Off the Couch: Quality time with the Halloween candy, misbehaving with Barking Legs

Dr. Bruce Kaplan, left, and Ann Law will mark 25 years of Barking Legs Theater with a three-day celebration, Let's Misbehave: Our Gala 25th Anniversary Kickoff Show, starting Thursday, Nov. 1.
Dr. Bruce Kaplan, left, and Ann Law will mark 25 years of Barking Legs Theater with a three-day celebration, Let's Misbehave: Our Gala 25th Anniversary Kickoff Show, starting Thursday, Nov. 1.

BARRY COURTER: Lisa, it's always been my theory that getting older is simply a matter of living long enough. That's sort of how I view things like birthdays and most anniversaries, but sometimes we need to show some love when people or organizations reach a significant milestone. I'm talking, of course, about Barking Legs Theater.

LISA DENTON: Oh, I thought you were about to congratulate me for the significant milestone of paying off my car. Hocus Focus is all mine now. I expect pieces to start falling off anytime. But, yes, I am happy to throw in my own accolades for Barking Legs - 25 years is worth celebrating.

BARRY: It's hard to believe that it's been that long, but it's harder still to remember where we were in comparison to where we are now, and much of it is thanks to the work Ann Law and her husband, Dr. Bruce Kaplan, have done in the venue on Dodds Avenue. You can read all about their work in yesterday's story, but I wanted to make sure people know about the big three-day event they are throwing this weekend called Let's Misbehave: Our Gala 25th Anniversary Kickoff Show.

LISA: It's a Cole Porter tribute, which sounds "De-Lovely."

BARRY: It should be "delicious" as well. They are having food and drinks specially paired for each evening.

LISA: Before we get to misbehaving Thursday, there's Halloween on Wednesday. I always buy a bunch of candy and then turn off the lights and eat it. I'm gonna have to buy stuff I don't like if I'm ever gonna have anything to hand over to the trick-or-treaters.

BARRY: That's a good tip. There were so many different kinds of Halloween events this year. Many of them were this past weekend, but there are still a few things to do on Wednesday, besides turn the lights off and eat candy, I mean.

LISA: OK, but I have to tell you my plan is hard to beat. What you got?

BARRY: There is a block party planned in Cleveland's town square, and the Hunter Museum is hosting Haunted Hunter and Matilda Midnight at the Dwell Hotel is holding a Killer Prom. That's not a judgment on my part. That's the name. And several churches and the Tyner-East Brainerd Recreation Center are holding Trunk or Treat events.

LISA: Trunk or Treat sounds like a grand idea. I could fill up the Hocus Focus and eat all my candy in there.

Get event information every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.

Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 432-757-6281.

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