WHEN THEATERS REOPEN, THEY SHOULD DO MORE HORROR STORIES BY RAMI UNGAR

24/5/2021

WHEN THEATERS REOPEN, THEY SHOULD DO MORE HORROR STORIES BY RAMI UNGAR

It’s inevitable. When this pandemic ends, Broadway will reopen, as will the West End in London and any theater where audiences want to sit in the dark and enjoy a live show. Some already are, albeit socially distanced, and people are buying tickets in droves. Let’s face it, people love the theater as an institution and as an experience. And after over a year stuck at home, they’re ready to give theater new life.

And for that, I think the theaters should look at adapting and performing more horror stories.

Horror has actually had a decent enough track record on stage. Plenty of the classics have found success on the boards. Dracula was actually raised out of obscurity partly because of its stageplay. Sweeney Todd’s operatic tale of revenge and cannibalism is a beloved classic. The Grand Guignol Theater of Paris told gory and psychological tales for over sixty years to audiences’ terror and delight. And there are plenty of horror comedy stories, such as Little Shop of Horrors, The Addams Family, and, most recently, Beetlejuice.

But after this pandemic ends, audiences might be very much in the mood for horror stories. As Principal Hawkins notes in his song “We Look to You” in The Prom, an escape helps people heal, and many fans find horror to be therapeutic for real world horrors. And we’ve had our share of real-world horrors during this pandemic. Along with the horrific death toll and the changes we’ve had to our lives, there has been violence, political unrest, wildfires, and shootings, among others things. Some dramatized horror might not only be a welcome escape for theatergoers, but may help put some of these tragedies and events into perspective for them.

So, what shows should be performed? Obviously, the abovementioned stories should be considered. And there are many plays based on classic novels such as Frankenstein, Jekyll & Hyde, and others worth watching. The accused murderess Lizzie Borden has a rock musical based on her titled simply Lizzie, which I would love to see. And while the musical version of Carrie has had a spotty track record, Stephen King’s works have had wonderful adaptations, such as Misery and his collaboration with John Mellencamp, Ghost Brothers of Darkland County.

And I hear there’s a theater in South Carolina that will be performing a play set in the house that inspired The Amityville Horror later this year. I certainly think plans for that should move forward.

As for new stories, I’m sure there are playwrights and composers coming up with scary stories for the stage right now. Perhaps Lin-Manuel Miranda is coming up with something involving a hidden room, a town with a sordid history, and a man trying to outrun his past. And if he’s not, or if anyone reading is looking for some inspiration, let me make some suggestions for stories that I feel would make for great stage shows.

I won’t include any of the classics or King’s work, as they’ve both had plenty of adaptations over the years. Nor will I include any of my own work, for all the obvious reasons (besides, if anyone wants to contact me, they know how to find me). I’m suggesting stories or subjects that are either lesser known or would find new life onstage.

So, without further ado, here are the stories I believe would make for great stage shows and musicals:

The Deep by Alma Katsu. I read this Bram Stoker-nominated book last year and immediately thought it would make a wonderful stage show. A supernatural tale set aboard the Titanic, the tale follows several haunted souls dealing with the darkness inside themselves and in each other as something evil influences the doomed cruise. Done right, this story could be a beautiful and haunting tale to witness on stage.
A Nightmare on Elm Street. After films like The Final Nightmare and the 2010 remake, we haven’t seen hide nor hair of Freddy Kreuger, and honestly, that feels like a waste. A musical version of the original film, with kick-ass musical numbers and plenty of laughs, would make for one hell of a show. Not to mention, we all secretly want Freddy to burst out into song, don’t we?
The Work of Junji Ito. Since 1987, Ito has made a name for himself in horror and his work is no stranger to adaptation. I think some of his work would make for great theater. My top choice of his work would be Tomie, his story about the bewitching young woman who never dies. Musical or not, it would be a great tale of lust, obsession and how evil cannot be killed.
The Life and Music of Robert Johnson. If you’re trying to place the name, Robert Johnson was the blues singer whom legend says sold his soul to the Devil for musical talent. But if you look deeper into his story, you’ll find there’s a much more complicated man, and a much more fascinating story, lost within the legend. I think a musical incorporating Robert’s work, as well as other blues classics, would be fantastic. It could tell the story of someone trying to rediscover who Robert was, so the audience would be learning who he was at the same time the characters are.
Given that a 750-page book about America’s first Treasury Secretary became one of the most phenomenal musicals of all time, I think something similar could happen with as fascinating, as enigmatic, and as musical a man as Robert Johnson.
The Works of HP Lovecraft. Lovecraft might have been an overly wordy writer and a reprehensible person, but his ideas have lasted through time and been adopted and adapted by writers of all types and backgrounds. Some of his stories, if approached right, might make for great shows. My top choices would be Herbert West: Reanimator, the inspiration for the hit cult 1985 film (which originally was meant to be a theatrical production), and The Shadow Over Innsmouth. Both seem the most suited for the stage, though I’m sure you could adapt some of the more fantastic with the right effects and puppetry.
The Works of Paul Tremblay. One of the most well-known names of modern horror, Paul Tremblay’s novels have a lot of fans out there. And they’re well-suited to adaptation. I can see both A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World becoming very tense stageplays. And Survivor Song would make one hell of a musical (the word “song” is in the title, after all).

If you like some of these ideas or have ideas for other properties that could do well on stage, then talk about them. Write the scripts and music if you have the talent. Reach out to theaters in your area to let them know what you want to see. Discussion stays discussion if no action is taken, so why not say something and then get to work making it happen?

You never know. The story you love so much or the music you compose could someday end up being performed on a stage near you. It could inspire the next generation of storytellers, musicians and actors. It could end up being the healing audiences need after a difficult year and so many months.

To me, all those reasons seem worth the work, brainstorming, and effort. In fact, you could say it is worth all the drama.

Rami Ungar is a novelist from Columbus, Ohio specializing in horror and dark fantasy. He has self-published two books, The Quiet Game: Five Tales to Chill Your Bones and Snake, as well as traditionally published a novel, Rose, as well as several short stories in various publications.

Rami enjoys being afraid and making others afraid and tries to accomplish that through his writing. When not telling his own stories, Rami enjoys reading, watching horror movies and anime, and giving his readers the impression that he’s not as human as he appears.