Plays & Musicals for Spooky Season

A chill runs through the air. Pumpkin spice is everywhere. Rejoice, theatre makers, it’s Spooky Season!

From frightful plays to haunted musicals, the Concord catalog is sure to have something that will keep you and your audience up at night – whether it be with chills or laughs. Check out these titles to find the perfect Halloween-time show.

Hilariously Haunting Comedy Plays

Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5w, 2m)
In Noël Coward’s side-splitting farce, the re-married, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine is haunted by the ghost of his first wife, Elvira, after visiting the “happy medium” Madame Arcati. As the living and dead clash, Charles’ current wife, Ruth, is accidentally killed, and joins Elvira on the other side, haunting the hapless Charles in perpetuity as two “blithe spirits.” This beloved comedy is a much-revived hit of Broadway and the West End and is sure to be no less loved on your stage.
Bottom Line: With ghosts and mediums, this play offers the occult themes you crave while offering a lighter take on the afterlife. An excellent star vehicle for a leading actress.

California by Trish Harnetiaux (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 2w, 3m)
A family road trip takes an unexpected turn when, in the dark of night, on the plains of eastern Oregon, reality splits. This absurdist take on “the road trip play” teems with creative possibilities for sound designers and is great for theatres looking for new takes on spooky narratives. Set entirely in a car, Trish Harnetiaux’s lighthearted one-hour comedy moves mysteriously through time and space, raising profound questions about time, family and memory.

Clue: On Stage by Jonathan Lynn and Sandy Rustin with additional materials by Hunter Foster and Eric Price (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5w, 6m)
Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie  inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by the butler Wadsworth, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up. Also available in a High School Edition (US/UK).
Bottom Line: A comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out…WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT? A great choice for a small ensemble cast.

Die Mommie Die! by Charles Busch (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Melodrama / 3w, 3m)
This comic melodrama evokes the 1960s movie thrillers that featured such aging cinematic icons as Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, and Lana Turner. Ex-pop singer Angela Andrews is trapped in a hateful marriage. Desperate to find happiness with her younger lover, Angela murders her husband with the aid of a poisoned suppository. In a very Greek turn of fate, Angela’s children plot to murder their mother in revenge. Die Mommie Die! is a perfect blend of nostalgia and sharp humor, perfect for fans of Mommie Dearest and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Bottom Line: This parody of 1960s thrillers is a unique way to spice up your Halloween line-up for an adult audience. Campy and witty, it’s easily produced on a shoestring budget.

Doctor Cerberus by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 1w, 5m with doubling)
In this coming-of-age comedy, 13-year-old Franklin Robertson is just trying to survive life in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. in the mid-1980s. He’s overweight. He’s sexually confused. He doesn’t have friends. His overworked parents don’t understand him. His jock older brother torments him nonstop. He’d rather write stories than go on dates. His great comfort comes from the Twinkies he eats and the horror movies he watches every Saturday night at midnight, on a black-and-white TV set in his basement, introduced by the horror host Dr. Cerberus. In fact, Franklin feels certain that Dr. Cerberus can save his misfit life…
Bottom Line: A heartrending tragedy hidden in the sleeve of a domestic comedy. A substantial role for a young man.

Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2w, 3m)
Ever wondered what would happen if you took Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale and put in into a blender with the comedic influences of Mel Brooks, Monty Python and The 39 Steps? That’s just what happens in this lightning-fast, laugh-out-loud 90-minute gender-bending, quick-change magical romp. Famed female vampire hunter Jean Van Helsing and her motley company chase Count Dracula from the English countryside to Transylvania to “other frightening places.”
Bottom Line: This hilarious adaptation of the classic horror story brims with enough tongue-in-cheek mayhem for all ages to fill any cup of giggles.

