Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

Friday, Oct. 14
The Addams Family
Ovens Auditorium
Blumenthal's Broadway Light series takes a creepy and kooky turn this week. The Addams Family musical, created by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, takes the freaky fam we all came to love from Charles Addams' cartoons and TV/movie spinoffs and puts them directly in the spotlight. How Wednesday Addams could get a nice, normal guy - Lucas Beineke from Ohio - for a boyfriend never ceases to amaze me. But nonetheless, that's what happens, and when the couple's "undying" (pun intended) love grows stronger, a dinner social between the two families is in order at the ghost-infested mansion. Luckily the outcome is more believable. It all turns out to be one of the most deviant, disastrous dining experiences ever. Cheers to that.

• Music Formed in 1989, the alt-metal group Helmet broke up in roughly a decade later, only to reform in 2004. Though the only constant in band members has been founder Page Hamilton, the group — performing tonight at Neighborhood Theatre - has released three albums since its reunion, most recently Seeing Eye Dog in 2010. The band combines heavy, distortion-fueled with guitar with crisp drums and clear vocals. More...

• Theater Carolina Actors Studio Theatre has a way of making folks take a deeper look into the psyche. Its latest production, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde adds a strange case of experimental touches to 19th-century author Robert Louis Stevenson's already lurid novella, which has been spruced up for the stage thanks to Jeffrey Hatcher's dramatic adaptation. The tale of split personalities, transformations, deception, morality (good vs. evil), is gripping enough, and what better time than around Halloween to touch down. More...

Saturday, Oct. 15
Portrait for Hell
Actor's Theatre of Charlotte
It's not every day that a horror flick is filmed in the Carolinas, but Nosfilmatu Productions has sunk its teeth deep into the setting, which has been twisted into a down right frightening place to buy real estate. Portrait For Hell was written and directed by Thorin Thompson and stars local theatrical talents Michelle Harkness and Berry Newkirk who act as a couple fresh into their first home. Shortly after moving in they begin experiencing nightmares and hauntings. When wifey takes to painting while unconscious, her husband begins to learn more about what is apparently a century-old mystery.

• Benefit Zombie alert! For those with a liking for undead fiends, dressing in your grotesque best for the fifth annual Charlotte Zombie Walk should be a no brainer. The event benefits Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina and Costumes for Kids. More...

• Festival Christopher Columbus Italian Club of Charlotte’s annual Ciao Italia Festival has switched locations this year (it’s being held at St. Matthew Catholic Church), but it still promises a day of all things Italian. Food, pastries, wine, beer, music, dancing, activities and more will have you screaming ‘Mamma mia!’ in no time. More...

Sunday, Oct. 16
15 Short Film Festival
The Evening Muse
The 15 Short Film Festival might not be the most pleasurable thing for your ass, but it's certainly entertaining enough to have you pinned to your seat (with hopefully a quick stand-up break) for however many hours it takes to screen 20 films (15 minutes or less each). In its fifth year, the fest - started up by Charlotte natives Ryan Walker, Antonio Diaz and Keith Whatley - features selections from a number of different countries (12 are representing this go-round) in varying genres. This includes Paths of Hate (pictured), an animated flick by Polish director Damian Nenow about the action-packed (and obviously bloody) adventures of two fighter pilots in grueling WWII-era combat.

• Festival The Turkish Festival of Charlotte returns to Extravaganza Depot after last year's delightful debut. The event celebrates Turkey and its sweet culture with informative displays, entertainment, food and more. More...

• Comedy Atlanta-based comedian Jarrod Harris is a man of many observations and opinions. His views on rednecks, airlines and Craigslist are only some of the many topics that can send him into ridiculous raves. Harris, who's appeared on Comedy Central, has also developed a new fancy for plastic people (action figures, of course). As voice and co-writer for Action Figure Therapy (as seen on YouTube), he's taking an alternative avenue to the usual comedy fare. The one thing you should all know: Never, never let your children watch these vids. Toys may be the front, but Harris' thoughts about things like weapons, sex and racism are behind them. More...