Can Paranormal Activity Scare Broadway Audiences? A Stage Test
The Paranormal Activity stage play brings its stripped-down scares to Broadway, aiming to prove true horror can work in live theater.
For years, film producer Jason Blum has been invited to countless stage productions that promise to be scary. Most, he says, have failed to deliver. After seeing roughly two dozen such plays, he found one that finally worked: a stage adaptation of his own "Paranormal Activity" franchise.
"I've never seen a play that's made me scared ever and these guys pulled it off," Blum said, crediting the creative team for making audiences feel the same dread as the films.
The production, which has toured London, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Toronto, and Boston, is now running on Broadway. It follows a newly married couple who move from Chicago to London and begin experiencing strange occurrences in their home that defy science and strain their relationship.
Without the cinematic tools of close-ups, cutaways, or jump scares, the play relies on simple, grounded effects: a flickering television, candles being snuffed out, shadows appearing, and blankets moving on their own. Blum, who famously worked on the original film's practical effects, believes this restraint makes the horror feel more real.
Critics have responded positively. Variety noted the play delivers more thrills than Broadway has seen in years, while Entertainment Weekly described it as a hair-raising mix of horror and unexpected heart.
The creative team includes playwright Levi Holloway, director Felix Barrett, and illusion designer Chris Fisher. Barrett, known for the immersive hit "Sleep No More," said he was drawn to the challenge of creating genuine horror as an art form, not a comedy. The approach centers on a believable domestic drama, with the set designed to keep much of the house in darkness, letting the audience's imagination fill the gaps.
"We've learned that less is more," Barrett said, noting that earlier drafts had more effects that were cut to maintain impact. Humor is also key, with moments of lightness designed to relax the audience before the scares arrive.
Barrett hopes other theater-makers will attempt horror in their own way, saying he wants other creators to bring their own versions to the stage.