Chicago’s distinguished puppet theater company, Blair Thomas & Company announces an exclusive preview of their new Halloween performance, The Tell-Tale Heart. This incomparable interpretation of one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous short stories, a psychological portrait of a mad murderer who is tormented by the sound of his victim’s relentless heartbeat, will be performed in various private locations within Chicago in October, 2012. The performance includes original music by Mark Messing and Bunraku puppets by Shoshanna Utchenik.

Each night, an intimate party and performance will support the remarkable contemporary puppet theater work of Blair Thomas & Company. Hosted in three distinctive locations, these unique events include dinner, drinks and Blair’s latest creation.

6:30pm – Dinner and Drinks; 7:30pm – Performance of The Tell-Tale Heart. Tickets ($80 each) for adults and kids age 8 and up are available through Brown Paper Tickets links below.

Tuesday, October 23 at Coyle & Herr, 1200 W. 35th St.: Explore and enjoy Coyle & Herr, Chicago’s inspiring home furnishings consignment warehouse. Discover why Rick Kogan of the Chicago Tribune calls it “‘the world’s biggest living room.'” Purchase tickets here.

Wednesday, October 24, at the home of De and Paul Gray: Visit the home of gallery owners and art collectors De and Paul Gray, and experience their spectacular skyline view and world-class art collection, including a privately commissioned work by Jaume Plensa. Purchase tickets here.

Tuesday, October 30, start at the home of Claire Geall Sutton and Mark Sutton, continue at the home of Karen Carter Lynch and Brad Lynch: Start this progressive evening in the cozy confines of the Sutton home surrounded by their eclectic art collection. Then stroll next door to a modern architectural masterpiece designed by owner Brad Lynch. Purchase tickets here.

And for the little ones… In addition to the evening event on October 30 at 4:15pm, there will be a separate 15 minute long family-friendly performance of “Halloween Tales” (for kids ages 3-8). Tickets can be purchased here and are $10.

Blair Thomas & Company is a national and international touring puppet theater company that was founded in 2002 by puppeteer and director/designer Blair Thomas. They have made over a dozen original puppet theater pieces including: Cabaret of Desire, a staging of short works by Federico Garcia Lorca; The Ox-herder’s Tale an interpretive staging of the Buddhist parable of 10 painting of enlightenment; A Kite’s Tale a collection of piano pieces staged with silent narratives including Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Chopin’s Scherzo in b minor. They have also toured with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. They have made collaboration productions with other companies such as Pierrot Lunaire a staging of Arnold Schoenberg’s song cycle with the chamber music ensemble eighth blackbird; an original adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Selfish Giant and an adaptation of Brian Selznick’s The Houdini Box both with the Chicago Children’s Theatre. Twice Blair Thomas & Company has received the international UNIMA awards for excellence in the art of puppetry. Twice the company has performed at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, once during when Blair was the first artist chosen to fill the Jim Henson Artist-in-Residence position at the University of Maryland.