As a born and bred theatre geek, I’ve always had a preference towards musical stage productions. I can often be found belting—or trying to—the iconic notes of scores from plays such as “Wicked” and “West Side Story.” However, with the recent Broadway debut of Stephen King’s “Misery,” starring Bruce Willis, I’ve begun to think what other unorthodox published works would be successful on the big stage. Since I’ve only ever seen musicals on Broadway, I wondered what it would be like to bring a horror film to the theatres of NYC. I consider myself to have some decent experience in the world of horror films, therefore, I’ve created a brief list of horror films that I think would “slay” Broadway.
1. Dracula
(utopiacritica.blogspot.com.es)
The original tale of the classic vamp, written by Bram Stoker, published in 1897 was released as a movie in 1992 featuring a killer cast with actors like Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder and Anthony Hopkins. The individuality of every character, paired with the elaborate early-1900’s costuming and ornate sets makes “Dracula” a great candidate for a Broadway show. With a sizeable cast featuring famous characters such as Johnathon Harker and Van Helsing, it would also be a massive opportunity to place already known, or up-and-coming actors in iconic and unforgettable roles.
2) Rosemary’s Baby
The 1968 classic horror film, directed by Roman Polanski and featuring the iconic Mia Farrow follows the pregnancy of a young newlywed, Rosemary Woodhouse, who was unknowingly dragged into a cult of Satanists (courtesy of her loser husband) and impregnated with the Anti-Christ. The award winning thriller would pose a fantastic opportunity to really put a Broadway actress on the map with the role of Rosemary. Other memorable characters such as the Woodhouse’s creepy neighbors, the Castavettes, and her quickly-hated husband are shoe-ins to create an atmosphere of stress, tension and overall thrill in a theatre with the right cast.
3) The Omen
Originally brought to the big screen in 1976, the Oscar-winning film featuring Greggory Peck and Lee Remick follows a politician and his young wife, raising a child who is, of course, the Anti-Christ, as well as not biologically theirs. Featuring a relatively small cast, “The Omen” is a great candidate to be a stage sensation. The film was re-made in the early 2000’s, but nothing can quite compare to the sheer terror of the original film, and I believe that with appropriate casting, the story could translate seamlessly into a terrifying and stimulating Broadway production.
4) Pet Semetary
Another Stephen King classic, much like “Misery,” “Pet Semetary” is a phenomenal opportunity for two principle actors to really shine. The film debuted in 1989, the story follows a young family after a move to the suburbs, and when the father discovers an ancient Native American burial ground that can bring the dead back to life, it goes way downhill from there. The resurrection of a cat, the death of a child, diseased ghosts of siblings, undead spouses, as well as the original Herman Munster, what’s not to love? Pet Semetary would be a major hit with the right casting of the two leads.
5) What Lies Beneath
In my opinion, “What Lies Beneath” is a completely underrated thriller. Released in 2000, with a cast of only two principle leads, Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfieffer, the story explores the relationship of a wealthy couple after their only child goes off to college, and a ghost suddenly shows up in their house (of course.) The mega plot twist ending and character depth, as well as the gorgeous house in which the story is set, has this film just begging to be transferred to the mainstage. Also another great opportunity for a small yet impactful cast.
