This Broadway spin on the 1987 cult movie turns Santa Carla into a glossy, leather-jacketed vampire playground with Shoshana Bean at the center of the family storm. The production leans into the rock-band seduction, the brotherly panic, and the feeling that the whole town is one sunset away from going beautifully wrong.
“I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Not every song is great, but on balance, it's a surprisingly strong score.”A GUEST · 40 RESPONSES
preview crowds keep shouting out the set, stunts, and sheer amount of money onstage.
the vampire-band concept is landing as a genuinely smart musical hook.
Shoshana Bean, LJ Benet, and Benjamin Pajak are getting singled out as the emotional spine.
even mixed reactions tend to admit the score has at least a few real earworms.
the show has the kind of boardwalk-night energy people miss in current Broadway spectacle.
the tone can wobble between camp, family drama, and horror while previews keep tightening.
some viewers think a few songs and late effects still need trimming or sharpening.
if you hate cult-movie adaptations going big, this is very much that.
the darkness and monster material make it a bad fit for small kids.
audiences who want a perfectly polished preview experience right now. families expecting a clean all-ages outing. people allergic to supernatural camp and synthy teen angst.
The show is riding a Tony nominations wave—it tied for most nods (12) with Schmigadoon!—and has become the rare vampire musical that doesn't immediately tank. Audiences are leaning into its unapologetic maximalism, Gen X nostalgia, and those jaw-dropping aerial stunts; younger theatergoers especially are returning multiple times and flooding TikTok with content.
stranger things first shadowHorror genre adapted for stage with cutting-edge tech and special effects›
the outsiders1980s film adaptation exploring teenage outsiders with rock-driven score›
harry potter cursed childLarge-scale spectacle musical with franchise recognition and effects-heavy staging›
maybe happy endingSame director (Michael Arden) and scenic designer (Dane Laffrey) collaboration›RESEARCHED JULY 2026