Horror plays, scary film screenings, and other frights: Here’s what’s brewing in the Philly arts cauldron

From theater to film, the Philly arts scene is bringing that spooky, scary energy to the stage and screen to celebrate Halloween this month. There are brand new horror films at the Philadelphia Film Festival, a Golden Girls murder mystery, unsettling plays about the human condition, and a Rocky Horror tribute.

Here are some truly terrifying acts to see along with campy, less-than-scary offerings around town so there’s something for everyone.

Inspired loosely by recent horror works about Black identity like Get Out and Lovecraft Country, Steve H. Broadnax III wrote Bonez as part of People’s Light’s Queerways program supporting new play development. Over a night of dominoes, four men hang out and talk smack, but something isn’t right. A loud, incessant knocking introduces a bloody excavation of childhood trauma, toxic masculinity, and homophobia, complete with jump scares. A streaming production will also be available to view online from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3.

“Bonez,” through Oct. 15, People’s Light, 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern, Pa.

This very campy, very silly satirical play from 1984 combines a number of scary creatures with a two-actor cast running through more than 30 costume changes to play every role. Welcome to the gothic Mandacrest Estate, where the second wife of an Egyptologist is attacked by a vampire. His first wife had been killed by a werewolf. To find answers, he turns to a mummy, and things get even weirder. Actors Chris French and Charles Osborne will tackle the many supernatural roles, and there will also be a “Thirsty Thursday” production with beer and pretzels.

“The Mystery of Irma Vep,” through Oct. 22, Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe St., Bristol, Pa.

Philly drag queen Eric Jaffe directs and stars in this tribute to the iconic movie set in the home of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The show combines Rocky Horror clips with live performances that promise to both “honor [and interrogate] the cult classic.” Dance to “Time Warp” and sing along to “Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me” while watching Brad and Janet descend into gender-bending chaos that will totally transform them.

“Rocky Horror Tribute Show,” Oct. 20-22, Theatre Horizon, 401 DeKalb St., Norristown, Pa.

Oh, the existential horror! Jean-Paul Sartre’s 1944 classic play might seem tame on the surface, but its underlying dread lingers long after the curtain closes. Three dead strangers find themselves together in the afterlife — a single room with a locked door.

Quintessence Theatre Group’s fresh iteration presents a new translation of the work — originally titled Huis Clos — from artistic director Alex Burns, with permission from Sartre’s estate. This one is for anybody who has thought, “Hell is other people,” because, well, that’s literally a quote from this play.

“No Exit,” through Oct. 28, The Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave., Phila.

Red Rum Theater hosts themed whodunit interactive nights. In this version, local actors play the iconic crew of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia as they plan a Halloween party — and then everything goes awry. You and your friends will have to follow the clues and figure out which Golden Girl committed the murder, no matter how hard they try to cover it up.

“A Golden Girls Mystery: A Halloween Caper,” through Nov. 12, Red Rum Theater, 601 Walnut St., Phila.

The fest lineup showcases a range of films, but there are four titles that frankly sound terrifying. In Dream Scenario, Adam Sandler (who stars) teams up with Ari Aster (who coproduced); Sandler plays a character who somehow appears in the dreams of millions who have no idea who he is — and things get nightmarish.

Another nightmare is the South Korean film Sleep, a story about a pregnant wife who is increasingly threatened by her husband’s uncontrollable sleepwalking. Infested is set in an apartment building in France overtaken with creepy critters. Not bedbugs, but spiders. True crime obsession takes a turn in the Canadian film Red Rooms, when a young woman follows a serial killer’s trial and decides to search for a missing video depicting one of his kills.

The Philadelphia Film Festival runs Oct. 19-29 at various venues around the city.

The legendary 1922 silent vampire film — an unauthorized retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula — follows Count Orlok as he pursues his latest victim in Transylvania. Watch the black-and-white action with a live chamber ensemble playing an original score by Philly composer Brendan Cooney. The group, called Not So Silent Cinema, blends various genres from klezmer to jazz to avant-garde to enliven the quiet classic that’s now more than 100 years old.

“Nosferatu,” Oct. 27, FringeArts, 140 N. Columbus Blvd., Phila.

If you’d rather not watch your favorite Halloween movies at home alone, FringeArts will be hosting a marathon of movies that you can see on Oct. 28. The schedule basically gets scarier throughout the day, starting with family-friendly and ending with total gore. Catch Hocus Pocus at 2 p.m., The Exorcist (1973) at 4:30 p.m., and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the 2003 version with Jessica Biel) at 8 p.m.

The Halloween Movie Marathon, Oct. 28, FringeArts, 140 N. Columbus Blvd., Phila.