THE HOT 5 An opinionated to-do list By Christopher Schobert It’s October, which means my annual Halloween tradition of turning on all the lights and watching Kubrick’s The Shining while stuck in the fetal position, thumb in mouth, trying to avoid wetting my pants with fear. Seriously, is there a scarier movie? And if there is, can you please keep it far, far away from my DVD player? Because I’m still trying to erase the image of those two spooky, pig-tailed twins from my memory bank. “Hello Danny …” While I dry my eyes, enjoy these five occasions for October bliss, all with my Johnson-&-Johnson-esque “no more tears” guarantee. 1.Museum of Science’s Night at the Museum Media-savvy kiddies will be forgiven for expecting to see Ben Stiller in a security guard uniform, a pint-sized Owen Wilson in cowboy garb, or a grinning Teddy Roosevelt at the Museum of Science’s “A Night at the Museum” on October 25 to the 26. Yup, no screening of the film A Night at the Museum on this night—it’s the real thing, a wonderful opportunity for families with children between ages six and twelve to spend a full night, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 a.m., exploring the museum, working on a scavenger hunt, and sleeping among the fossils and mummies. It’s a brilliant way to experience one of the city’s visual gems and awaken the adventurous spirit within the youngest Buffalonians. An important note: preregistration is required by October 10, so act fast, or you’ll be stuck renting the movie from Blockbuster. Again. Sat., Oct. 25, through Sun., Oct. 26, at the Buffalo Museum of Science, 1020 Humboldt Parkway; for more info, call 896-5200 or visit www.sciencebuff.org. 2. Rocky Horror Picture Party at Riviera Theater I must admit, I’ve never quite “gotten” the Rocky Horror Picture Show phenomenon. But then again, I’ve never dressed in black wig, lipstick, fishnets, and leather corset and trooped off to the cinema as Dr. Frank N. Furter and watched the film with a throng of like-minded, costumed fans who know every word. (Except for that one time I’d rather not talk about … I’d had a lot to drink …) That’s got to be fun, or creepy, or perhaps both. I love the idea of devotees paying tribute to a seventies camp classic, and hey, Rocky is the only Tim Curry flick to ever warrant audience participation (Clue fans, unite!)—and that’s got to mean something. To pay tribute to Richard O’Brian’s cult classic and celebrate Halloween, the Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda will hold its second annual Rocky Horror Picture Party on October 31. The event’s website is calling it “one of the sexiest gender-bending Halloween parties of the season,” and I can’t argue with that: it will feature onstage dancing, a DJ, a special show by the ladies of Club Marcella, and a costume contest with prizes for the best Rocky-themed wardrobe, and the finest overall. Until the El Topo-themed party, there will be no better way to salute the strange experience that is the “midnight movie.” Let’s do the time warp. Fri., Oct. 31, at the Riviera Theatre, 67 Webster St., North Tonawanda; tickets are $13 presale, $15 at the door; call 692-2413 or visit www.rockyhorrorparty.info or www.rivieratheatre.org for details. 3. The Roycroft Connection 2008 One of my favorite songs of all time is Elastica’s “Connection.” The coolest hockey line ever is the Sabres’ heralded “French Connection.” And that Hackman-tastic French Connection car chase is still pretty sweet. So the Roycroft Campus Arts & Crafts fifth annual conference, “The Connection: 2008,” has a lot to live up to. But the Roycrofters should be able to handle the pressure. The conference highlights the historic Arts & Crafts trail, which, according to my rudimentary calculations, must run literally through the center of South Grove Street. We’re lucky to have a place like the Roycroft in WNY, and this is certainly a banner event on its 2008 calendar. Events begin during the evening hours on October 24 and run all day through October 25 and 26, including lectures, an appraisal fair, campus tours, and food from the Roycroft Inn. So it’s really a weekend to stuff the mind, brain, and belly silly. Fri., Oct. 24, through Sun., Oct. 26, at the Roycroft Campus, 31 South Grove Street, East Aurora; for more information or to register call 655-0261 or visit www.roycroftconference.com. 4. Compeer of Greater Buffalo dinner and auction Compeer of Greater Buffalo has long been featured in Spree’s “Misc.” listings section, and if you’ve never noticed it, you’re missing out on one of the area’s most unique and vital organizations. Compeer specializes in one-on-one youth mentoring programs for children in Erie County who have received a mental health diagnosis. On October 10 you can help raise funds and raise a glass to all that Compeer does at the Miracle of Friendship 2008 dinner and auction. Featuring hockey coaching legend Scotty Bowman as keynote speaker, as well as awardees such as former Buffalo Sabre Larry Playfair—he’ll receive Spirit of Compeer honors for his work with the Sabres Alumni Association—it is a full evening of events and emotion. Fri., Oct. 10, at the Buffalo Convention Center ballroom; for ticket or sponsorship information, call 883-3331 or visit www.compeerbuffalo.org. 5. You’re Never Too Young or Too Old for Opera You know what’s hot right now? Opera. Okay, not Lohan-hot, or even Jamie Lynn-hot, but pretty hot all the same. From sold-out Met Opera simulcasts on the big screen to the recent fascinatingly weird (if critically wounded) The Fly: The Opera from Howard Shore and David Cronenberg, op(era) art is in, bigtime. This makes ideal timing for “You’re Never Too Young or Old for Opera,” a family-friendly lecture/Q&A session by OperaBuffs of WNY. Scheduled for October 4 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Buffalo and featuring cast members from Fredonia’s Hillman Opera with professor Julie Newell as narrator, it’s a chance for kids and adults to grasp the bold beauty of opera and to feel nice and artsy on an October morn.’ Sat., Oct. 4, at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 724 Delaware Ave., Buffalo; for more information call 881-1424 or visit www.operabuffsofwny.org. Spree associate editor Christopher Schobert is still pondering the significance of the man in the dog suit in The Shining. 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