John Mellencamp Community

Ghost with the Most: Stage, screen star Gina Gershon in town for creepy musical
By Ron Johnson

What do you get when you combine the considerable creative and mildly creepy talents of Stephen King, John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett? The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, apparently. And, it’s here for one night only at Massey Hall on Nov. 11. Added bonus: It co-stars Gina Gershon, who we caught up with a few days before she started rehearsals.

So tell us about The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County.

It’s Stephen King. It’s John Mellencamp. It’s a ghost story about telling the truth and how you’ll end up in purgatory, I suppose, if you don’t. It’s a southern gothic ghost story with southern rock. It should be interesting.

And you play Monique. How would you describe her?

She’s the matriarch of the family. She likes to drink, so that’s fun. Fun to play.

What did you do to prepare for show? Have you seen it?

Oh, I don’t like seeing shows. I don’t like listening to them, anything like that. I’ve just been playing with the dialogue and learning my songs. But I’m excited. I love John and T Bone, and I’ve been a Stephen King fan forever. It’s a very interesting trio.

Although we know you best from film and TV, your roots are theatre. What first attracted you to the stage?

Oh yeah, that’s all I used to do. That’s what first attracted me — the stage. Back then, I used to do a movie every now and then just to keep doing theatre. I started a theatre company, Naked Angels, and was pretty involved with everything. It was fun. None of us could get a job at the time, so we just started our own so we’d have a place to go at night and act. Theatre is, you know, it’s fun. There is nothing like live theatre.

You also have a kids’ book called Camp Creepy Time, so you’re no stranger to ghost tales. What makes for a good scary story?

I love ghost stories and I just love being scared. But, you know, it always has to be psychological — that’s the key. Not necessarily blood and guts and gore. If movies like The Shining, Rosemary’s Baby or The Exorcist are on TV, I can’t turn it off, even if it’s at five in the morning. They are so brilliant.

Have you spent much time in Toronto?

Oh yeah, I’ve spent a lot of time there. I’ve made several movies there, a miniseries, gone to festivals. I’m no stranger to Toronto. It’s too bad we’re only there one night. The last time I was there was for Killer Joe (with Matthew McConaughey) at the festival.

What’s next for you in the coming months? I noticed the movie Mall will be release here in Canada soon, which also looks kinda terrifying.

Oh it is? That’s great. Yeah, I do these little movies, and they’re great, but I always get emails saying that they are finally going to be released and I’m like, ‘OK, which movie was that again?’

http://www.postcity.com/Eat-Shop-Do/Do/November-2014/Ghost-with-the-Most-Star-of-stage-and-screen-Gina-Gershon-in-town-for-creepy-musical/ (http://www.postcity.com/Eat-Shop-Do/Do/November-2014/Ghost-with-the-Most-Star-of-stage-and-screen-Gina-Gershon-in-town-for-creepy-musical/)