Empanada Loca by Aaron Mark (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 1w, 4m)
In this drama inspired by the legend of Sweeney Todd, a very hungry Dolores recounts her years selling weed with her boyfriend, her return to Washington Heights after 13 years in prison, her fortuitous reunion with an old stoner friend who lets her give massages for cash in the basement under his empanada shop, and the bloodbath that sent her fleeing underground. Empanada Loca is contemporary Grand Guignol horror in the style of Spalding Gray and the basis for The Horror of Dolores Roach, the hit Spotify podcast and Amazon Prime Video series.
Bottom Line: This hilarious twist on the legend of Sweeney Todd brings comedy and contemporary context to the horror story.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (High School Edition) by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play with Music, Dramatic Comedy / 14w, 16m, 4 any gender)
Nineteen years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the Wizarding World, they’re back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When Harry Potter’s headstrong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks an unbelievable new journey for them all – with the power to change the past and future forever. Prepare for spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance.
Bottom Line: This special version tailored to high schools provides young actors the opportunity to play all of their favorite characters (and villains!) and bring the Wizarding World to life for their communities.

Hookman by Lauren Yee (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 5w, 1m)
This compelling, existential slasher-comedy by Lauren Yee gives you everything you want from classics like Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street with the universal themes of growing up. Hookman follows Lexi, a college freshman, as she deals with a weird roommate, homesickness, oh and a hook-handed serial killer slashing girls’ throats. But if Lexi can discover what really happened to her high school best friend on that car ride to the movies, everything will be okay.
Bottom Line: A bloody, fun time that explores the fears of young women as they adjust to the adult world in the structure of a campy slasher. Appropriate for audiences 14 and up.

Jackie Lantern’s Hallowe’en Revenge by Burton Cohen (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2w, 3m)
It’s Hallowe’en night, and trouble’s brewing on the porch of a “typical” American farmhouse, where a jack-o’-lantern named Jackie glows and flickers diabolically. Mother, Father, daughter Betsy and son Tom are getting ready for a local masquerade when the Sheriff arrives with bad news. He’s been sent to the farmhouse to find out “whodunit,” even though he isn’t sure what the culprit “dun.” Which one of them has committed a heinous crime?
Bottom Line: A wildly funny and wonderfully imaginative slice of offbeat Americana which, like other plays by the author, deals with the trials and tribulations of a bizarre farm family.

Lucy by Erica Schmidt (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 2w, 1 girl)
On paper, Ashling is the perfect person to take care of Mary’s young children: a confident, highly qualified childcare professional with a sunny disposition and lots of experience. But from the moment Mary hires her, something starts to feel just a little off. Is Ashling as wonderful as she seems? Is the misunderstanding all in Mary’s overworked, stressed-out, sleep-deprived mind? Surely she hasn’t welcomed someone unstable into her home, has she? A comedic thriller about what happens when you don’t trust the person who holds the key to your front door.
Bottom Line: This thrilling three hander offers a chance for three women of different generations to take part in the thrills.

She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 6w, 3m)
If, instead of scaring an audience, you and your performing crew want to don fantastic costumes and engage in high-octane combat in a dramatic comedy, Qui Nguyen’s DnD fantasy play is for you. She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge.
Bottom Line: This comedy, laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and ’90s pop culture, offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all. A great opportunity for costumes and props.

Sleeping Giant by Steve Yockey (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 2w, 2m)
In this haunting and provocative dark comedy, residents of a small town respond differently to the awakening of a giant beast, raising questions about the deep human need to find meaning in everything from the mundane to the fantastical. When a firework-filled marriage proposal goes very wrong, the accompanying explosions wake up something very old that’s been sleeping in the nearby lake for thousands of years. What follows are.
Bottom Line: In this play, the intimate, darkly comic, and sometimes startling vignettes about the lengths people go when they desperately want something to believe in provide opportunities for multiple actors to take part in the suspense!

