Whether you are looking for a family outing or a decidedly grown-up experience, here are options to get you in the spooky mood.
The District
SPARKED: THE VANISHING by Rorschach Theatre
The Stacks at Buzzard’s Point, Washington, DC, SW
October 22-November 14 ($20-$50)
Two lovers disappear amid a once-in-a-lifetime storm. A neighborhood unravels as residents try to explain the unexplainable. Step inside an electrifying new immersive story inspired by true events of 1933.
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS by We Happy Few Productions
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
October 28-November 21 ($10-$35)
What is real? What is orchestrated? And what do they want us to believe? In 1938, Orson Wells and The Mercury Theatre broadcast a radio version of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. The broadcast was so realistic that listeners panicked, thinking that a Martian invasion was actually taking place. We Happy Few invites you to experience the infamous broadcast from inside the studio as the lines between reality and fiction become increasingly blurred.
HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR by the National Symphony Orchestra
Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University
October 31 ($29.30+)
An October tradition! Join the fun of this Halloween celebration concert featuring ghoulishly attired National Symphony Orchestra musicians performing spooky fun classics, new and old. Most enjoyed by ages 5+.
Maryland
JENNIE THE CAT: A HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE at The Puppet Co.
Glen Echo, MD
October 3-November 3 ($18-$33)
The Helen Hayes-nominated favorite from Ingrid&Mollie returns! When Jennie receives a Halloween card that calls her a scary cat, she feels like she’s been put in a box. Does she have to be scary? Join Jennie as she meets new friends with some spectacular tricks and treats to share, like skateboarding, shadow puppetry, and pumpkin carving. Who will Jennie choose to be? This show features cuddly puppets, audience interaction, and all original music.
THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW Synetic Theatre performing at Olney Theatre Center
Olney, MD
October 7-November 1 ($51-$66)
The Synetic Theatre production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, winner of the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography in a Play, comes to Olney Theatre Center’s Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, October 7-November 1, 2026. Like all Synetic productions, highly choreographed movement, dance, and mime are employed in their signature style to create a daring, wordless adaptation of Washington Irving’s classic story. Choreographed by company co-founder Irina Tsikurishvili, and directed and co-adapted by her fellow co-founder Paata Tsikurishvili, the Olney Theatre presentation gives area audiences another opportunity to experience Synetic’s unique style, following their acclaimed run of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2025.
MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN, at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
Baltimore, MD
October 9-November 1 ($35-43)
Just in time for the chills of autumn, this spine-tingling new take on Mary Shelley’s iconic tale transports audiences to a stormy night at the Villa Diodati, where a horror-story competition creates Frankenstein’s monster. David Catlin’s adaptation plays with the boundaries between Shelley’s real world and the one she creates, encouraging audiences to consider creation, humanity, and the stories we tell. “He’s created a fascinating work of imagination, one that will please both English majors and horror lovers,” writes Lesley Malin, CSC’s producing executive director.
BEATRICE LIKES THE DARK at Adventure Theatre MTC
Glen Echo, MD
October 2-November 1 ($27)
From the acclaimed children’s book by April Genevieve Tucholke, Beatrice Likes the Dark is an imaginative production that blends magic, music, shadow play, and heartfelt storytelling in a celebration of curiosity, courage, and connection. When Beatrice casts a spell for endless darkness, she discovers that even the things we fear most can become beautiful when brought into the light. Overflowing with wonder, humor, and theatrical ingenuity, Beatrice Likes the Dark is a luminous reminder that families — and communities — shine brightest when every voice belongs.
THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW at the Colonial Players of Annapolis
Annapolis, MD
October 23-November 7 ($28)
Based on Washington Irving’s classic tale, this playful adaptation brings the quirky village of Sleepy Hollow to life, where gossip runs wild, and superstition is practically a sport. As the nervous schoolteacher Ichabod Crane sets his sights on Katrina Van Tassel, he may find himself dodging rivals, rumors, and the possibly real, definitely terrifying Headless Horseman. Spooky, witty, and delightfully theatrical, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow blends laughs and legends for a spirited night at the theatre.
