EMMA Meets Halloween: A Costume Contest at the Wells Theatre

This Halloween night, join us at the Wells Theatre for a truly spirited evening—Kate Hamill’s witty, playful adaptation of Emma paired with a festive costume contest!

Audiences are invited to arrive in costume and show off their creativity. We’ll have prizes in two categories:

  • Best Halloween Costume – spooky, silly, or spectacular, it’s up to you!

  • Best Regency Costume – step into Jane Austen’s world with gowns, waistcoats, bonnets, and boots fit for Highbury society.

Whether you come dressed as a ghost, a ghoul, or a guest at a Regency ball, you’ll enjoy a night where Austen’s matchmaking mischief collides with Halloween fun. Expect laughter, romance, and more than a few surprises on stage—plus the chance to win bragging rights and a prize!

Get your tickets now and make this Halloween one to remember at the Wells Theatre.

Review: A raucous, moving musical at Norfolk’s Wells

Review: A raucous, moving musical at Norfolk’s Wells

Another, lesser-known song by Fats Waller in the often raucous, sometimes deeply moving show “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” now at Norfolk’s Wells Theatre, advises ladies to — speaking of men — “Find Out What They Like” (and how they like it), and “let ’em have it just that way.” The ladies singing that early 1930s song are talking about, well, sex, but they could just as well be referring to theatrical offerings. That’s what Norfolk State University’s still new Professional Series, in partnership with Virginia Stage Company, is doing, with great success, with its first musical: giving audiences what they want and (judging from the applause) in the way they like it. 

Some words from our Musical Director, Darius Frowner

When I got the call from Professor Anthony Stockard about joining this production, it came at just the right time. I’ve music-directed Ain’t Misbehavin’ many times on both national and international stages, but it had been a while. This show always feels new because it demands triple-threat talent and carries music that is layered, witty, and full of joy.

One of my favorite parts of this production is sitting down to play the actual transcriptions of Fats Waller. That means I’ve got some very big shoes to fill—maybe that’s why the song “Your Feet’s Too Big” shows up in Act Two.

Collaborating with Anthony has been a true joy. He’s a big-hearted director, and together with our dynamic cast and full seven-piece band, we bring Fats Waller’s world to life every night. What I love most is how the show reaches across generations and races—it’s a piece of theater that speaks to everyone.

And I can honestly say this: no matter the night, we give a great performance. The energy shifts, the moments breathe, but every audience leaves uplifted and never disappointed. The Wells Theatre has been a perfect home for this run, and I’m proud to kick off my fall season here before returning to New York.

📸: Jude “Cuchifrito” Kim, our bassist and photographer

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