Awaiting American Horror Story: Coven

Season 3 of “American Horror Story” on FX travels to New Orleans for voodoo, serpents, witches and more scares starting October 9. The cast is again star-studded with several returning actors from seasons one and two. Here’s the official description from the FX website:

American Horror Story: Coven tells the secret history of witches and witchcraft in America. Over three hundred years have passed since the turbulent days of Salem and those who managed to escape are now facing extinction. Mysterious attacks have been escalating against their kind, and young girls are being sent away to a special school in New Orleans to learn how to protect themselves. Wrapped up in the turmoil is new arrival, Zoe, who is harboring a terrifying secret of her own. Alarmed by the recent aggression, Fiona, the long-absent Supreme, sweeps back into town, determined to protect the Coven and hell-bent on decimating anyone who gets in her way.

Jessica Lange is back, this time as Fiona, and Taissa Farmiga returns from season 1 to play Zoe. Kyle Spencer also returns from season 1, along with Jamie Brewer who played Lange’s daughter Adelaide. Lily Rabe and Frances Conroy return after both seasons, and Sarah Paulson returns from season 2 to play headmistress Cordelia Foxx.

Also starring in season 3 are Kathy Bates as Madame LaLaurie, New Orleans’ notorious murderer and torturer of black slaves whose Royal Street mansion is believed to be haunted, and Angela Bassett as Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. The rest of the cast includes Gabourey Sidibe, Emma Roberts, Denis O’Hare, Patti Lupone, Josh Hamilton and Alexander Dreymon.

Episode 1 premieres tomorrow night at 10/9c and is titled Bitchcraft. More teasers can be found on the FX website, along with a series of videos about New Orleans. We’ll be tweeting live during the show, along with McSweeney’s columnist Anne Wheeler in New Orleans (@AynW), who will be divulging more of Coven’s Big Easy connections on Deep South midway through the season.