Chainsaws and Chuckles: Evil Dead The Musical Haunts Workhouse Arts Center

The Workhouse Arts Center is kicking off its ambitious 2025/26 Performing Arts season with a theatrical experience that promises to be equal parts hilarious and horrifying. Evil Dead The Musical, the cult-classic sensation that transforms Sam Raimi's beloved horror films into a raucous rock musical comedy, will haunt the intimate W-3 Theatre through November 2, 2025.

Evil Dead The Musical at Workhouse Arts Center

This outrageous production takes all the elements that made The Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2 into cult classics and amplifies them for what has become one of the theater world's most notorious experiences. The story follows five unsuspecting college students who venture to a remote cabin in the woods for what should be a relaxing getaway. Instead, they accidentally awaken an ancient evil force that transforms them into demons, leaving only Ash, a humble housewares employee, to battle the undead with nothing but his trusty chainsaw and an unexpected heroic streak.

Written by George Reinblatt with music by Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris, and Reinblatt, and music supervision by Cipolla, the show mashes up horror and comedy into a laugh-out-loud parody that has earned a devoted global following. The production promises ridiculous demons, campy special effects, catchy rock numbers, and what the show is perhaps most famous for: buckets upon buckets of stage blood.

"This show is pure fun," said Joseph Wallen, Workhouse Arts Center's Director of Performing Arts. "Whether you're a horror fan, a musical theater fan, or neither, you'll leave laughing. And for those brave enough, the Splash Zone makes you part of the show!"

Speaking of the Splash Zone, adventurous theatergoers can purchase special seats that put them directly in the line of fire for the show's infamous blood-splashing effects. It's a theatrical experience unlike anything else in Northern Virginia, where audience members become willing participants in the carnage. The timing couldn't be more perfect, as the show runs during Halloween season alongside the Workhouse's beloved Haunted Trail, creating a full evening of spooky entertainment.

The musical has earned its reputation as one of the bloodiest theatrical experiences ever created, but it's the combination of genuine scares, infectious humor, and surprisingly catchy music that has made it a phenomenon. Audiences can expect dismembered limbs, demons cracking terrible jokes, and enough fake blood to require serious consideration of wardrobe choices for Splash Zone attendees.

Evil Dead The Musical runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The production runs approximately two hours with one intermission, giving audiences just enough time to process the mayhem before diving back into the chaos.

Single tickets start at $40, with discounts available for students, seniors, and military personnel including both active duty and veterans. The limited number of Splash Zone seats offers the ultimate immersive experience for those ready to get thoroughly soaked in fake blood. Tickets can be purchased online, and the venue will offer concessions including snacks and drinks for purchase.

For a theater scene that often plays things safe, Evil Dead The Musical represents a bold choice that perfectly captures the spirit of Halloween season. It's a show that demands to be experienced rather than simply watched, especially for those brave enough to enter the Splash Zone and become part of the bloody spectacle themselves.