By Lauren Emily Whalen
The North American premiere of Paranormal Activity may seem an odd choice for Chicago Shakespeare Theater, whose season offerings include Much Ado About Nothing and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
But Paranormal Activity is Shakespearean at its core: interpersonal drama, dark spirits, and base urges. The live stage adaptation of the hit horror franchise is a freaky good time, rife with stellar production values, two sizzling leads, and a shockingly substantive plot.
Chicago newlyweds Jimmy (Patrick Heusinger) and Lou (Cher Álvarez) relocate to London for a fresh start—and distance from Jimmy’s mother Carolanne (Shannon Cochran, whose sweet drawl grows gleefully psychotic). Unfortunately, Lou’s insomnia, major dissociation, and constant dread persist. As electricity cuts out, dead animals appear, and loved ones astral project, the couple question if the supernatural is at play, gradually fearing for their lives.
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Made on a shoestring, 2007’s Paranormal Activity was a smash, spawning seven films, a video game, and a documentary. Both the Paranormal Activity films and the stage production use a slice-of-life approach to posit eerily relatable queries: how do we explain terror in our homes, which are supposed to feel safe? Could it be caused by the people we feel safest around?
Writer Levi Holloway (Broadway’s Grey House) and director Felix Barrett (Sleep No More) create a Paranormal Activity that feels deeply human as we observe Jimmy and Lou debating takeout options or yelling “you’re on mute” while working remotely—until the telltale low-decibel tone begins, signifying the demon’s presence. Well-earned jump scares abound thanks to the stunning production team of Luke Halls (video), Chris Fisher (illusions), Anna Watson (lighting), and Gareth Fry (sound), while Fly Davis’s flawless design of the couple’s quirky flat lures viewers into a false sense of security.
As a franchise, Paranormal Activity hinges on intimate relationships and unprocessed trauma. The stage show brings both to the terrifying forefront, for an experience that will have audiences screaming in their seats for all the right reasons.
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Fast facts: ‘Paranormal Activity’ at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Shakespeare’s Paranormal Activity proves horror can be highbrow with jump scares, brilliant design, and genuinely compelling drama.
- Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago
- Running time: Approximately 2 hours with one intermission
- Performances through November 2, 2025
- After the Chicago run, Paranormal Activity will run at the following co-producing theaters:
- Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles (November 13-December 7, 2025)
- Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, D.C. (January 28-February 7, 2026)
- American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco (February 19-March 15, 2026)
