Frigid’s Days of the Dead Festival 2026
5th Annual Days of the Dead Festival
UNDER St. Marks | 94 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009
October 16-November 1, 2026
Growing up Catholic, Halloween was never a particularly scary time for me. Instead, it was a reminder that this was a season for reflection and prayer for the souls of the dead. Halloween is followed by All Saints’ Day and then All Souls’ Day, creating a period centered on remembrance, reverence, and the departed. There is a similar spirit of transition in Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, traditionally associated with a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to become more permeable. And in Día de los Muertos, rooted in Indigenous traditions of Mexico and shaped over time by Catholic observances, the dead are not simply mourned. They are remembered, honored, and celebrated.
Martha Lorena Preve, Resident Artistic Director of Days of the Dead Festival with Silvana Gonzalez and Federico Mallet from Something From Abroad Theatre Company share their about the upcoming festival.
Click HERE for tickets.
Editorial by Malini Singh McDonald.
1. What inspired you to create Days of the Dead Festival, and what does the annual celebration mean for you?
Martha Preve: The inspiration came from the holiday, which is my favorite, and the burning need to share it with my community. This is a very important and special time of year. It is a time when we gather with our families and share stories about our ancestors and what they liked. I’ve always loved Día de Muertos. It reminds me of my grandmother Elsa, who taught me the tradition, and in a way, this festival is to honor her.
Federico Mallet: This was a result of our annual Day of the Dead celebration. As Mexicans, it’s pretty normal for us to honor this holiday, but we noticed people from different cultures were really into it, and that’s when the expansion into a whole festival came to mind. This is a celebration of our relationship to death, the occult, and our own shadow. It’s really special to see how artists from different cultures relate to this topic and express it with their art.
Silvana Gonzalez: The need to create a space to bring the whole Day of the Dead experience to NYC. The opportunity to experience the celebration, and what it implies, the community it strengthens, and the sense of belonging that is inherent to it. And to have a space for people to create art related to Days of the Dead.
2. The festival brings together work that approaches death, the afterlife, grief, family, and Halloween from very different perspectives. What excites you about putting these particular stories and artists in conversation with one another?
Martha: I love the idea of having different perspectives, different ways to celebrate the “spooky season” and Día de Muertos, and the feeling that this festival represents the diversity of the city.
Federico: Offering a great deal of variety to our audiences. Even though there’s a theme, the shows vary greatly in style, genre, and content. From real-life mediums to burlesque to puppetry, you’ll find something for everyone.
Silvana: What excites me is the different conversations that such varied shows will arise! By having shows that come from such different perspectives and different associations and relationships to the Day of the Dead, we can explore more ways of being similar and learn how to think and see life in new ways.
3. What do you hope audiences discover, question, or feel through this work?
Martha: I hope they enjoy the shows, that they learn about other ways to relate to death, and that they feel that there is space to mourn, remember, celebrate, and have fun during this time of year.
Federico: We hope they can better their relationship to death. Make peace with it, laugh at it, and why not, even be enthusiastic about it.
Silvana Gonzalez
The sense of celebration that is inherent to Mexican’s view of death and dying. I hope that audiences not only discover it through the work they see, but that they are able to experience it in their own lives, or try to bring it into their own lives, so that they can experience loss differently.
4. What is one thing about your creative process that people might be surprised to learn?
Martha: I base a lot of the things I do in my Mexican culture and I mix that background with my current life in NYC. I enjoy combining genres, cultures, and languages.
Federico: That we really allow each artist to show their whole self in all of their complexity. At our cabaret, artists are free to express themselves however they see fit.
Silvana: How collaborative it is!
5. How do you see Days of the Dead Festival contributing to the independent theatre ecosystem?
Martha: It offers an opportunity for the artist to show their work. This festival is free to apply and participate and provides the artists with a box office cut. It also brings a variety of offerings to our audiences, and we have a sliding scale and streaming so no one is left behind!