2021 UK National Tour Production of The Woman in Black (Tristram Kenton)

Seriously Spooky Dramas

A Burial Place by Owen Panettieri (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3m)
Three university-aged friends reunite for a night of beers and laughs at their annual summer sleepover. A gruesome discovery out in the woods where they used to play puts a pause on the memory-fest. Their town becomes the epicenter of an investigation, and what’s been found could be connected to one of the boys. Some secrets, no matter how far you push them down, never find a place to rest.
Bottom Line: With a single set, contemporary costumes and college-aged characters, this thriller offers university students an age-appropriate exploration of more serious themes.

Abigail/1702 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2w, 2m, 1 boy with doubling)
Ten years after the harrowing and tragic events of the Salem witch trials, Abigail Williams now lives under an assumed name, quietly striving to atone for her sins. When a handsome stranger arrives, Abigail takes him in, and long-dormant passions awaken within her. But someone else is coming for Abigail, someone who has been looking for her since she danced in the weird woods of Salem – but first, Abigail must make peace with the woman she most wronged.
Bottom Line: As much reminiscent of Faust as it is a sequel to The Crucible, this chilling adaptation centers both Arthur Miller’s women and a new theme of forgiveness. A strong role for a young woman.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3w, 8m)
Ten strangers are summoned to a remote island. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal and a secret that will seal their fate. Each has been marked for murder. As the weather turns and the group is cut off from the mainland, the bloodbath begins, and one by one they are brutally murdered in accordance with the lines of a sinister nursery rhyme.
Bottom Line: With expert structure and dark material, this thriller is a sure-fire hit… chilling, but still appropriate for the whole family.

Blood Play by Oliver Butler, Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 3w, 3m)
This dark, comedic thriller, takes aim at post-WWII verve and pre-adolescent disquiet. On a tranquil suburban evening in the early 1950s, the kids are away on a camping trip and a string of coincidences leads to a spontaneous grown-up party in the basement of a new ranch house. Cocktails are served, raucous games are played, new friends are made, and yet something is stirring underground.
Bottom Line: This disquieting play with a deft sense of dread leaves a lot to be explored thematically. An excellent ensemble piece, perfect for an edgy theatre company.

Covenant by York Walker (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 4w, 1m)
Two years after his sudden disappearance, struggling guitarist Johnny “Honeycomb” James returns to his small town a blues star, sparking rumors that he made a deal with the devil. Inspired by the myth of Robert Johnson, this haunting, Gothic play explores the power of belief and tests the thin veil between rumor and truth.
Bottom Line: This spooky selections holds opportunity for minimal special effects and plentiful dramaturgy around Robert Johnson and the mythos around him.

Dial M for Murder by Frederick Knott and Jeffrey Hatcher (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2w, 3m)
Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of the classic suspense thriller is a smart, tight, compelling update of Knott’s tale of jealousy, deception and homicide. Tony Wendice has married his wife, Margot, for her money and now plans to murder her for the same reason. He arranges the perfect murder. He blackmails a scoundrel he used to know into strangling her for a fee of one thousand pounds, and arranges a brilliant alibi for himself. Unfortunately… the murderer gets murdered and the victim survives.
Bottom Line: This thrilling update of the classic suspense play is tightly constructed – a perfect show for theaters who want to revisit classic works.

Feeding Beatrice by Kirsten Greenidge (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 2w, 2m)
Kirsten Greenidge’s spine-chilling gothic tale about a contemporary Black couple haunted by the ghost of a young white girl deftly explores questions of race, class and the American Dream. It starts with the sound of a spoon scraping against glass and the wet noise of lips smacking together. June and Lurie have a haunting new houseguest – and she’s ravenously hungry. They do their best to keep her fed and happy, but Beatrice always demands more. As she burrows deeper and deeper into their lives, the couple faces a horrific question: What will it cost to exorcise Beatrice forever?
Bottom Line: This contemporary thriller will chill the spines of your audience while raising important questions about race, class and America

Gargoyles by Chris Mathews (US)
(Short Play, Drama / 7w, 7m)
Based on a real school incident, Gargoyles is the story of a high school drama group forbidden from performing an innocuous Halloween comedy because of superstitious beliefs and the resulting outpouring of community love which conquers fears, written from the viewpoint of the gargoyles perched in the architecture of a local church.
Bottom Line: A powerful and effective drama, this short play is an ideal Halloween show for schools and youth groups.

