Horror On Broadway- Page 2

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 7:16pm

How are we defining "horror" and are we only talking about musicals?

Because suspense thrillers used to be a staple on Broadway. Ira Levin made a fortune out of them with DR. COOK'S GARDEN and DEATHTRAP. There was also SLEUTH and WAIT UNTIL DARK and plenty of others which I don't recall because it was never a genre that really interested me.

Among musicals, REDHEAD was a Tony winner than hinged on a murder mystery, as does much of the plot (more comically) of ONE TOUCH OF VENUS. Recently we had GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE..., but, yes, that was played for camp.

I think the horror genre departed for film and TV, just as the non-musical romantic comedy did.

ETA I forgot the best example of all: the version of DRACULA, starring Frank Langella, which managed to be funny, campy, stylish, beautiful and scary, all at the same time! By comparison and like SWEENEY TODD, the terribly literal film version shows what was lost when the genre disappeared from the Broadway stage.

Updated On: 3/26/19 at 07:16 PM

[BritCrit]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 7:23pm

GavestonPS said: "How are we defining "horror" and are we only talking about musicals?

Because suspense thrillers used to be a staple on Broadway. Ira Levin made a fortune out of them with DR. COOK'S GARDEN and DEATHTRAP. There was also SLEUTH and WAIT UNTIL DARK and plenty of others which I don't recall because it was never a genre that really interested me.

I think the horror genre departed for film and TV, just as the non-musical romantic comedy did."

The intention was to talk about straightforward horror plays like The Woman in Black and Ghost Stories from the West End. I'm interested in learning more about the suspense plays on Broadway in the 60's and 70's, but I wouldn't consider those "Horror" in the same way - murder mystery is a topic for a separate discussion (The Mousetrap has ran for OVER 65 YEARS in the West End!)

It was inevitable that musicals would be considered in this discussion, but they tend to rely on black comedy - there are few (if any) musicals which are straightforwardly scary - Sweeney Todd is the one possible exception, but I see it as a revenge story first and foremost...

[Impossible2]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 8:21pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I’m in London right now at intermission for THE TWILIGHT ZONE. The show is in a very intimate house and has cut the stage down by a bit with their set so they’re able to concentrate your eyesight on what they want you to be looking at. It’s a very weird show so far but reminded me of this thread since it’s quite effective in parts, eliciting some gasps from the audience. It’s given me the chills a few times already."

I didn't like the first half at all (not helped by a total cow behind us eating wrappered sweets loudly until I turned and asked her 'if she was ***ing joking' at which point she stopped) but I thought the 2nd half was much better.

I have no idea how it got a West End transfer though, it was nowhere near good enough for one.

I also saw Shipwrecked (the Trump play) but the same writer last week, which I thought was much stronger.

As far as horror plays go, Ghost Stories is back again and playing in Hammersmith which I highly recommend x

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/26/19 at 8:56pm

Ghost Stories starts the day I leave, sadly.

And that’s so funny because I found the first act of Twilight Zone to be much stronger than the second act, mainly because the bunker story is something we’ve all seen (in variations) many times before. I don’t know why that needed a 30+ minute block of the show to tell when none of the other “stories” got anywhere near that.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 1:37am

Jordan Catalano said: "Ghost Stories starts the day I leave, sadly.

And that’s so funny because I found the first act of Twilight Zone to be much stronger than the second act, mainly because the bunker story is something we’ve all seen (in variations) many times before. I don’t know why that needed a 30+ minute block of the show to tell when none of the other “stories” got anywhere near that. "

I’d have probably enjoyed Act 1 more if I wasn’t so blinded by fury about the cow behind me. I got so angry I just couldn’t concentrate on what was happening on stage and because there were like 3 or 4 intertwining stories once I got lost I just didn’t know what the hell was going on.

Shame you’ll miss Ghost Stories. They made it into a film so you should check that out!

[gleek4114]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 2:26am

Does anyone else recall the musical Stephen King tried to get off the ground a few years ago? “The Ghost Brothers Of Darkland County” I think? He wrote or co-wrote the book. I know Emily Skinner was in it at some point, and I think it toured.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 2:40am

When I watched the first Saw movie I thought that set-up was inherently theatrical.  Shame it felt the need to leave that claustrophobic locked room.

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 3:25am

Imagine the tech behind a straightplay version of Saw, or even what that could be like staged in the round.

Jesus.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 11:12am

DiscoCrows said: "Imagine the tech behind a straightplay version of Saw, or even what that could be like staged in the round.

Jesus."

