The original “Paranormal Activity” had no delusions about becoming the cornerstone of a top-tier Hollywood franchise. The film first screened at festivals in 2007 before being picked up by Paramount Pictures and producer Jason Blum, who would later become the big boss of Blumhouse. Upon its theatrical release in 2009, “Paranormal Activity” was a massive box office hit, grossing over $194 million and spawning a whole multimedia franchise, with a new film on the way.
The latest entry in the “Paranormal Activity” canon is a stage play. The show debuted in England in 2024 and has now finally made the leap to Broadway, where it opened on Friday, August 14, 2026 at the August Wilson Theater. I attended the Sunday, August 16, evening performance. I’d never seen a straightforward horror show on Broadway, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
What Is ‘Paranormal Activity’ on Broadway About?
The show follows a young couple, Lou and James, played by Cher Álvarez and Travis A. Knight, who move from Chicago to England, ostensibly for James’ new job, but really so Lou can have a fresh change of scenery to accommodate her mental health struggles… Or perhaps there’s more to it than that? The whole show is set in the house. The set has two floors and no fourth wall, so the audience can see the kitchen and living room downstairs and the bedroom and bathroom upstairs. My seat was very close to the stage (Orchestra Left) which was great for all of the scenes on the first floor, particularly in the kitchen. However, the view of the second floor was somewhat lacking. While I was never fully blind to what was happening on stage, some of the bedroom scenes were a bit obscured and there’s a moment when the characters find strange writing inside the nursery room which I couldn’t see at all. The dialogue covers the moment, but I did feel like I kind of missed an important moment. However, I didn’t mind too much because I know I had a much better view of all the kitchen scenes than someone sitting elsewhere. Some seats are better for some scenes, others are better for other scenes.
“Paranormal Activity” starts unassuming enough, almost like a domestic sitcom. After all, you can’t jump straight into ‘haunted house’ shenanigans if you don’t care about the characters being haunted. In this element, the show succeeds. The house set evokes a classic sitcom feel, and the script and performances are peppy and entertaining, even jolly. The audience laughed a lot at the natural chemistry between the two actors, though hints of the impending horror to come allowed an unsettling sense of dread to seep through.
How Scary Is ‘Paranormal Activity’ on Broadway?
Once the scares start popping off, that’s when show truly kicks into high gear. Going into this show, I was skeptical as to whether or not Blumhouse horror could translate to Broadway. But it absolutely does. Once the wheels start turning, every scene ends with a show-stopping scare. There’s one, in particular, that is so absolutely perfect, I want to see the show again just to see if I can figure out how the heck they did it. In the days since I saw the show, I’ve been playing it back in my head over and over, and I can’t wrap my brain about it. It’s a full-on magic trick, and it scared me and the thousand other people in the sold-out crowd.
There’s a particular magic that comes with hearing a thousand people yelp in fear and then burst into uncontrolled nervous laughter and full-on applause, an acknowledgement that they were totally caught off guard and thrilled by the experience. If there’s a problem with the show, it’s that it never again quite reaches the astronomical heights of that one particular moment. The second half of the show is lacking compared to the first half, mostly spinning its wheels with scares that suffer from diminishing returns, with more focus given towards building the actual plot than reveling in the terror. It makes me wonder if the show would have benefited from an anthology format. Even so, Act 2 begins with a clever sequence that makes use of more subtle scares rather than the typical “jump out of your seat” moments. These are tremendously effective, but you might miss a couple of them, depending on your seat location.
Thankfully, “Paranormal Activity” sticks the landing with a finale that wraps up the story in a satisfying manner. The characterization and mysteries are basic, but they pay off in a smart way that allows for a fitting conclusion and, in Blumhouse fashion, one final jump scare.
I’m not normally a fan of jump scares, but they take on a whole new dimension in the context of a Broadway show and the wholly unique energy that comes with it. Álvarez and Knight carry the show. Their chemistry is essential since they’re pretty much the only characters in the show. Yes, there’s Shannon Cochran and Eva Kaminsky as Knight’s mom and a paranormal ‘expert,’ and they do a fine job, indeed, but their roles are fleeting and advance the plot and characterization more than being a draw on their own. Álvarez is affable and pitiable as a woman haunted by a past tragedy, while Knight offers plenty of depth and nuance as the husband trying to be understanding and accommodating. Their performances go a long way towards making the admittedly rote plot machinations feel much more exciting than they otherwise would have been.
“Paranormal Activity” on Broadway successfully translates the formula of the movies into a stage play. It’s not going to make you rethink your faith in the paranormal or God or anything so profound, but it will definitely make you jump out of your seat at least once, and that alone is worth the price of admission. Throw in some superb acting, a winning presentation, and a narrative that ends on a high note, and the result is delightful, harrowing, and a great night at the theater.