I’ll Be Back Before Midnight by Peter Colley (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 2w, 2m)
In this spine-tingling comedic thriller, a young husband and wife encounter a spate of frightening events in an old country farmhouse. Peter Colley’s hit suspense play is filled with witty dialogue, huge laughs and heart-thumping scares. The most successful play ever staged in Canada, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight has been performed in over 31 countries and was adapted into a major motion picture.
Bottom Line: A terrifying and hilarious ghost story, this spine-tingler will have audiences alternating between laughing and screaming.

Let the Right One In by Jack Thorne (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3w, 6m)
An enchanting, one-of-a-kind play that is at once a brutal vampire myth and a touching coming-of-age love story. Adapted from the best-selling novel and award-winning film of the same name, Jack Thorne’s Let the Right One In follows Oskar, a lonely, bullied teenage boy living with his mother on a housing estate at the edge of town. The town itself is rocked by a spate of sinister killings occurring in the woods, but this doesn’t stop Oskar from wanting to play outside. Eli just moved in next door; she doesn’t go to school and never leaves the flat by day. Sensing in each other a kindred spirit, the two become devoted friends. What doesn’t Oskar know? Eli has been a teenager for a very long time…
Bottom Line: This play is not for the faint of heart. It’s a touching exploration of human emotion contrasted with horrifying moments of brutality. If you really want to scare your audience, this is the title for you.

Our Dear Dead Drug Lord by Alexis Scheer (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 4w, 1m, 1 girl)
A gang of teenage girls gathers in an abandoned treehouse to summon the ghost of Pablo Escobar. Are they messing with the actual spirit of the infamous cartel kingpin? Or are they really just messing with each other? A roller coaster ride through the danger and damage of girlhood – the teenage wasteland – has never been so much twisted fun.
Bottom Line: This séance thriller is funny, violent and dark, complete with a chilling twist at the end. This spooky play will haunt your audience while excavating conversations about female adolescence.

Return to Seymour Street by Tom Dudzick (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 1w, 2m, 3 any gender)
Childhood sweethearts Peter and Irene have found each other again after more than 20 years apart. After Irene shows up to an event promoting Peter’s latest book on paranormal experiences, Peter offers his childhood home to Irene for the home-renovation TV show she is producing. Irene brings her teenage son, Gary, in the hopes that Peter might be able to help Gary with the strange, possibly supernatural communications he has been receiving. As Peter and Irene’s romance slowly rekindles, they find themselves up against the house’s angry tenant, the ghost of Peter’s dead father – and he wants them out!
Bottom Line: This supernatural mystery is wildly psychokinetic and suspenseful, complete with frightening ghostly confrontations and a hair-raising showdown over possession of the family homestead.

The Enfield Haunting by Paul Unwin (UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3w, 4m, 3 girls, 1 boy)
The Hodgsons had no idea what a poltergeist was when, in the summer of 1977, furniture and toys started moving of their own accord. An ordinary, working-class family who lived in a north London council house became the centre of one of the most famous poltergeist events in the world. Inspired by first-hand accounts of one of the ghost hunters, this is the story of what happens when a dedicated single mother tries to protect her three children from something that is incomprehensible, deeply disturbing and hurtling toward a terrifying conclusion.
Bottom Line: This haunting holds opportunities for multiple child actors to take part in the scare plus a substantial role for an actor playing their mother.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by John Heimbuch and Jon Ferguson (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 10 any gender)
This dynamic, ensemble-based retelling of the famous Washington Irving story is a captivating twist on a classic. In the quaint village of Sleepy Hollow, stories of wonder and strangeness surround the legend of a mighty headless Hessian. When the humble schoolteacher Ichabod Crane vies for the hand of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, the townsfolk might protest, but it is ultimately the Horseman who will decide his fate.
Bottom Line: A clever, funny and spooky retelling of the classic tale, this play offers the best of Gothic fiction with contemporary commentary. Perfect for a strong ensemble of players.

