Last night I had the opportunity to experience a tech rehearsal of the new immersive live theater experience “QuaranSCREAM Live.” The all-new online experience mixes live performances with pre-produced video segments to tell a 2020 adaption of the classic slasher Scream.
Going into this, I wasn’t sure what to expect. As a lover of the original film, I was worried a retelling of the film set in the year of COVID would be too campy and take away from one of the classics. Still, I was pleasantly surprised to find the production brings the humor and experiences into 2020 while staying true to the original.
“QuaranSCREAM Live” is a modern retelling of Scream set in the present day. The production stars Alisha Soper as Sidney Prescott, who, like in the original film, finds herself home alone with a killer on the loose, but this time it’s during the pandemic. With everyone in quarantine, Sidney and her friends must navigate the horrors via Zoom as their friends are picked off one by one, and best of all, you, as the audience, get to be part of it.
When Scream came out in 1996, it was lauded for its self-aware humor. “QuaranSCREAM Live” takes this concept even further by breaking the third wall and acknowledging that an audience is watching the events unfold. Randy, played by Riley Costello, addresses the audience throughout the production and kicks off the “QuaranSCREAM Live” drinking game, which you can participate in while you watch, a nod to “Stab” from the Scream sequels. He’s also one of the characters whose fate the audience decides based on whether or not they properly answer a horror trivia question.
Because Costello breaks the third wall, he is a quick favorite from the cast, but there are other noteworthy performances in this production. Fans of “AHS: 1984” will quickly recognize actor Zach Villa, who portrayed the satanic serial killer Richard Ramirez in the latest American Horror Story season. Villa brings that same killer energy to the character of Billy Loomis, Sidney’s boyfriend, who was played by Skeet Ulrich in the original Scream film. Other notable performances include Sarah Wine as Sidney’s best friend Tatum, who delivers some amusing updated dialogue in the modern telling, and DeMargio House as the COVID-cautious Sheriff Burke whose goofy antics actually upstage the historically awkward character, Deputy Dewey.
“QuaranSCREAM Live” proves that we’re just scratching the surface in ways to enjoy live entertainment amidst a pandemic. Despite being completely virtual and through Zoom, you remain engaged in the performance, in fact, maybe even more so because of audience chat and interaction. Because my experience was part of a technical rehearsal, there were a few technical snafus. Still, the fact it didn’t ruin the experience for me is a testament to the quality of the 88Twenty Group production. That said, the team behind the production is working to address the issues for a polished performance come opening night.
“QuaranSCREAM Live” is a must-see for Scream fans. It pays homage to the original film while giving it new life and poking a little fun at our current reality. It features the characters you love, the dialogue you love while introducing new moments you won’t soon forget.
Tickets to the event are just $30, a steal compared to most 2020 Halloween experiences. Opening night is this Saturday, October 17, at PM PST / 10 PM EST, with additional performances on Saturday, October 24 and Friday, October 30. Best of all, it can all be experienced from the comfort of your own home via your desktop or laptop computer! For more information on “QuaranSCREAM Live” and to purchase tickets, visit http://quaranscream.com/.
