GRIM the Musical | Concert Reading at The Hyde Collection

A concert reading · October 10 & 11 · 2 p.m.

The Musical

A spooky romp through death and the afterlife, powered by the world’s greatest classical composers.

Plan your visit Hear the music

The Hyde Collection · 161 Warren Street, Glens Falls, NY · Suggested donation $10 · Rated PG

WhenSat–Sun
Oct. 10–11, 2026

Time2 p.m.
only

WhereThe Hyde Collection
Glens Falls, NY

Admission$10 suggested
donation

Life. Death. Teenagers. What could go wrong?

A wildly imaginative musical unlike any you’ve heard before.

GRIM is a spooky comedy-drama through death and the afterlife, featuring dramatically moody music by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and more.

In the afterlife, teen Owen meets The Ghouls — mischievous adolescent zombies in a centuries-old “Children-Only” cemetery. Their primary irritainment is scaring visiting mortals, some of whom can’t see them, and “Imaginatives,” like Lillian, who can.

Afraid of everything, Lillian seeks treatment from Dr. Dink, inventor of the Scare Chair, but to no avail. Meanwhile Grim, the one-eyed, curmudgeonly gravedigger and go-between of the living and dead, mentors Owen as he is initiated into this strange underworld.

Owen’s second thoughts begin once he witnesses the pain he has inflicted on his parents — who themselves are pushed toward a change of heart through Ghoulish intervention.

Is it Heaven? Hell? You decide.

Content note: The story addresses death, suicide, grief, family conflict, conversion therapy, violent imagery and other mature themes. Rated PG.

GRIM the Musical concert reading poster featuring wide, startled eyes and a list of classical composers — Original GRIM promotional artwork

Listen

The graveyard has a soundtrack.

Two excerpts from the score, pairing original theatrical writing with classical music.

We Ghouls

Opening number · based on Gounod’s Funeral March of a Marionette

Here Comes Death

Based on J. S. Bach’s Little Fugue in G Minor

Cast & characters

Meet the living. And otherwise.

Sabrina LaPointe

Dr. Dink

Makayla Coalts

Lillian

Lucy Reid

Sara the Goth

Grim Mark Collier

Gruff, rough, tough gravedigger and go-between twixt the living and the dead; a one-eyed curmudgeon who’s seen it all — except parenthood.

Owen Farrell MJ Becker

Recently deceased teen, new to the underworld, curious and wanting to fit in with the Ghouls while missing his life above-ground.

Lillian Makayla Coalts

An imaginative, phobic teen who can see the dead kids pranking the living.

Brad Dillon

Lillian’s twin brother, who pushes her toward therapy while carrying a secret of his own.

Dr. Dink Sabrina LaPointe

Psychiatrist, inventor of the Scare Chair and author of Fear is a Choice.

Sara the Goth Lucy Reid

A cool Ghoul who hates everyone — but still big-sisters Newt.

Newt Danni LaPointe

The youngest Ghoul, forever young, kind and vulnerable.

Dirk Jacob

Leader of the Ghouls, braggart, and self-appointed decider of each night’s agenda.

Skully Johnson Gigi Bull

Local tough and Dirk’s right hand — although his muscle is mostly bluff.

Fred Hannold

The “oldest,” remembered forever from his tombstone for doing a dumb thing.

Sven Aidan

The first to go “poof” when forgotten; also doubles as Hospital Doctor and Preacher.

The Farrells Tim Burchfield & Rhonda Becker

Owen’s grieving parents, carrying guilt, conflict, love and a difficult history.

The score

21 songs. 31 classical pieces. 23 composers.

GRIM uses an all-classical score — famous works transformed into the dramatic engine of a new musical.

BachBeethovenBrahmsChopinDebussyDvořákFauréGounodGriegHandelLisztMozartRachmaninovSaint-SaënsSchubertTchaikovsky

SongClassical sourceComposer

We GhoulsFuneral March for a MarionetteGounod

So There’s ThatPiano Concerto No. 21, IIMozart

I’ve Been a RoverSymphony No. 7, IIBeethoven

What Difficulty?Ballade No. 1 in G minorChopin

Not My Son!Prelude in C-sharp minorRachmaninov

Someone to HoldThe SwanSaint-Saëns

CremationDanse MacabreSaint-Saëns

Here Comes DeathLittle Fugue in G minorBach

Ghouls, Awake!In the Hall of the Mountain KingGrieg

I’m AliveNew World SymphonyDvořák

See more of the classical source list

Other source works include Brahms’s Waltz in A-flat Major, Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Für Elise, Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1, Smetana’s The Moldau, Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 and Totentanz, Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Schubert’s Serenade, Handel’s Passacaglia, Fauré’s Pavane and more.

Creators

Made for the stage — and the cemetery.

Writer · Director · Producer

Neal Herr

Creator of GRIM and a body of original musicals spanning comedy, history and musical storytelling.

Musical Director

Mark Collier

Accompanist

John Landis

A collage of posters for original musicals by Neal Herr — A selection of Neal Herr’s original musicals

The Hyde Collection · Glens Falls, New York

Two afternoons. One unusual trip to the afterlife.

A concert reading is a full-cast, music-stand performance of script and score without staging. GRIM will be presented in The Hyde Collection auditorium in conjunction with Tanya Marcuse’s exhibition Book of Miracles.

Dates: Saturday & Sunday
October 10 & 11, 2026
Time: 2 p.m.
Admission: Suggested donation $10
Location: 161 Warren Street
Glens Falls, NY 12801

About The Hyde Get directions

Audience seated in The Hyde Collection auditorium

Artwork from Tanya Marcuse's Book of Miracles

Questions?

Contact

nealherr@verizon.net 518-798-1371 · info@hydecollection.org 518-792-1761