The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Melodrama / 3w, 5m)
Another incredibly tight and suspenseful Agatha Christie thriller. A group of strangers are stranded in a boarding house during a snow storm when someone is murdered. The suspects include the newly married couple who run the house, and the suspicions in their minds nearly wreck their perfect marriage. Into their midst comes a policeman, traveling on skis. He no sooner arrives when another is killed. Two down, and one to go. To get to the rationale of the murderer’s pattern, the policeman probes the background of everyone present, and rattles a lot of skeletons.
Bottom Line: Agatha Christie spins a wicked tale. The Mousetrap is the world’s longest-running play, and with good reason. A thrilling night of theatre for all audiences.

The Passion of Dracula by Bob Hall and David Richmond (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 2w, 7m)
This off-Broadway hit, which the New York Daily News called “a genuine old fashioned horror thriller,” spices up the thrills and chills of the Bram Stoker novel with comedy and romance. The play is set in the English countryside in 1911, where several village girls have died under mysterious circumstances. Dr. Seward presides over a nearby mental hospital, which has acquired a new resident – Count Dracula! A trio of doctors, a young reporter, and a stouthearted English lord battle the Count for possession of the lovely heroine.
Bottom Line: Combining elements of comedy, romance, mystery and thriller, this high-spirited play has something for everyone. The country setting gives the chiller a Holmesian air, making it the perfect show for lovers of comedy, mystery and suspense!

The Thin Place by Lucas Hnath (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3w, 1m)
Linda communicates, professionally, with the dead, who are still here, just in a different part of here, in the “thin place.” She can make those who believe hear them, offering them peace and closure and meaning. Originally from rural England, she’s re-established herself in the U.S. and continued to build a career out of her gift. Hilda, a keen listener and observer who’s grappling with loss, takes a great interest in Linda’s abilities. She befriends the veteran medium, seeking answers that lie across the fragile boundary between our world and the other one.
Bottom Line: With acuity and relentless curiosity, Lucas Hnath’s play transforms the theater into an intimate séance, crafting an unnerving testament to the power of the mind. If you want to hone in on some spiritual energy this spooky season, check out The Thin Place.

The Whistling by Duncan Abel, Rebecca Netley and Rachel Wagstaff (UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 7w, 3m)
When Elspeth arrives on a remote Scottish island to become a nanny to a young girl, she hopes to bond with her… until she learns that, for reasons no one will explain, Mary has not spoken for months. The child’s silence is not the only mystery. Hypnotic lullabies drift down empty corridors. Strange dolls appear in abandoned rooms. As the nights draw in, darker questions arise: what happened to Mary’s late twin, William? Why did their previous nanny disappear so suddenly? And is the whistling Elspeth hears at night just the storm outside? Or is somebody coming for her?
Bottom Line: A great new thriller with a larger ensemble cast of ten that will resonate with fans of Rachel Wagstaff’s other thrilling work.

The Woman in Black by Stephen Mallatratt and Susan Hill (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2m, 1 any gender)
The framework of this spine tingler is unusual: a lawyer hires an actor to tutor him in recounting to family and friends a story that has long troubled him concerning events that transpired when he attended the funeral of an elderly recluse. There he caught sight of the woman in black, the mere mention of whom terrifies the locals, for she is a specter who haunts the neighborhood where her illegitimate child was accidentally killed. Anyone who sees her dies!
Bottom Line: This classic of the genre is sure to put a lurch in the pit of your stomach. If you’re looking for a tightly constructed thriller that highlights a small, dynamic cast, this is the perfect play for you.

These Demons by Rachel Bellman (UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 3w)
When an event puts her aunt Mirah in hospital, 17-year-old Leah takes it upon herself to find the perpetrator and exact revenge. But as she puts together her plan, the lines of reality become blurred. Her search for answers becomes a search for demons – metaphorical and… not.
Bottom Line: An option for a cast of all women that explores family ties, sisterhood and Jewish demonology with both thrills and laughs.

