UGA Theatre Unleashes "Evil Dead: The Musical" on the Fine Arts Stage

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A man guarding a woman from an unseen evil

UGA Theatre will summon chainsaws, demons, and laughter on the Fine Arts Stage this fall with “Evil Dead: The Musical” — a high-octane, blood-soaked, and side-splitting adaptation of Sam Raimi’s cult-classic horror films. When a group of college students ventures to a cabin in the woods, they accidentally unleash an ancient evil — and what follows is an onslaught of catchy rock anthems, possessed friends, and gallons of stage blood.

For director T. Anthony Marotta, “Evil Dead: The Musical” marks a full-circle moment. A self-described 1980s horror buff who “rented every VHS” from Blockbuster, Marotta credits “Evil Dead 2” as the film that showed him “horror could be terrifying and hilarious by design.” That blend of fright and farce, he said, makes the story irresistible to stage — especially with a musical score that turns the chaos into pure spectacle.

But Marotta sees more than camp in the carnage. Beneath the splattered blood and bad puns lies a moral question familiar to many apocalyptic tales: when does someone we love become too far gone to save? “We’re here to explore horror, not glorify it,” he said. “At its core, ‘Evil Dead’ wrestles with the horror of losing our humanity — and the laughter that helps us survive it.”

The production leans into its theatrical side with puppets, practical effects and audience participation — especially in the “splatter zone,” a first-come, first-serve seating area where fans can expect to be drenched in gory stage effects. Marotta describes it as “a carnival of excess, where the gore reaches cartoonish extremes, the demons are larger than life, and laughter becomes the release that makes the horror bearable.”

Scenic designer and second-year MFA student Brielle Sanders embraced that same spirit of excess in creating the set. “Anthony and I decided early on that having a more realistic environment would make the humorous and shocking moments land harder — maybe even all over the audience,” she said. “The charm of this show is in its sheer fun.”

Adding to the “Evil Dead” experience, each performance will open with a preshow of fake horror film trailers created by students from the UGA department of theatre and film, Grady College’s entertainment and media studies program, and the UGA MFA Film program — a collaboration that celebrates the intersection of stage and screen.

Department head Julie Ray said the production represents the kind of creative risk UGA Theatre thrives on. “This show captures everything that makes live theatre so thrilling — bold ideas, inventive artistry, and an audience ready to join the fun,” Ray said. “It’s a bloody good time in every sense.”

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