Paranormal Activity Brings Thrills to Broadway

Dark movie theaters or eerie home basements are typical settings for supernatural chills. Yet, ‘Paranormal Activity,’ which premiered recently at the August Wilson Theatre, proves Broadway can terrify too. Among a crowd of 1,200, the immersive experience released many involuntary gasps and cries, even for those familiar with its Chicago showing.

The production benefits from its atmospheric darkness and intense sound effects, creating a haunting environment that might lead to clutching your neighbor’s knee for comfort. Unlike other Broadway horror shows that falter, this one stands strong under the guidance of Felix Barrett of Punchdrunk, a master director in the genre.

Barrett masterfully adapts an original script by Levi Holloway, creating a show adept at delivering both major scares and poignant, quieter moments. Characters’ vulnerabilities are laid bare, enriching the narrative and adding depth to the chilling theatrical experience.

Set in a house in England, the story centers on a young couple played by Cher Álvarez and Travis A. Knight. They have moved from Chicago to a house filled with secrets. The drama intensifies as tension builds, especially with the interference of the husband’s fundamentalist mother, portrayed by Shannon Cochran.

The gradual unveiling of the two-story set, thanks to Anna Watson’s lighting, adds to the suspense. A medium, played by Eva Kaminsky, catalyzes chaos, transforming the house into a site of supernatural occurrences and revelations. The audience’s understanding is challenged by a surprising twist in Holloway’s script, delivering unexpected yet logical developments.

‘Paranormal Activity’ is refreshingly free from clichéd self-parody seen in other horror franchises. Instead, it offers an authentic, analog horror story rooted in psychological realism, prioritizing plot and audience engagement over digital effects and artistic pretensions.

The show previously played at Chicago Shakespeare Theater with the same production and mostly the same Chicago-based cast. That venue allowed for less obstructive exit signs, enhancing the immersion compared to Broadway’s amber-lit escape markers. Despite these, ‘Paranormal Activity’ succeeds in giving audiences an intense, fear-inducing experience.

Chris Jones, Tribune critic, cares about sharing both the excitement and fear this Broadway production instills.

The August Wilson Theatre, 245 W. 52nd St., New York; paranormalbroadway.com