On The Scene: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY Has Made Its Way To Broadway

Late in Act II of Paranormal Activity’s first preview, there’s a fun jump scare that get’s the audience pretty good. Screams and cries echoed around the August Wilson for a few moments before subsiding back down. A few beats later, a man towards the back of the orchestra just yelled out “Shit!” and the whole audience erupted in laughter again. 

As a true horror aficionado, I’ve been patiently waiting years for a truly terrifying play to come to New York. We’ve had a few pop up here and there but when whispers of a stage adaptation of Paranomal Activity was in development a few years back, I had high hopes. 

Written by Levi Holloway, who gave us Grey House on Broadway back in 2023, Paranormal has had an interesting journey to Broadway. First premiering at the Leeds Playhouse in 2024, the show next went on to play a mini tour across the US with stops at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, the Ahmanson at CTG in Los Angeles, Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC, and finally American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco before setting its sights on the August Wilson. 

The play is an original story set in the Paranormal universe that follows newly married couple James and Lou who move from Chicago to London for a fresh start. As their lives get turned upside down, they must work together to confront whatever is inside that house… 

I was fortunate enough to first catch the production in Los Angeles late last fall. Walking in with two colleagues, none of us knew what we were about to experience. On the other side, we all agreed that it was the most fun we have had seeing a show in years. 

Now on Broadway, I caught the first preview where we celebrated the Broadway debuts of Cher Álvarez, Travis A. Knight, Shannon Cochran, and Bobby J. Howlett. Eva Kaminsky also stars in the production, alongside understudies Caron Buinis, Caroline Hendricks, and Michael Holding. 

Before the curtain even went up on Friday night, a woman sat down in the row in front of me gripping her sweater. When I leaned over and asked how she was doing, “Not well” was the response… as the evening went on, I would say “not well” was her general disposition. 

At intermission, I checked the app for my Oura Ring and saw for the last hour my heart rate was at a pretty consistent 120 BPM, and I had already seen the show before…

I spoke with a few folks as they entered the theatre and it was clear, everyone was there to be scared, and boy does it deliver. The rush of adrenaline pumping through your veins lets you experience this visceral piece of theatre that is truly unlike anything we have seen on Broadway ever before. 

Now of course the question is: just how scary is it? Signs near the box office say this is not for anyone under the age of 15. Everyone’s horror tolerance is different, but you will certainly get some jumps here and there no matter what. And what can be more glorious than 1,200 people all screaming in unison. 

Paranormal Activity is now in performances at the August Wilson Theatre through Janaury 3, 2027.