Top theatre to see in New York for Halloween

Check out these Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre shows, in addition to seasonal exhibits and interactive experiences, featuring all things spooky and spellbinding.

Spooky season is underway, and it's the perfect time to have a frightfully fun night at the theatre. Legend has it that ghosts haunt most Broadway theatres, so you could be in for a fright at any show. If you really want to get into the spirit, though, there are plenty of New York stages showcasing Halloween theatre that celebrates all things witchy, magical, and downright scary.

The whimsical magic of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Wicked will delight the horror-averse. The hair-raising chills and thrills of Perfect Crime and SAW The Musical are perfect for scary movie lovers and crime show junkies. And shows like [Little Shop of Horrors] fall somewhere in between. No matter "witch" way you celebrate Halloween, you can find a musical or play with the right tone — and that's no trick.

These shows deal with the supernatural, the criminal, and the spellbinding, and they're all on stage now. Plan a fun Halloween night outing to see one, or go later if you don't want the Halloween season to end. Browse our full lineup of Halloween offerings at the link below.

Get tickets to Halloween events on New York Theatre Guide.

Wicked

What better way to ring in Halloween than with a tale of two famous witches? Wicked is the backstory behind The Wizard of Oz, with Elphaba — better known as the Wicked Witch of the West — and her friendship with Glinda the Good Witch when they were schoolmates. Wicked has been an audience favorite at the Gershwin Theatre since 2003, and it's filled with spells and gravity-defying broomstick rides. As a bonus, you'll learn the origin (according to the musical, anyway) of the famous pointy witch hat that features in many a Halloween costume.

Get Wicked tickets now.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

There's no better time than Halloween for a little wizardry and witchcraft. Grab your wand and your house robes and enter the Wizarding World at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Years after the events of the books, Harry Potter's son Albus sets out to save the world from dark forces — which become even darker and spookier when Albus's quest messes with time. The previously two-part show is now condensed into one event, making for a single magical night at the Lyric Theatre.

Get Harry Potter and the Cursed Child tickets now.

Little Shop of Horrors

Skid Row probably wouldn't be the best trick-or-treating spot — you might get eaten before you get any candy for yourself. Instead, enjoy the classic horror comedy Little Shop of Horrors from the safety of the audience — but still beware the snapping jaws of the flesh-eating plant Audrey II. It tasks a hapless flower shop worker, Seymour, with finding fresh meat, promising him fame and fortune if he's willing to kill for it.

Get Little Shop of Horrors tickets now.

Sleep No More

Sleep No More marries two perfectly eerie properties: the witchy plot of Macbeth and the noir setting of Alfred Hitchcock's thriller films. At this immersive experience, audiences walk around five floors of an old hotel and see different scenes from the show play out — and if you're lucky, you might stumble upon a secret passage or encounter an actor who leads you to one. Don't just see a spooky show this Halloween — be part of one.

Get Sleep No More tickets now.

Perfect Crime

The longest-running play in New York is still bringing in audiences with its mystery and thrill. The psychiatrist Margaret Brent is suspected of killing her husband — until he appears alive — and things only get complicated further when the detective on the case falls for her. Even if she's innocent, foul play is afoot, but the question remains until the final gunshot: Who killed who, and can they be caught, or did they commit the perfect crime?

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Sweeney Todd

Stephen Sondheim's bloody brilliant thriller is downright hair-raising — and might keep you away from the barbershop until the Halloween season is over. Josh Groban strikes a demonic chord as the title barber, who uses his razors to enact deadly revenge on a corrupt judge — and soon, the whole town. His accomplice, Mrs. Lovett (Annaleigh Ashford), who bakes the remains into pies, might scare you off Halloween sweets, too.

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The Shark Is Broken

Jaws is the everyman's horror movie — sure, John Williams's iconic score is terrifying, not to mention the man-eating shark, but there's enough comedy that even the horror-averse can watch it on a summer day. The Shark Is Broken similarly mines comedy while tapping into a different fear: being stuck on a small boat for days with people you hate. That's what actually happened to Jaws's three leading men — Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, and Roy Scheider — and this play dramatizes their feud.

Get The Shark Is Broken tickets now.

SAW The Musical: The Unauthorized Parody of Saw

Let's play a game: Where can you find the latest installment of the Saw series — with songs? Not in the movie theatre, but in the Off-Broadway AMT Theater. This new show parodies the original Saw film, in which Lawrence Gordon and Adam Stanheight seek to escape the sadistic Jigsaw Killer. Described as a sexually fluid "Little Shop of Horrors meets Avenue Q," this play saws through the iconic film and puts its own original twist on the story.

Get SAW The Musical tickets now.

Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors

You might know the classic Gothic horror Dracula, but you don't know Bram Stoker's story like this. In this new comedy play, his title character is a young, queer vampire looking for love — and of course, blood. He finds his match in the scientist Lucy Westfeldt, but will a ragtag band of vampire hunters catch him first? There's only one way to find out.

Get Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors tickets now.

TerrorVision

This Halloween attraction is not for the faint of heart. Immersive theatre meets haunted house at the manor of Bobby Castle, a director who kills his star in a fit of fury and enlists audiences to complete his horror movie. The lines between TV and reality dissolve, and suddenly, you're face-to-face with all kinds of terrifying monsters. Do you dare attend?

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Fall-O-Ween

This family-friendly event at the New York Botanical Garden combines Halloween fun with all the hallmarks of the fall season at large. While attendees of all ages carve pumpkins and participate in costume contests and spooky nighttime activities, you'll also get to enjoy delicious seasonal treats and explore the gorgeous gardens, decked out with festive gourds and ghouls in addition to the numerous wildlife species there already.

Get Fall-O-Ween tickets now.

NYC Horror Movie Location Filming Tour

Discover all the creepy, spooky, and slightly off-kilter places where your favorite scary movies and TV shows were filmed. As you take this 2-hour tour across the Upper West Side, you'll see more than 20 iconic locations, including the arch from Cloverfield and the apartment buildings from Rosemary's Baby and Only Murders in the Building, where you'll get to solve your own murder mystery.

Get NYC Horror Movie Location Filming Tour tickets now.