The House on Watch Hill at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

The scariest thing isn’t the haunted house—it’s growing up.

Based on true events and full of nostalgic charm, The House on Watch Hill is a thrilling new theatrical experience that’s funny, deeply moving, and maybe just a little spooky! It’s summer 1984, and in a quiet Cincinnati suburb, a group of teen misfits has one mission: to build the best haunted house their neighborhood has ever seen. Led by 14-year-old horror fanatic Patrick, the team transforms a grand neighborhood home on Watch Hill into something truly spine-tingling—but along the way, they confront fears that are far more real than any monster they can dream up. Set against the backdrop of Cold War anxieties, latchkey independence, and a soundtrack pulsing with original ‘80s-inspired music, The House on Watch Hill is a heart-pounding, heartwarming coming-of-age musical about friendship, loss, identity, and the power of imagination. A must-see for fans of The Goonies, Stranger Things, and scrappy underdogs everywhere, this new musical captures the messy, magical moment between childhood and adulthood—when you’re old enough to know the world is scary but brave enough to face it anyway.