Particle.news

Paranormal Activity Opens on Broadway as a Technical Spectacle That Divides Critics

A limited 20‑week run uses large practical illusions, immersive design, communal scares to draw younger experience‑seeking theatergoers.

Overview

  • The production officially opened August 25, 2026, at the August Wilson Theatre and will play a strictly limited 20‑week engagement through January 3, 2027.
  • The show is written by Levi Holloway and directed by Felix Barrett, with Cher Álvarez and Travis A. Knight leading a company that also includes Shannon Cochran and Eva Kaminsky.
  • Reviewers from multiple outlets singled out Fly Davis’ two‑story exposed‑house set, Chris Fisher’s illusion work, Anna Watson’s lighting, Gareth Fry’s sound and Luke Halls’ projections as the production’s primary strengths.
  • Critics praised the communal, scream‑driven audience response and the staging’s ability to create tension, but most also pointed to a thin script, underdeveloped characters and pacing issues that lessen dramatic weight between effects.
  • Backed by Blumhouse and produced with Paramount and major regional partners, the Broadway transfer is being watched as a commercial experiment in using franchise branding and live spectacle to bring nontraditional, younger audiences to Broadway.