2014 Dallas Theater Center Production of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show (Karen Almond)

Hilariously Haunting Musical Comedies

Bat Boy: The Musical by Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming and Laurence O’Keefe (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / 2w, 6m + ensemble)
Based on a story in The Weekly World News, Bat Boy: The Musical is a musical comedy/horror show about a half-boy/half-bat creature who is discovered in a cave near Hope Falls, West Virginia. For lack of a better solution, the local sheriff brings Bat Boy to the home of the town veterinarian, Dr. Parker, where he is eventually accepted as a member of the family and taught to act like a “normal” boy by the veterinarian’s wife, Meredith, and teenage daughter, Shelley. Bat Boy is happy with his new life and may even be in love, but he carries a dark secret, and chaos comes when the narrow-minded people of Hope Falls turn on him.
Bottom Line: A fun and eclectic musical that provides something new for those who love camp and horror/comedy.

DIVA: Live from Hell by Nora Brigid Monahan and Alexander Sage Oyen (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / 1m)
As president of the drama club at Ronald Reagan High School and the star of every school play, Desmond Channing spent most of his short life in the spotlight. But when Evan Harris, a hotshot transfer from New York, challenges his throne, Desmond responds, as any diva would: with lethal force. Now, stuck in Hell’s most squalid cabaret venue, Desmond is forced to relive his disturbing tale of woe. As he presents his one-millionth consecutive show, Desmond performs with a desperate vigor to prove his repentance and escape this eternal, campy torment.
Bottom Line: A Halloween choice that’s clever, camp and deliciously-mean spirited. A great choice for a solo show that’s easily produced and will still keep your audience thoroughly entertained.

Goblin Market by Polly Pen and Peggy Harmon (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 2w)
A brilliantly atmospheric, totally original musical probing into the sexually charged fantasies of two sisters who relive their childhood experiences in an imaginary world peopled by seductive goblins. Two proper Victorian sisters, now grown women and mothers, return to their childhood nursery to relive the haunting memories of their youth. Magically, they are transported back to their girlhood, and their nursery becomes a woodland glen peopled by bizarre goblins. Blending music, poetry and entrancing imagery, the play is a dazzling journey through the psyches of the two sisters as they struggle to reconcile the fervent, erotic yearnings of their adolescence with the matter-of-fact world of their adult lives.
Bottom Line: A whimsical show for adults. A great choice for a completely original new show for your season.

Heathers The Musical by Kevin Murphy, Laurence O’Keefe and Daniel Waters (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / 2w)
Heathers The Musical is the darkly delicious story of Veronica Sawyer, a brainy, beautiful teenage misfit who hustles her way into the most powerful and ruthless clique at Westerberg High: the Heathers. But before she can get comfortable atop the high school food chain, Veronica falls in love with the dangerously sexy new kid J.D. When Heather Chandler, the Almighty, kicks her out of the group, Veronica decides to bite the bullet and kiss Heather’s aerobicized ass… but J.D. has another plan for that bullet.
Bottom Line: Adapted from the cult-classic film, Heathers the Musical is a hit among teens and audiences alike. Heathers the Musical: Teen Edition (US/UK) is also available for licensing.

Night of the Living Dead™ Live by George A Romero, Christopher Bond, Dale Boyer, Trevor Martin, Christopher Harrison and Phil Pattison (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 2w, 4m)
Six strangers in a lonely farmhouse, surrounded by brain-eating zombies – what could go wrong? Night of the Living Dead™ Live is a fun and hilarious reimagining of George A. Romero’s legendary cult classic. Set in 1968 and presented in all black and white, this stage adaptation brings the legendary film to life. The play lovingly examines the movie itself, the period in which it was made, and the film’s undying influence on the horror genre.
Bottom Line: More than just a recreation of the story, this musical celebrates the history and influence of the cult movie. This hilarious and terrifying classic is sure to be a crowd-pleaser any time of the year.