Federico: It’s a great opportunity to connect with other artists who are eager to create. We hope that the fact that artists can see each other’s shows for free will result in future collaborations.
Silvana: It allows for our community to feel represented, while also inviting new and different cultures to play within our celebration! It feels like our Days of the Dead Festival is a bridge between different cultures and different lives.
A celebration of life and death, Days of the Dead is a festival inspired by the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos. During this time of year the dead return to earth to spend time with their families and enjoy their favorite things. It can be cheerful, sad, nostalgic, ritualistic and mysterious. It’s all about the family and the community. The festival will be offering shows that have death and the afterlife as a theme as well as Halloween themed plays. We welcome everyone regardless of their cultural background or religious beliefs to celebrate our muertos together.
Lemme Go (Working Title) Written & Performed by Elisha Mudly
A PowerPoint presentation from a little girl who is grappling with the question of living life.
Fri Oct 16 at 7pm & Fri Oct 30 at 7pm 60 min
Hex Appeal
Written by Becca Canziani, Brooke Ferris & Rebecca Wolf
A demon burlesque artist. A medium who will grant a wish. A vampire stripper. A pair of bloodthirsty Karens. A ritual that will make heads roll. This off-the-wall queer, hot, sexy, spooky clown show will make you laugh even as you squirm uncomfortably in your seat. Are you ready for Hex Appeal? Fri Oct 16 at 9:30pm & Sun Oct 25 at 4:30pm 50 min
Cabaret: A Night With the Dead
Presented by Something From Abroad
This production is a celebration of the Mexican Holiday Day of the Dead that brings together traditions, poetry, stories, and music in a variety show form. The stage will feature a traditional ofrenda or altar to the loved ones who have passed away. The audience will become part of the experience, they will be able to participate with the artists on the ofrenda enjoying some of the offerings to the dead such as Mexican hot chocolate and pan de muerto. The performances will consist of a group of artists dedicating their art form to a loved one that has passed away. Each artist will share a little information about their loved one and will add their photo and an object that represents something they loved to the ofrenda. Sat Oct 17 at 7pm 90 min
I’m That Witch
Original Music by Jackson Sturkey & Will Studabaker
Directed & Choreographed by Andrea Palesh and Melissa Buriak
I'm That Witch is a spooky original musical about Clara, a young woman searching for where she belongs. When the Hecate summon her into a magical world where a coven of witches is trapped inside an evil circus ruled by a tyrannical White Rabbit, Clara—guided by a mischievous Black Cat— discovers she's the key to their freedom. As the witches reclaim their voices and break free from the forces controlling them, they forge an unbreakable chosen family built on resilience, belonging, and collective strength. With an original score and a boldly female-driven story, I'm That Witch reclaims the word "witch" as a symbol of feminine power, autonomy, and community, leaving audiences feeling empowered, connected, and thoroughly entertained. It’s Hocus Pocus, meets Alice in Wonderland, meets The Nutcracker.
Sun Oct 18 at 4:30pm & Sun Oct 25 at 9:30pm 65 min
3 Pigs+Wolf
Written by John Kang, Avi Gorman, Mark Brewster & Spencer Brison
Pigs and wolf, a classic tale. We know what happens…but do we really? These 4 clowns reimagine the tale in a new manner, merging the styles of Bouffon and vaudeville with a playful creepiness. Come see them lean into the natural physicality of these beasts, blending the world of human and four legged creatures. 3 pigs reunite in somewhat of a family dinner-type setting. An old friend comes to visit. What could go wrong? Follow these pigs on a journey through the past, present, future, and what remains after everything dissipates. Get ready for musical accompaniment; more animals jamming out with the pigglywiggilys!
Sun Oct 18 at 7pm & Sat Oct 24 at 4:30pm 50 min
What They Left Behind: 20 Objects. 20 Souls. Since 2020.
