It’s spooooooky on Broadway.
And not only because of the cost of a glass of wine. Fifteen of 41 houses are dark right now, and those drafty old buildings are being haunted by the ghosts of Cee Cee Bloom, “Queen of Versailles” Jackie Siegel and Lea Michele.
But some actual, fictional spirits are inhabiting the August Wilson Theater on 52nd Street: those of the new play “Paranormal Activity,” based on the popular horror movie franchise.
Like most ghouls, I’m of two worlds — theater and film. And over the past several years, I’ve watched as the horror genre became the only product that consistently beckons paying audiences to the movies. “Sinners,” “Weapons,” “Backrooms” and “Obsession” are notable examples, yes, but also pulling their weight are established franchises such as “The Conjuring,” “Final Destination” and the “Halloween” reboot series. People demonstrably want to scream.
It’s easy to see why. Horror especially appeals to young audiences, and Gen Z (ages 14 to 29) comprises the majority of moviegoers today. Plus the flicks provide atmosphere. Scary movies go down much better blown up and in the dark than in bed and on a laptop. And, at the risk of sounding like a Nicole Kidman ad, the cathartic release after a good fright feels better in a packed group.
That’s what makes “Paranormal Activity,” which has already played London, Chicago, LA, San Francisco, DC and Boston, such an enticing prospect.
Broadway desires all the same things that the movie industry does — enthusiastic young ticketbuyers, a product that sells itself, repeat business — while charging ten times more for the privilege. Hollywood, for all its issues, is far, far better off today than stumbling Broadway is.
Could horror help?
Thrillers actually were once a popular fixture on Midtown stages. Think Frederick Knott’s “Wait Until Dark” (1966), his “Dial M for Murder” (1952) and Ira Levin’s “Deathtrap” (1978). But they tapered off in the 1980s. The 1988 flop musical “Carrie” carried its bucket of pig blood with misplaced gusto, however The Times’ Frank Rich wasn’t having it. “The intended Stephen King pyrotechnics wouldn’t frighten the mai-tai drinkers at a Polynesian restaurant,” he wrote.
Years later, a stage adaptation of “The Exorcist,” directed by John Doyle, played LA in 2012, but the demon Pazuzu never made it to New York.
More recently, in 2023, an original attempt at horror-theater called “Grey House” wasn’t ready for primetime.
The currently running “Stranger Things: First Shadow” has elements of fright, sure, but none are nearly as terrifying as how much money the show cost to produce.
Now comes “Paranormal Activity,” directed by Felix Barrett, the co-director of “Sleep No More.”
It’s a good ‘ol haunted house story. And if there’s one thing Broadway knows, it’s houses. Lest you cry “unoriginal!,” the play, which includes Blumhouse’s Jason Blum among its producers, has a new plot about a Chicago couple relocating to London rather than ripping off one of the eight films.
The first indie movie, which has a handheld, “Blair Witch Project” vibe, was made for a puny $15,000 and went on to gross $194 million, making it one of the most profitable films of all time. In that sense, it’s a forefather of “Obsession.”
“Paranormal” was cleverly marketed — previewing for several weekends at midnight screenings on college campuses in towns like Ann Arbor, Michigan., before Paramount even announced a release date. Its unusual trailer was two minutes of freaked-out audience reactions.
The Broadway show will hope for that same sort of organic-ish success fueled by word of mouth. The ideal word being “scary!”. The first four preview performances of the play were sold out, which is more than the last Tony Award winner for best musical, “Schmigadoon,” can boast of its past week.
Time will tell. First, this weekend comes the demons no priest yet has been able to fully exercise: the critics.
https://nypost.com/2026/08/20/entertainment/can-horror-movies-save-struggling-broadway/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.