‘Macabre’ musical to show

“Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” an original musical created by John Mellencamp, Stephen King and T Bone Burnett, will premiere at 8 p.m. today at IU Auditorium.

The show follows the release of an album produced by Burnett that came out earlier this year.

The story revolves around Joe McCandless, the only man in a Mississippi town who knows the truth behind a triple murder. After remaining a secret for 40 years, the murders eventually became local legend. However, because of McCandless’s secrecy, his family is in danger.

The cast includes 15 actors and a four-piece live band.

Maria Talbert, associate director of IU Auditorium, describes the show as a “macabre, southern-gothic supernatural musical.”

The musical is not a show for the faint of heart — audience members will be sitting at the edge of their seats, according to the IU Auditorium website. Accompanying the murky plot is a music list labeled as “blues ‘n’ roots.”

Directors have worked on the musical for 13 years.

Following today’s premiere, it will tour 20 cities throughout the Midwest and Southeast.

The musical will return to the auditorium for another performance Oct. 23.

Tickets range from $20 to $41 for students with a valid ID.

Tickets may be purchased at IUauditorium.com and Ticketmaster.com, as well as at the IU Auditorium Box Office.

Talbert said she is excited to open today. Since the cast and crew’s arrival, she said the auditorium has been in a constant “flurry of activity.”

“We are looking forward to sharing this unique experience with our patrons,” she said.

— Audrey Perkins