Last night in Sunny Isles Beach I saw the St. Pauli Girl running around with a woman in a purple wig, who appeared to be breast feeding a pair of cotton dolls. Another typical South Florida Halloween.

If you’re looking for atypical, then I suggest you head over to Hoy Como Ayer tonight for the Spam All Stars presentation of the animated Cuban cult classic, Vampiros en la Habana (Vampires in Havana), or down to Artsouth for Ground Up and Rising‘s production of The Pillowman.

Both tales are set in dictatorships and both revel in dark humor drawn from violent situations. Count of the Spam Allstars to improvise around the funky trumpet playing of Vampiros’ main character, a horn-blowing bloodsucker who’s wanted by the mob.

“The Pillowman” explores the power of writing to conjure terrible worlds and inflict terror on children. While Ground Up and Rising will have to beef up its acting chops to fill the roles played on Broadway by the likes of Billy Crudup and Jeff Goldblum, this is the kind on intense, intimate drama that plays to this young company’s strengths.

Spam Allstars present “Vampiros en la Habana” at Hoy Como Ayer, 2212 SW Eighth Street, Miami; 305-541-2631; hoycomoayer.us. Ground Up and Rising presents “The Pillowman” at 8pm on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 and 3pm on Sunday, November 1 at Artsouth, 250 N.Krome Ave. Homestead, Fl. 33030; 305-247-9406; www.groundupandrising.org. Tickets cost $10-$15.