News slash! ‘Dexter’ will film in Grafton next month

There’s a serial killer coming to Grafton in May, but don’t worry — Dexter only goes after the bad guys.

Also, he’s purely fictional.

At Select Board Tuesday, Ryan Cook, location manager for the Showtime production’s Massachusetts shoot, did not say the name of the project he’s shooting May 17-21, noting only that it was high profile. He did, however, mention the production has been based in Shelburne Falls, where “Dexter” has been filming its revival.

“We hate the headline ‘Hollywood comes to town,'” said Cook, noting that 95 percent of the crew is local.

The show will be filming at 3 Chestnut Street, which will be a character’s home, and is renting out Norcross Park, the parking lot at the Grafton Flea Market, and the former DPW facility on Upton Street to store equipment trucks. The town will receive a $2,500 donation for the use of Norcross Park and the Grafton Public Library will receive a “goodwill donation” of $5,000, Cook said.

During the shoot, winter will be coming to Chestnut Street, which will be strewn with snow. Night shoots will be part of the production.

“You just can’t fake night,” Cook said. “Nighttime is nighttime outside.”

The crew will be working with residents to mitigate any concerns, including housing them in hotels if they do not want to be home for the nighttime shoots or offering impact money.

The Select Board approved of a temporary closing of Chestnut Street between North Street and Woodside at the police chief’s discretion.

“Dexter,” which last aired in 2013 after eight seasons, stars Michael C. Hall as the title character, a Miami forensic analyst who solves crimes by day and commits acts of murder by night. The 10-episode revival focuses on the character years later, apparently in hiding in the Pacific Northwest.

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