Broadway’s villains are taking center stage in downtown Clayton for two nights of music, comedy and dinner at Brick & Mortar Events.

Villains of Broadway: A Musical Revue & Dinner Theater is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, and Friday, October 16, at Brick & Mortar Events, 217 E. Main Street in Clayton.

The Thursday performance is listed from 6 to 8 p.m., while Friday’s performance is listed from 7 to 9 p.m. The production is presented by The Unsanctioned Rehearsals Society.

Instead of putting Broadway’s heroes in the spotlight, this revue turns its attention to the characters audiences love to hate. The evening promises a mix of theatrical drama, laughs and musical performances inspired by the darker, more mischievous side of musical theater.

Dinner is part of the experience. Admission includes a buffet-style meal featuring chef-prepared selections, allowing guests to make the show a complete evening out rather than simply attending a performance.

That combination gives the event a different feel from a traditional theater production. Guests can settle in for dinner, enjoy the atmosphere of downtown Clayton and then watch the performers bring Broadway’s notorious troublemakers to life.

For theater fans, the fun is seeing the villains get their turn in the spotlight.

What to know before you go

The production carries a recommended age of 14 and older. Organizers note that some musical numbers contain mature themes, language, suggestive content and adult subject matter, so parents should use their own judgment for younger theatergoers.

The Johnston County Visitors Bureau listing also advertises a VIP afterparty from 9 to 10 p.m. Guests interested in that portion of the evening should check the ticket option and details when making reservations.

Ticket availability can change as the performances approach. The October 15 performance is currently being promoted as selling quickly, so anyone planning to attend should consider reserving seats rather than waiting until the night of the show.

For Thursday, see October 15 ticket information here. For Friday, see October 16 ticket information here.

Brick & Mortar Events is located in the heart of downtown Clayton, making it easy to turn the performance into a night on Main Street. Guests coming from elsewhere in Johnston County may want to arrive early enough to park, walk downtown and be seated comfortably before dinner and the show begin.

The venue regularly hosts weddings, celebrations, meetings and catered events, but this October production gives the space a theatrical twist. Instead of a conventional stage story with a single plot, a musical revue lets the evening move from one memorable number and character to another.

And with Halloween only a couple of weeks away, the timing seems fitting. Villains of Broadway offers Clayton-area theater fans a chance to spend an evening with characters who are supposed to be bad, while enjoying a dinner that sounds considerably more inviting.

Two nights, dinner included, and Broadway’s baddest characters in the spotlight. That makes for a different kind of October night in downtown Clayton.