I imagine it would be something like Bug by Tracy Letts.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 1:30pm

While I don't know about commercial success, you could call a lot of Sarah Kane's work horror. Blasted, Cleansed, and Phaedra's Love are all incredibly unsettling even to read, let alone view.

Perhaps the bleakest play I've ever read is X by Alistair McDowell. A play I'd like to write at some point is an adaptation of I Am Legend.

[(Insert Clever Name)]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 2:10pm

1984 last season was quite scary

[Lot666]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 2:54pm

(Insert Clever Name) said: "1984 last season was quite scary"

I was thinking about that. While not exactly a "horror story", it was extremely intense, unnerving, and in some places, quite shocking.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 3:07pm

gleek4114 said: "Does anyone else recall the musical Stephen King tried to get off the ground a few years ago? “The Ghost Brothers Of Darkland County” I think? He wrote or co-wrote the book. I know Emily Skinner was in it at some point, and I think it toured."

A ghastly night out.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 3:07pm

BritCrit said: "What are your thoughts on horror-themed plays- do you think it is possible for Broadway orOff-Broadway to have its own The Woman in Black?"

It's in the eye of the beholder. For After Eight, nearly every night out at the theater is a horror.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 3:14pm

BritCrit said: "GavestonPS said: "How are we defining "horror" and are we only talking about musicals?

Because suspense thrillers used to be a staple on Broadway. Ira Levin made a fortune out of them with DR. COOK'S GARDEN and DEATHTRAP. There was also SLEUTH and WAIT UNTIL DARK and plenty of others which I don't recall because it was never a genre that really interested me.

I think the horror genre departed for film and TV, just as the non-musical romantic comedy did."

The intention was to talk about straightforward horror plays like The Woman in Black and Ghost Stories from the West End. I'm interested in learning more about the suspense plays on Broadway in the 60's and 70's, but I wouldn't consider those "Horror" in the same way- murder mystery is a topic for a separate discussion (The Mousetrap has ran for OVER 65 YEARS in the West End!)

It was inevitable that musicals would be considered in this discussion, but they tend to rely on black comedy - there are few (if any) musicals which are straightforwardly scary - Sweeney Todd is the one possible exception, but I see it as a revenge story first and foremost..."

Done well, OKLAHOMA! has its scary scenes, the ones involving Judd. It's actually pretty suspenseful. Or are you only counting plays (musical or otherwise) that involve the supernatural? That really does narrow the choices. SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER was pretty terrifying in its day, but, again, no supernatural.

There was also THE BAD SEED; I doubt it could escape camp. I directed an off-off-Broadway revival of LADIES IN RETIREMENT, which I found pretty dull, but we sold out the limited run. There used to be a theater on West 22nd Street (IIRC), called The Apple Corp., which did nothing but revivals of suspense and horror Broadway plays from early decades.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 3:14pm

Does anyone else recall the musical Stephen King tried to get off the ground a few years ago? “The Ghost Brothers Of Darkland County” I think? He wrote or co-wrote the book. I know Emily Skinner was in it at some point, and I think it toured.

Yeah, I saw the tour (which was a concert production) in Chicago.  It was completely forgettable.  I even have the cast recording and I can't recall the music or the story at all.  I just remember the band, some chairs, a light and Gina Gershon.

[brox22]

Posted: 3/27/19 at 5:01pm

The Innocents by William Archibald
Based on Henry James novella "The Turn of the Screw"

Updated On: 3/27/19 at 05:01 PM

[amoni]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 9:37am

Going thru some New Times archives, the 70's had some horror/thrillers. One "Veronica's Room" by Ira Levin starring recently Oscared Eileen Heckart at The Music Box. It ran for 75 performances. Gwen Verdon gave it a go with "Children! Children!" at The Ritz and closed on Opening Night. Joan Hackett starred in "Night Watch" and ran for 121 shows and even though it wasn't a success, "Night Watch" was adapted into a movie staring Elizabeth Taylor.

[artscallion]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 11:12am

brox22 said: "The Innocents by William Archibald
Based on Henry James novella "The Turn of the Screw""

This is what season 2 of "The Haunting of Hill House" is set to be based on. I believe titled, "The Haunting of Bly Manor", which is the name of the estate "The Turn of the Screw" takes place in. 

In anticipation of this, I recently watched one of the many movie versions of the book, only to discover that it starred both Downton Abby's Lady Mary,  Michelle Dockery, in the lead and her tragic love, Matthew Crawley, Dan Stevens. Downton Abbey first aired in 2010, while this was released in 2009. SO I wonder if this was the movie in which they were both "discovered"?