STRATHMORE MANSION AFTERNOON TEAS (with a spooky twist)
North Bethesda, MD
- Midnight Tea (October 22 & 23): Midnight Tea returns, transforming Afternoon Tea into an after-dark affair with eerie treats, seers, and a ghost tour.
- Halloween Tea & Talks (October 27 & 28): It’s always a scream when real-life ghost stories are told at our annual haunted tea parties.
Virginia
DARK ENCOUNTERS HAUNTED HOUSE at Workhouse Arts Center
Lorton, VA
October 3-30 ($25-$35)
Now entering its 13th year, Workhouse’s signature Halloween attraction returns with a bold new vision. Trading theatrical gimmicks for raw, unrelenting tension, guests are guided through the prison’s dense woodland and beyond to uncover the mystery of five friends who vanished in 1996. It’s immersive, it’s unsettling, and it’s built to make every shadow feel personal. This immersive terror runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. Afterward, enjoy themed cocktails, mocktails, and a DJ at Rizer Pavilion.
Check out the clip below:
BAT BOY THE MUSICAL at Workhouse Arts Center
Lorton, VA
September 5-October 25 ($44-$55)
Inspired by a ridiculous tabloid story from the pages of the legendary Weekly World News, Bat Boy: The Musical is a comedy-horror show about a half-boy/half-bat creature discovered in a cave near Hope Falls, West Virginia. For lack of a better solution, the local sheriff brings Bat Boy to the home of the town veterinarian, Dr. Parker, where he is eventually accepted as a member of the family and taught to act like a “normal” boy by the veterinarian’s wife, Meredith, and teenage daughter, Shelley. You don’t need to be a fan of the original urban legend to love this show. If you like comedy mixed with a bit of horror and rock music, welcome to Hope Falls! You don’t even need to be a fan of musicals to love this show. As long as you like having fun… this show is for you. Is it scary? No! Is it gory? No! … well, maybe a tiny bit. But it is pure comedy from start to finish.
MONSTERS OF THE VILLA DIODATI at Creative Cauldron
Falls Church, VA
October 8-November 1 ($25-$75)
While a storm was brewing outside their villa on Lake Geneva, the famous writers inside entertained one another with ghost stories. Lord Byron, their host, offered a challenge: produce the perfect tale of terror before the night ends. Conner and Smith’s electrifying musical first premiered in 2016 to critical acclaim. Monsters explores the nature of creativity itself and reveals to us the inner demons that materialized in two of the most iconic monsters in Gothic literature: John Polidori’s The Vampyre and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
BELL WRINGER by Pinky Swear Productions
Arlington, VA
October 22-31 ($30)
Based upon the legend of the Bell Witch comes a musical comedy written by local playwrights Seth Alcorn and Karen Lange. Half O Brother, Where Art Thou, half Blair Witch, Bell Wringer retells an Appalachian legend about a witch who torments a town in eastern Tennessee.
THE FUNERAL OF EDGAR ALLAN POE by Guillotine Theatre
Alexandria, VA
October 30 ($20)
Guillotine Theatre will present its annual celebration of Edgar Allan Poe at Ivy Hill Cemetery on Friday, October 30 at 7:00pm. This year’s theme is “The Funeral of Edgar Allan Poe.” Actors from Guillotine Theatre will play Poe’s friends and family, reading Ligea, The Premature Burial, Eleanora, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Raven.
THEATER ADJACENT
KING’S DOMINION: Halloween Haunt
Doswell, VA
Select Dates: September 18 – November
After dark, Halloween Haunt transforms Kings Dominion into a world where monsters roam freely, screams echo through the park, and every shadow hides something sinister.
Haunt Add-ons
The 2026 lineup includes:
- Six haunted mazes
- Five immersive scare zones
- Five live entertainment experiences
- Nighttime rides and attractions
- Specialty seasonal food and beverages
- Hundreds of monsters throughout the park
