silver Plaza on Ellsworth Drive with a mission.

2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The Spooky Action Theater drops two plays by Samuel Beckett: “Krapp’s Last Tape” and “Ohio Impromptu”. Hit it hard at Montgomery College’s Black Box Theatre (Philadelphia and Chicago Aves, Takoma Park). It’s a “pay what you can” deal, but only for this weekend. After that, you’re looking at $15 per person.

8:00 p.m. The theater project eXtreme eXchange rolls out “Rock the Voting Bloc”, a series of short plays on this year’s presidential election. The politics and prose hit the Round House Theater (8641 Colesville Rd). Admission is $15 per person.

8:00 p.m. At last, it’s the gig you’ve all been waiting for! The Silver Spring Zombie Walk gathers at the Quarry House Tavern (8401 Georgia Ave), staggers its way to the AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd) for the 10:30 p.m. screening of “Night of the Living Dead”, then crawls into McGinty’s Public House (911 Ellsworth Dr) for an after-party.

Walking won’t cost you a damned thing, but the AFI flick runs $10 per person. Food and drink specials are available at the participating restaurants.

Sunday

2:00 a.m. Set your clock back one hour for daylight saving time, or else show up for Sunday’s gigs one hour before everyone else.

1:00 p.m. The Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center (8230 Georgia Ave) holds a reception for its current exhibit, “Drawn to Washington”. Twenty bucks and an appreciation for slick art get you through the door.

1:00 p.m. The Silver Spring Stage (10145 Colesville Rd) auditions more starving actors for roles in its upcoming production of “Arms and The Man”, a George Bernard Shaw joint. Click here for details, then get your head shots together.

2:00 p.m. The Spooky Action Theater drops two plays by Samuel Beckett: “Krapp’s Last Tape” and “Ohio Impromptu”. Hit it hard at Montgomery College’s Black Box Theatre (Philadelphia and Chicago Aves, Takoma Park). It’s a “pay what you can” deal, but only for this weekend. After that, you’re looking at $15 per person.

3:00 p.m. The theater project eXtreme eXchange rolls out “Rock the Voting Bloc”, a series of short plays on this year’s presidential election. The politics and prose hit the Round House Theater (8641 Colesville Rd). Admission is $15 per person.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Eric Ingrum.