Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will host a free Halloween-flavored performance of “The Liars Bench” Southern Appalachian variety show at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20.

“The Liars Bench” was founded by Sylva writer and storyteller Gary Carden in June 2010, and the show’s cast presented programs in Sylva during its first year. The ensemble has been staging its monthly productions in the Mountain Heritage Center auditorium since July.

With the theme “Haints, Boogers and Belled Buzzards,” the upcoming show will feature Carden, Cherokee storyteller Lloyd Arneach, musician and poet Barbara Duncan, claw-hammer guitarist Paul Iarussi, guest musician William Ritter and a “mystery guest,” Carden said.

“This is the second Halloween show we’ve done, and I believe it’s going to knock your socks off,” he said. “This ‘Liars Bench’ won’t be a funny-face, jack-o-lantern-type of Halloween show. You need to be ready for Southern Appalachian scary.”

828-227-7129 or www.wcu.edu/mhc/.

‘Raindrop Waltz’ in Franklin

Playwright Gary Carden’s “The Raindrop Waltz” will be performed at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14, at the Unitarian Church in Franklin.

The play will be performed by the Burnsville Theater Troupe.

828.524.6777.

Carden at City Lights Oct. 19

“A Conversation with Gary Carden,” noted storyteller and author, will take place at 7 p.m. on Oct. 19 at City Lights Café in Sylva.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

828.587.2233 or www.citylightsnc.com.