Reefer Madness by Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Satire/Political Satire / 4w, 4m)
Inspired by the original 1936 film of the same name, this raucous musical comedy takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria caused when clean-cut kids fall prey to marijuana, leading them on a hysterical downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence. You won’t be able to resist the spoofy fun of Reefer Madness.
Bottom Line: With addictive, clever musical numbers, this pointed political satire will go straight to your head!

Ruthless! by Joel Paley and Marvin Laird (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 7w)
This spoof musical about a child star brings the innocence of Shirley Temple to the deviousness of Damien. Eight-year-old Tina Denmark knows she was born to play Pippi Longstocking, and she will do anything to win the part in her school musical. But “anything” includes murdering the leading lady.
Bottom Line: Poking fun at the “idyllic” 50s lifestyle for women and girls, this hilarious musical features a classic Broadway sound, enhancing its witty undercurrent. A wonderful star vehicle for several actresses.

The Rocky Horror Show by Richard O’Brien (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / 3w, 6m)
You can’t go wrong with the quintessential Halloween classic The Rocky Horror Show. Sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.”
Bottom Line: Hundreds of theatre groups gather every year to put on their annual production of The Rocky Horror Show complete with audience sass. With cult hits like “Damnit, Janet” and “Time Warp,” you’re sure to leave your audience shivering with antici…pation.

Trey Parker’s Cannibal: The Musical by Trey Parker (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 2w, 10m)
From the co-creator of South Park and The Book of Mormon comes a horrifyingly true Colorado musical. Cannibal! traces the story of the real-life American cannibal Alfred Packer. The sole survivor of an ill-fated trip to the Colorado Territory, Alfred tells us his side of the harrowing tale to news reporter Polly Pry as he awaits his execution. Full of funny, toe-tapping numbers, this is a twistedly hilarious musical about a true American crime story.
Bottom Line: This spoof musical is easy to produce on a shoestring budget and perfect for late-night viewings. Includes intense adult themes and strong language.

Zombie Prom by John Dempsey, Dana P. Rowe, Mac Tumminelli and Hugh M. Murphy (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 5w, 5m)
If you ever wanted a zombie romance set in the 1950s, this hilarious and touching musical is the perfect fit. Set at Enrico Fermi High, where the law is laid down by a zany, tyrannical principal, pretty senior Toffee has fallen for the class bad boy. Family pressure forces her to end the romance, and he charges off on his motorcycle to the nuclear waste dump. He returns glowing and determined to reclaim Toffee’s heart. He still wants to graduate, but most of all he wants to take Toffee to the prom. The principal orders him to drop dead while a scandal reporter seizes on him as the freak du jour. History comes to his rescue while a tuneful selection of original songs in the style of 50s hits keeps the action rocking across the stage.
Bottom Line: For fans of ’50s musicals and all things undead, Zombie Prom cannot be beat. It also comes in the Atomic Edition (US/UK), so it’s perfect for a variety of performers. Nuclear existentialism meets ’50s beats for a guaranteed Halloween hit.

2012 MCC Theater Production of Carrie: The Musical (Joan Marcus)

Seriously Spooky Musicals

American Psycho by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Duncan Sheik and Bret Easton Ellis (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / 8w, 8m)
This musical adaptation about the original designer serial-killer combines horror with incisive commentary on Wall Street. 80s music introduces Patrick Bateman, a young and handsome banker with impeccable taste, designer clothes, and dark, unquenchable desires. After murdering his co-worker, Patrick’s mask of sanity begins to slip as he spirals out of control and into a world of sex and slashing.
Bottom Line: A graphic, campy, and ultimately funny musical perfect for fans of true crime and Hannibal Lecter. Great star vehicle for a leading man.

