While this is the appropriate season for horror and fear, the horror is always in fun. The scares are for laughs, the shocks are for thrills, and in the end no one is hurt. But in Lydia Scheuermann Hodak's play Marija's Pictures, horror has become routine. In a small Croatian town in 1992, war has ravaged the land and the people. Unspeakable acts are committed and now a survivor has to find a way to be more than just a survivor. How does the human spirit regenerate itself and create a life that is more than just existence in the aftermath of war? Upstream Theater presents Marija's Pictures at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday (October 27 through November 5) at the Forsyth School Theatre (305 South Skinker Boulevard; 314-863-4999 or www.upstreamtheater.org). The subject matter of Marija's Pictures is quite grim, so no children younger than thirteen will be permitted. But don't believe that this descent into horror is more than you want this season; witnessing the rebirth of a soul is better than any treat you'll find going door to door. Tickets are $12 to $18.
Fridays-Sundays. Starts: Oct. 27. Continues through Nov. 5