Halloween may still be a month away, but REV Theatre Company is already raising the dead.
The New York/Philadelphia-based theater company will bring its popular Never Can Say Goodbye – REV’s Graveyard Cabaret back to Philadelphia for three performances Sept. 24-26 at Christ Church Burial Ground in Old City as part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival.
The group has temporarily crept away from its popular haunt Ulana’s Nightclub on Bainbridge Street to set the spooky scene for its gothic musical performance.
“When we did the Vampire Show (Kiss Me Deadly) last year at Ulana’s, I’m happy to say it was a big success,” said REV Co-Artistic Director Rudy Caporaso. “But out of that, many people who came to see it were asking if we would ever do the Graveyard Cabaret again. And the cemetery brings so much to it.”
Founded in 1695, Christ Church Burial Ground at 5th and Arch streets is a historical attraction known as the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin and his wife, along with four other signers of the Declaration of Independence.
“It’s much more centrally located, which is a real imperative of ours in terms of picking a venue,” Caporaso said. “Laurel Hill is great but it’s far for a lot of people and you really have to make the effort to get there. And Christ Church Burial Ground has never done this kind of programming before so we are very excited about that.”
REV Theatre Company spoke with Christ Church Burial Ground Rentals & Production Manager Ryan Rebel to use the cemetery for the show.
“He had seen our work in other ways and other places and we asked if we could have a conversation,” Caporaso said. “And he was all for it. It was a symbiotic meeting and hopefully it will blossom into a symbiotic relationship.”
Performances begin at 8 p.m., with complimentary cocktails served at 7:30 p.m. Weather-permitting, the final performance on Sept. 26 will get an extra dose of atmosphere with a Harvest full moon overhead.
REV’s immersive cabaret takes place among the candle-lit tombstones and obelisks of the historic burial ground, where Gothic characters emerge from the mist and sing their way “from this world to the next.”
The musical lineup is jam-packed with 24 songs over 80 minutes and is anything but predictable, featuring songs associated with Blue Oyster Cult, Radiohead, Kate Bush, Johnny Cash, Roberta Flack, Cher, Gloria Gaynor, Amy Winehouse and Bessie Smith, among others.
“It’s a show we’ve done before in terms of the concept, but we’re putting new music into it,” Caporaso said. “It’s not something people will have experienced or heard before in that kind of way. It’s still the perfect start to your spooky season.”
The production was conceived, created and designed by Caporaso and directed by fellow Co-Artistic Director Rosey Hay. Jonathan Donald serves as musical director. The cast includes Willow Bethke, Marley Bingham and Caporaso.
“I love the way the music is arranged,” Caporaso said. “There are two other singers in this with me and I can’t speak highly enough about them.”
For South Philadelphia theatergoers, REV may be a familiar name. The company has staged productions in a variety of unconventional spaces throughout the region. REV previously presented With Love From America: A Honky Tonk Benefit for Ukraine at Ulana’s and is planning an immersive production of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret there in spring 2027.
The company also has presented Shakespeare productions, original musical cabarets and community programs at locations ranging from cemeteries and parks to parking lots and historic buildings.
Never Can Say Goodbye will also do its part to raise money for a noble cause once the show hits the road.
“This is a traveling show,” Caporaso said. “We are taking it to Cape May and to Scranton to be used as a benefit for a very terrific local agency there called The Greenhouse Project. We’re very pleased to be part of that.”
For the run in Philly, audiences are encouraged to bring blankets or beach chairs. The performance runs about 80 minutes without an intermission and is intended for audiences 18 and older.
Tickets are $40 for general admission and $30 for students and seniors age 65 and older with identification. Tickets are available through the FringeArts Box Office at 215-413-1318 or online through the Philadelphia Fringe website. Tickets also will be available at the door. The venue is wheelchair accessible.
The performances are scheduled for Sept. 24, 25 and 26, with Sept. 27 serving as the sole rain date for all three performances. ••