Written by Martie McNabb
When she got the call the day before Valentine’s Day, she wasn’t surprised to learn of her Dad’s death. What she didn’t see coming was 19 more calls, texts & Facebook messages with the news of the deaths of loved ones of all ages. Through 20 objects aka “Martifacts”, legacy artist Martie McNabb shares her relationships with the 20 souls who left their bodies since the start of 2020 and how she keeps the memories of their lives in hers today through the Things they left behind. In this interactive show, she invites her audience to explore the real legacy that our loved ones leave behind and the reason Things matter.
Sun Oct 18 at 9:30pm & Mon Oct 19 at 7pm 90 min
Pizza Party
Written by Mari Mendoza & Sergio Cavero
July lies to her parents so she can stay home alone and throw a Halloween party instead of attending the anniversary Mass for her late Aunt Margareth. But when Margareth’s ghost unexpectedly returns, she has plans of her own for the house where Día de la Canción Criolla and Peruvian traditions have always been at the heart of the family. What follows is a chaotic and hilarious night of pizza, music, magic, a goofy and bumbling pizza delivery driver caught in the middle of it all, and an unexpected family reunion that no one saw coming. A bilingual musical comedy about family, tradition, identity, and the ghosts we never quite leave behind.
Mon Oct 19 at 9:30pm & Sat Oct 31 at 7pm 60 min
The Guests
Created by Beatriz Silva, Written by David Calão
At a Halloween after-party that refuses to end, Ana, a young Portuguese woman living in New York, becomes obsessed with finding a missing guest. As the night unfolds through music, desire, inebriation, and fleeting encounters, she finds herself increasingly trapped between reality, memory, and dream. The guests who drift through her apartment become reflections of her past, her fears, and her longing for connection, transforming the search into a surreal confrontation with grief, family, and the ghosts she thought she had left behind. Part ghost story, part house party, and part dreamscape, The Guests follows Ana through a world where the past refuses to stay buried and the boundaries between the living and the dead begin to dissolve. Rituals slip into hallucinations, and the familiar gradually gives way to the uncanny. Moving between contemporary drama and dark comedy, the play explores displacement, belonging, and what it means to live far from home while carrying loss across oceans. At its heart, The Guests asks how memory reshapes identity, how the dead continue to inhabit the lives of the living, and how love endures beyond absence.
Tue Oct 20 at 7pm & Fri Oct 30 at 9:30pm 80 min
The Witching Hour
Hosted by Andrew Agress
Wed Oct 21 at 9pm & Fri Oct 23 at 7pm
The Witching Hour returns this spooky season with a horror-fiction triple-feature. The evening of short horror plays will strike fear into your hearts, and maybe a bit of laughter into your souls. This time around we've got three spooky short plays for you featuring heartstopping housekeepers, supernatural superstores, and worrisome wallpaper. So when the night comes, gather around this tri-an-ghoul, tri not to scream, and prepare for a trifecta of treats.
Bleach
Written by Tess Redman
A comedy about a married couple who are struggling to conceive, and a surprise visit from their housekeeper that takes a deadly turn. 15 min
The Sorcery Aisle
Written by Janna Fields
Two capable witches and a lonely wizard explore a big box store for the first time. It’s a mix of comedy and fantasy blurring the boundaries between the fictional universe of witchcraft and wizardry and the real world situations of average modern life. LGBTQ main characters are normalized because the main focus is on their supernatural personas. Their journey through this new experience is light and familiar while also touching on themes of gentrification, consumerism and New York City living. 20 min
The Yellow Wallpaper
Choreographed by Maren Westgard
The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story written in 1892 about a woman tortured by the images of someone lurking behind her walls. In this physical theater adaptation, the wallpaper comes to life as a haunting dancer drawing the main character into madness–or perhaps saving her from it. The two-person piece utilizes acting, dance, poetry, and music to revive this eerie short story for the 21st century. 12 min
The Outside
Written by Catie Carlisle
A sudden apocalypse sends two friends into an unlikely living situation with a stranger. As time passes, they build a new existence within those four walls. But what's happening to the world outside?
