Recently...

Recently East Village news has been particularly spooky – and that is certainly fitting for this time of year.

On Halloween, (Friday, Oct. 31), the Theater for the New City at 155 First Avenue will be hosting its annual costume ball. In the past the event has drawn over 1,400 guests, all decked out in festive costume attire. For a $20 cover, you can enjoy drinks, food and dancing all night long. Costumes or formal attire is required.

From now until Nov. 1, “The Pumpkin Pie Show” is running at Under St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place. The Show is a series of unnerving short plays rooted in classic Gothic literature. Each performance has a different lineup of plays, all written by playwright and costar Clay McLeod Chapman.

Perhaps the most ghastly of all news is the unfortunate loss of a beloved collection. Yongman Kim, the legendary owner of Kim’s Video, is selling his 55,000-title collection of rental videos. Due to the scores of people downloading movies, there is no longer enough business for the rental portion of Kim’s Video. In Fact, Kim is selling his landmark building. The music and DVD-for-sale collection is moving to a new home at 124 First Avenue, but sadly the rentals are not following. With the purchase of his rentals, Kim is making the buyer agree to conditions. The collection must be housed in a 3,000 square foot home and rental customers must be guaranteed access with a small membership fee.

Less spooky, but equally interesting, construction on the children’s playground in Tompkins Square Park is taking longer than expected. Parents who rely on the playground both for their children as well as for a social environment with other parents are upset. They are discussing the possibility of holding a meeting to expedite the process.