Ballets with a Twist Brings Cocktail Hour: The Show to Barrymore Film Center for Halloween

At a Glance

• Barrymore Film Center presents Ballets with a Twist in Cocktail Hour: The Show, A Halloween Special, October 23 and 24, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.
• The engagement includes the premiere of Greyhound, a new work about a tour bus's unexpected detour.
• Composer Stephen Gaboury performs selections from the original scores live on the center's historic Allen Theater Organ.
• Reserved seats are $39 to $49 at barrymorefilmcenter.org or 201-585-0601. Costumes encouraged, all ages welcome.

Barrymore Film Center, a multidisciplinary cultural space with deep roots in classic cinema, presents Hollywood-inspired dance company Ballets with a Twist in Cocktail Hour: The Show, A Halloween Special, on October 23 and 24, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Sci-fi "Zombie," wicked "Bloody Mary," glam-pop mocktail "Shirley Temple" and more spring off the menu and onto the stage in sparkling dance vignettes.

The engagement includes the premiere of "Greyhound," a lighthearted tale of a tour bus's unexpected detour. Composer Stephen Gaboury will perform selections from the program's original scores live on the center's historic Allen Theater Organ. Audiences are invited to arrive in the costume of their choice for an evening of bewitching entertainment for all ages.

"We're excited to welcome Ballets with a Twist to the Barrymore Film Center and showcase Stephen Gaboury's music on our Allen Theater Organ. This one-of-a-kind performance brings together exceptional dance and live music in a truly unique setting," said Executive Director Nina Larson.

Reserved seats are $39 to $49. To purchase, visit barrymorefilmcenter.org or call 201-585-0601.

Ballets with a Twist's acclaimed signature production, Cocktail Hour: The Show, harkens back to a time when entertainment was an engaging, vibrant social experience. Inspired by the likes of Busby Berkeley and Lucille Ball and infused with the exotic flavor of legendary Hollywood haunts Trader Vic's and Coconut Grove, this pop-infused production brings timeless American spirits to life. You have never seen cocktails like these.

Program Highlights

• "Zombie": The dazzling undead have their day in this Wurlitzer-fueled 1950s American pool party pastiche. Beware the sci-fi finale, it is a real killer.
• "Shirley Temple": A daring damsel frolics through her soda pop-fueled imagination to an after-school hip-hop soundtrack.
• "Hot Toddy": Are these cats on the level or on the lam? Mayhem reigns supreme in this red-hot rollick through the Roaring Twenties.

Marilyn Klaus, Choreographer

Marilyn Klaus, whose choreography has been seen internationally, formed Ballets with a Twist in association with Grammy-nominated composer Stephen Gaboury and costume designer Catherine Zehr. Her company has appeared in a wide range of venues throughout the country, from Cleveland's Playhouse Square and New York City's Beacon Theatre to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the Tribeca Film Festival.

"Ballets with a Twist is a company with a pop sensibility. We bring people into the theater by offering an exciting nightlife experience. Our signature production, Cocktail Hour: The Show, is an audience builder. We've been touring all over the states and finding very appreciative audiences," explains Klaus.

She added that "the show is composed of cultural cocktails, it's a way to look at different aspects of culture in one evening. For me, it's about uplifting the spirit, and it's fun because there are various meanings to the term 'spirit.'"

Stephen Gaboury, Composer

Stephen Gaboury's compositions have been performed by celebrated musicians nationwide. As a pianist, he has collaborated and toured the world with pop and rock icon Cyndi Lauper for more than a decade, most recently joining her alongside the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at its historic home venue. He has also accompanied such artists as Patti Labelle, Norah Jones and Sarah McLachlan, and has performed at internationally televised events including the Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony and the New Year's Eve Times Square Ball Drop. Gaboury's music has been heard in concert, on television and in films, including Boyhood and American Beauty.

Catherine Zehr, Costume Designer

Catherine Zehr is the artistic force behind the company's costume design. Her creations evoke the origins and essence of each dance with dazzling colors and ornamentation. Zehr honed her skills while working at major American fashion houses, then by designing and manufacturing attire for her own label. She studied art and design at Washington University and New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology, where she and the company delivered the presentation "Designing Costumes for Ballets with a Twist" as part of The Museum at FIT's Fashion Culture series.

Craving more Twist culture? Visit balletswithatwist.com.

The Barrymore Film Center is a not-for-profit cultural institution in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Dedicated to presenting classic repertory films, documentaries, independent movies and worldwide cinema, Barrymore Film Center honors the birthplace of American cinema while actively expanding how people experience film, the arts, education and community programming.