Years after legendary magician Harry Houdini campaigned against spiritualists and mediums, ghost shows began popping up across North America and beyond. These late-night performances, also known as ghost shows, began during the Great Depression to provide people with escapist entertainment. The main attractions of these colorfully promoted events included the promise that guests would experience communication through mediums from beyond the grave and that they could see ghosts in the theater. . Naturally, most people understood that there was nothing mystical about these shows, and that they existed to provide tongue-in-cheek surprises, thrills, and laughs.
Magical acts served as the centerpiece of these mystical themed shows that began at or near midnight and usually featured both macabre and vulgar showmanship. There were fanciful advertisements promising incredible sights that even PT Barnum would approve of. This was usually followed by a screening of a horror movie.
According to Mark Walker, author of “Ghostmasters,” the outstanding book on ghost shows, these performances have gradually declined due to a variety of factors, including the rise of the new invention of television, the shrinking of movie theaters, and increased box office revenues. He says he lost his audience. It costs money. And while midnight movie screenings are still enjoyed by a niche audience, ghost shows have been completely relegated to history.
On Thursday, Peekaboo Gallery presents an homage/return to the ghostly tradition at the historic Mayan Theater. The Exoticon Super Shock show will include performances by world-class magician Rob Zabrecky, spooky-themed live music by Ghouly Gal, Jimmy Psycho, and the Black Flame Hell Cult, and burlesque performances by Emma Vaudeville and Vita Devoid. There will also be horror-themed cocktails, a ghost show presentation, and a gallery display of vintage ghost show posters and memorabilia. The show’s promotional language (including font and punctuation) pays homage to old ghost show advertisements. Peekaboo Gallery’s website declares that events of 21 or more are “terrifying!” Ghosts fly around the theater! SKELETONS will come to life and parade around the stage! Monsters run through the audience! Are there any GUTS to join? Please join us!!!โ
Sven Kirsten (left) and Jordan Rajcek at Exoticon 2023.
(Scott Feinblatt)
The central character of this work is Jordan Ryczek. He is an award-winning animation producer and director whose credits include โThe Simpsons,โ โThe Ren & Stimpy Showโ and other popular titles. Ryczek is the owner and operator of Peekaboo Gallery, which he calls โPop Culture Time Machineโข.โ โ He is an avid collector of vintage records, furniture, cars, posters, illustrations, comics, clothing, and more. His main focus is tiki decorations and Disney temporaries.
Through Peekaboo Gallery, he has produced gallery exhibitions that he likens to “museum-like theater experiences.” Last year, Reichek launched his own event brand, Exotikon. The brand’s first event, simply titled “Exotikon,” took place over three days at the now-closed Wisdome LA. And despite some hiccups, the event was a great one. The brand’s subsequent events, Exoticon Satellite Christmas Show and Exoticon 2, will be held at Maya, as will the Exoticon Super Shock Show.
This reporter attended the inaugural Exotikon event of 2023 on behalf of tiki lifestyle magazine Exotica Moderne and witnessed perhaps the largest celebration of tiki culture Los Angeles has experienced. Exoticon featured multiple galleries of vintage artifacts, including Tiki and elaborate costumes worn by the late Uma Smack. Among its wide-ranging attractions, the event featured a presentation on Tiki-inspired architecture by leading Tiki historian Sven Kirsten. Featuring live music by numerous Tiki-themed musicians (including the Tiki Yaki Orchestra, one of the few premier exotica bands in the world), and burlesque performances by Southern California’s most famous dancers. and Danny Bals’ historic Monterey Park amusement park, a special homage to the Tikis that flourished in the ’60s and ’70s. The memorial included a panel discussion, a performance by the Polynesian dance group Dancing Fire, and culminated with a rendition of the sacrifice of a virgin to a smoking volcano.
Model and dancer Vanessa Burgundy poses at the Exotikon booth during Midsummer Scream 2024.
(Scott Feinblatt)
In short, Exotikon events offer first-rate, detailed celebrations that inform and entertain attendees about their respective themes. At the Exoticon Super Shock Show, featured performer Rob Zabrecky (often referred to simply as Zabrecky) is entitled to perform a prestigious tribute to a nearly extinct showcase style. For the past 15 years, Zabrecky has been recreating Victorian seances at the Magic Castle and, following Leo Kostka’s retirement, has been the iconic venue’s resident medium. Regarding ghost programming in particular, he plans to contribute an introduction to Mark Walker’s upcoming Ghostmasters sequel.
“Ghost shows have been a part of my life for 25 years, and it’s all because of this place, Magic Castle,” Zabrecky said. โI like to think of ghost shows as an early form of immersive theater, because magicians would perform sรฉance-like effects, and gorillas would be unleashed, and ghosts would appear in the audience. It was this temporary experience where people might come right in front of you โ no different than an escape room.โ
He said that while ghost shows are starting to disappear from the cultural landscape, some theater owners are turning to other types of interactive shows such as “The Rocky Horror Show” and, more recently, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” He noted that he recognizes that there is still a market for late-night entertainment, including events. “room”
“People will watch it and throw soccer balls at it. They’ll be talking to the screen, which isn’t too different from what the cast of ghost shows do,” Zabrecky said. spoke. “They were collaborating with the audience on stage and these things were happening in real time.”
As for the modern appeal of something like an Exotikon show and what audiences can expect, Zabrecky pointed out there’s always room for nostalgia. โI think itโs safe to say weโre going to take a very old-school approach to this,โ he said. “My character is a slightly off-kilter outsider, like a B-movie hypnotist. And, yeah, I’m going to conjure up spirits. There’s magic in between, there’s comedy,” he says. Hell might break out. I’m not going to tell you in advance how. Come and see for yourself.”
Regarding Rajczyk and his decision to create a showcase of ghost shows for modern audiences, he said his plan was “always going to do a Halloween show, but most people thought that was crazy.” I would say, ’cause ghost season is saturated here in Los Angeles.” But when I saw the ghost season stuff and the offerings, I thought, ‘Oh, but this is all modern horror.'” He added, “What are people who are into vintage culture going to do during Halloween? ? Sure, there’s Disneyland, but that’s for kids. And since one of my multiple collections is about ghost shows, which are vintage-themed horror, that’s the path I chose. .โ