Long before modern horror cinema, the Grand Guignol was making audiences scream.

Join Post Mortem Players for "Vive le Grand-Guignol!", a special one-night celebration of Paris's legendary Théâtre du Grand-Guignol and its lasting influence on horror.

The evening begins at 6:30 PM with a French-inspired reception featuring pastries from Concord's Chocolatier Barrucand. At 7:00 PM, see Severin Films’ new documentary "Theatre of Horrors: The Sordid Story of Paris’ Grand Guignol" on the big screen, followed by a live panel featuring Grand Guignol scholar and author Richard J. Hand (co-author of four volumes on Grand-Guignol horror theatre), filmmaker and producer Robert Parigi ("Love Object," "Tales from the Crypt," "Freddy’s Nightmares"), and Charlotte writer, actor, and horror-film veteran Pat Moran, exploring the theatre’s history, influence, and enduring legacy.

The event also supports the campaign to create a permanent memorial for Maxa, the Grand Guignol's legendary leading lady and the world's first Scream Queen, who is currently buried in an unmarked grave outside Paris.

Presented by Post Mortem Players, the Charlotte area's award-winning horror theatre. This event is made possible in part through an Arts & Science Council Venue Access Grant.