Theater Is Dead follows the story of student Willow (Decker Sadowski) who, on a whim, decides to attend an open audition for a new local play. It's not something she has done before, but it is in her blood – her father was an actor too. When she auditions, she becomes fascinated and almost hypnotised by the play's director Matthew (Shane West) – he's a big deal and everyone would die to work with him. As she goes through rehearsals, making friends as well as enemies and struggling to balance her relationships outside of the theatre, she notices that there is something more sinister going on behind the curtain.
Horror comedies can be a real hit or miss, and that makes total sense because horror and comedy are the two most difficult genres to write. Thankfully, Theater Is Dead is a hit. It's camp, silly, and over the top, but it never teeters over that line where it becomes annoying. Writer and director Katherine Dudas creates a familiar world for any theatre kids out there; each character, while you could argue they are stereotypes, fits the bill perfectly. We have the know-it-all dream big girl, the sassy gay one, and the moody nepo-baby who, whilst might be the biggest star out of all of them, is only there thanks to daddy.
While the story progresses, you hit the one-hour mark and start to question, “Is this actually a horror?” Sure, some weird, unexplained stuff happens (mainly in Willows' mind) and is expertly crafted with some cool cinematography and editing, but it takes a while for the horror to really kick in. However, once Willow slowly starts to learn the truth about what she has really gotten herself into, the horror becomes non-stop. It plays with possession, demons, and selling your soul, but keeps the funny moments rolling throughout. This all builds up to the showdown between Willow and Matthew, a fantastically fun climactic scene, and quite possibly one of the best and most satisfying kills on screen I have seen in a long time.
Theater Is Dead is not just for the theatre kids; it's fantastically crafted for anyone who loves fun. Whilst the horror might be slight, when it hits, it does scratch that itch. I just wish we had a little more sprinkling of it throughout most of the film, just as a little taster of what is to come. Despite this, the writing is great and the acting is even better – there was never a dull moment. It leaves you wanting more, but only in a good way. It has a deeper, underlying message that I am sure most actors can relate to on a few different levels – you will sell your soul for that perfect role.
Theater Is Dead had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025 on 23 September
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