F: Is for Fantastic

Remember the days of Studio 54? Well there back, at Purgatorio. Already becoming a celebrity hang out, I spotted Prez Hilton, Jude Law, Moby, the cast of "Our Town" and models galore, circulating among the debauchery, within the darkened chambers. Purgatorio, is a tri-level interactive theater and nightclub, from the creators of The Box and CBS. You are lead to believe that you are entering a funeral parlor, only to learn the funeral is your own. To get into the rest you must enter through a coffin, so those afraid of tight spaces beware, as the fear is very real. Then the club begins. Reunited with friends, you enter a lounge called Hell. Purgatory is a theatre where you are entertained by some of the best acts around. Check out Kenichi Ehina. What he does with his head and his body, makes the exorcist look tame and a disco called Heaven. This is a Halloween full of sin, intoxication and sheer madness. With this kind of fun who needs Heaven? Mixed with a sensual pounding of pulsating music this club offers Halloween themed burlesque acts, circus tricks and cabaret for a one-of-a-kind experience. Come scantily clad, or be prepared to watch as some of the hottest bodies surround you.

You can delve into Dante’s macabre from October 15 through the 31st. This club unlike The Box is open to the public for a fee of $40 to $80 at enterpurgatorio.com with no velvet rope in sight. I actually missed the exclusivity of The Box as the guests were not on their best behavior. Also this is not a haunted house. Pugatorio is a club, an event, that brings out madness, the erotic. Must be 21 to enter.






Weiner even predicts that the kind of interactive, "environmental theater" on display at Purgatorio will one day replace most traditional stage shows. It’s proximity to Broadway theaters is a start. But would Hammerstein ever considering opening a more permanent venue in Times Square — a terrifying location even without fake Halloween blood?