When I first heard that the Paranormal Activity franchise has been adapted into a staged production, I was immensely skeptical of its scare factor on stage and that there was a worthy story to be told that can hold on its own. But in a shocking turn of events, Paranormal Activity: A New Story Live On Stage has defied all my expectations as a genuinely engaging and terrifying experience that will absolutely delight all horror/thriller fans and newcomers alike.

James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape the past… but they soon discover that places aren’t haunted, people are. An original story set in the world of the terrifying Paranormal Activity film franchise, this thrilling new play is from celebrated playwright Levi Holloway (Broadway’s Grey House) and originally directed by Punchdrunk’s Felix Barrett (Sleep No More) with illusions by Tony Award-winner Chris Fisher (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Harry Potter & The Cursed Child). This world premiere play will haunt you long after the lights go out. We can’t say anything else. 

I must admit, I am heavily biased against any play/musical that is an hit movie or TV show adaptation as I always find it to be a cheap gimmick. Particularly when it has a “live on stage” attached to it, I raise my eyebrows at the potential circus cash-in nature, despite that there’s been a rather large number of staged adaptations happening right now like Paddington: The Musical, The Hunger Games: On Stage, The Devil Wears Prada, and Back to the Future.

So it goes without saying that my whole-hearted endorsement of this particular staged adaptation comes as a massive surprise to myself, even though it absolutely did not need the Paranormal Activity name brand as it has no connection to any of the seven(!?!) films in the series. And if there is one, it’s a very loose one at that. One however could make the argument that without a name brand, the budget for the horror magic and to create a most incredible two story house set design could not have been achieved. Wah wah.

Like any horror story, there is always a degree of spectacle and thus the staged adaptation hiring Chris Fisher, the illusionist who helped bring Harry Potter & The Cursed Child to life, was one of its most successful elements in fully realizing its most terrifying aspects. It is strange to call this play a magic show but it absolutely is so to watch this with an audience is an experience all unto itself as we all went through a roller coaster of emotions that is a reminder why live arts must and will continue to thrive.

I will leave no spoilers in what is to be expected but it is safe to say that as a horror fan, I was thrilled to see many of the genre’s most well known and tried and true tropes be pulled off in the most convincing manner and gusto. WARNING: the play is quite loud and many of its jump scares will simply come from the fact that the sound effect will almost blow your ear drum off. Bring protection ear buds especially if you’re sensitive to loud noises.

But a horror play is not a true whole without a well crafted story and convincing characters to draw from. Levi Holloway‘s restaging of the horror film franchise, Felix Barrett‘s directing, and the ensemble acting from Cher Álvarez, Patrick Heusinger, Shannon Cochran, and Kate Fry all contribute magnificently to creating an experience that elevates this play into something beyond just a magic fright show.

My biggest criticism will only come from the script where there were many instances of it coming dangerously close to virtue signaling, especially when it comes to women empowerment that felt slightly out of place and distracting as it was designed to garner some sort of audience reaction as opposed to something being said naturally. And speaking of distracting, I need to make an objectifying comment on Patrick Heusinger with two words: Holy Abs.

While the story didn’t need to incorporate any global majority diversity, the decision to cast Cher Álvarez as Lou, one of the two main leads, was a most welcome one. In future productions, I would also welcome the husband character James (played by Patrick Heusinger) to also be played by global majority and same goes for the rest of the ensemble cast as these are the type of roles that are so much fun to play.

That being said (and without spoiling too much), the white privilege James has plays a crucial factor in this story that could possibly be reaching if swapped with actors of other ethnicities. Each and every one of the four characters have juicy memorable moments to dig into as I especially wish to see more stories that utilize such casting without relying on specifically made stories that need to dig into global majority trauma.

If you’re a horror and/or magic fan, you’re going to love this show. And for everyone else who may have been skeptical like me, you’re going to have a thrilling time as this is a communal experience that will be unlike any other. Paranormal Activity will have a limited run at the Ahmanson Theatre from November 13 – December 7, 2025. Show is two hours, one intermission. You can buy tickets here with a special LGBTQIA+ night performance on November 20.