Carrie: The Musical by Michael Gore, Dean Pitchford, Lawrence D. Cohen and Stephen King (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 5w, 2m + ensemble)
Carrie White is a misfit. At school, she’s an outcast who’s bullied by the popular crowd, and virtually invisible to everyone else. At home, she’s at the mercy of her loving but cruelly over-protective mother. But Carrie’s just discovered she’s got a special power, and if pushed too far, she’s not afraid to use it. Based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel,this musical  is a thrilling take on teenage angst.
Bottom Line: Perfect for fans of classic horror, Carrie is a cult-classic musical ready for your latest recipe for fake blood.

Frankenstein: The Musical by Mark Baron, Gary P. Coheng and Jeffrey Jackson (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 4w, 7m, 3 any gender + ensemble)
With earnest ballads and soaring ensemble numbers, this compelling musical brings the suspense and romance of the classic tale to life in a uniquely faithful yet thoroughly innovative adaptation of Mary Shelley’s original novel. In his quest to discover the secret of life, Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant young scientist, creates a human of his own design that turns out to instead be a horrifying beast. This is no “Hollywood monster,” but a flesh-and-blood man who, while terrifying in appearance, grows to become articulate, cunning and hungry for revenge upon the creator who abandoned him. A tragic love story and exploration of humanity, Frankenstein: The Musical breathes new life into the world-renowned story of man and creator pitted against one another.
Bottom Line: A strong option for theatres seeking a musical adaptation that maintains the the tone of the original novel.

Ghost Quartet by Dave Malloy (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 2w, 2m)
Rose has a problem. She’s been betrayed by her lover, a local tree-dwelling astronomer, with her very own sister. Rose seeks vengeance and a passing bear might just offer the answer. But his services come at a price: a pot of honey, one piece of stardust, a secret baptism – and a photo of a ghost. A kaleidoscopic journey spanning continents, centuries and the cosmos ensues.
Bottom Line: A haunting show for a small cast where the music supports the story with a lingering eeriness.

Monstersongs by Rob Rokicki (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 7 any gender)
Something wicked this way rocks! Monstersongs puts audiences in a synthesized world of graphic novels, rock musicals, live performance and new technology. Following the journey of a child who opens a portal into the psyches of often misunderstood creatures, Monstersongs flips the switch on the monster narrative, inviting audiences to explore the humanity that binds us all.
Bottom Line: Designed to showcase a diverse scalable cast, Monstersongs works best as an immersive experience. Scary, silly and heartfelt, Monstersongs is unlike anything you’ve experienced before.

Ride the Cyclone by Jacob Richmond & Brooke Maxwell (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 7 any gender)
In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other: the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived.
Bottom Line: This musical’s dark humor, catchy songs, relatable characters, and themes of identity and mortality are extremely popular among the young adults of today.

The Grinning Man by Carl Grose, Tom Morris, Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / 5w, 7m)
Based on Victor Hugo’s novel The Man Who Laughs, this macabre musical is a fairy-tale love story streaked with pitch-black humor, lashings of Gothic horror and swashbuckling adventure. A strange new act has arrived at Trafalgar Fair’s freakshow: who is Grinpayne and how did he get his hideous smile?
Bottom Line: This musical premiered at the Bristol Old Vic and has since achieved cult status. A mix of the comical, the grim and the shimmeringly romantic in a fanciful adaptation of Hugo’s novel.

The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart, Richard Stilgoe and Gaston Leroux (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 4w, 6m + ensemble)
This spooky season, revisit Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterwork: a timeless story of seduction and despair. A masked figure lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
Bottom Line: Complete with arresting songs like “Think of Me” and “Angel of Music,” Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical version of The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most successful pieces of entertainment of all time. If you’re interested in a haunting mega-musical full of smoke, mirrors and an unsettling undercurrent of desire, this is piece for you.

2014 West End production of Let the Right One In (Tristram Kenton)

For more ideas, check out Concord Theatricals’ collections of Plays for Spooky Season (US/UK) and Musicals for Spooky Season (US/UK).