Wed Oct 22 at 9:30pm & Fri Oct 23 at 9pm 30 min
Edgar A. Poe's ~ Last Call
Written & Performed by Scott Robinson
Edgar A. Poe’s Last Call, is an eerie, intimate, solo performance, inspired by the tormented life and mysterious death of Edgar Allan Poe. An evening of ravenous remembrance; not of dusty literature but psychological conflict. As the veil between brilliance and ruin dissolves, his life flashes before his eyes. Improvisational actor Scott Robinson exhumes the character, the genius, and the heartbreak of Poe. In our own frightening time of human isolation and despair, Edgar A. Poe’s Last Call is ultimately an intense story of imagination and the cathartic power of live theatre. Thu Oct 22 at 7pm & Sat Oct 31 at 4:30pm 60 min
The Clarence Show
Written by Joshua W. Josey
"THE CLARENCE SHOW is a one-man show set inside a late-night psychic call-in program where the jokes hit hard and the truth cuts deep. Clarence sees ALL— if you're brave enough to show up or call. WARNING : You are not just reading this. You are being read. Think you found this show by accident? THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS. Clarence is expecting you. See you soon!
Sat Oct 24 at 9:30pm & Thu Oct 29 at 7pm 60 min
No Roses
Written by Annikka Faye Mocciola
A story about love, life, and death, No Roses follows two young men - one alive, one dead - as they discover what it means to exchange affection between worlds. Bailey Jones-Wolfe and Calixte Maćon fight fate in this thrilling, romantic tale that forces you to consider what it means to truly be alive. Tue Oct 27 at 7pm & Sat Oct 31 at 9:30pm 60 min
CHAOS
Written by Nicole Serra
It’s a typical day at the NYC 311 Call Center: negligent landlords, broken streetlights, bosses that refuse to recognize the humanity of their employees. Standard chaos. Operators Isola, Frankie, and Gray are doing the best they can to connect New Yorkers to the resources they need. And then - the calls begin reflecting a strange turn in the world around them. Escalators are swallowing people, walls are becoming transparent, and most terrifying of all, the subway starts to smell … amazing. They soon discover the reason for this new form of chaos sweeping the city. It’s a gigantic swirling Black Hole consuming everything in its path. As the characters try to understand their new reality, their relationships with each other begin unraveling. Turns out, an impending apocalypse has the power to melt their professional armor and reveal their messy human selves. Y'all, it’s complicated. But the Black Hole is on its way. And it’s really, really hungry. Thu Oct 29 at 9:30pm & Sat Oct 31 at 2pm 45 min
FRIGID Night Cap
Come get weird after dark! The East Village’s riotously unpredictable late-night spectacle is a wondrously offbeat collision of comedy, music, burlesque, arts, and more. It’s the most unique destination for anyone who just isn’t ready to call it a night quite yet. Fri Oct 30 at 10:30pm
Spanglish Affair
Presented by Something From Abroad
We are excited to provide a safe space for artists to explore and share their art in front of a live audience. If there's something you've always wanted to do, this is a space for you to do it! While our company focuses on Spanish and Spanglish content, this is not a requirement for your piece—if you're someone with art to share, this space is for you. Here are some ideas for types of performers we're looking for: singers, dancers, comedians, performance art, burlesque, actors, visual artists, clowning, spoken word, poetry. THE SKY IS THE LIMIT! Sun Nov 1 at 7pm
FRIGID New York’s mission is to provide both emerging and established artists the opportunity to create and produce original work of varied content, form, and style, and to amplify their diverse voices. We do this by presenting an array of monthly programming, mainstage productions, an artist residency, and eight annual theater festivals that create an environment of collaboration, resourcefulness, and innovation. Founded in 1998, the aim was and is to form a structure, allowing multiple artists to focus on creating and staging new work and providing affordable rental space to scores of independent artists. Now in our third decade we have produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. www.frigid.nyc
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on October 6, 2026. All rights reserved.