A note from Director Niffer Clarke: Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium

Niffer Clarke

In 1992, R.L. Stine released his first novel in the Goosebumps series, a series which quickly went on to sell over 350 million books worldwide in 32 languages. In fact, it was named the world’s bestselling book series of all time in the 2003 Guinness Book of World Records. Stine’s intention with the books is "to give a chill and a laugh at the same time.”

The basic plot framework of the books is children facing frightening situations and using their own wit and imagination to escape them. The stuff that great children's theater is made of! Lucky for us, John Maclay and Danny Abosch thought so and have brought us Goosebumps The Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium. This book, #24 in the series, lends itself perfectly to becoming a musical. A thrilling musical about putting on a scary show in a haunted school.

It is a story filled with the unexplainable and mysterious - secret passageways, unaccountable mischief, shadowy suspects, ghost stories. It takes place in a setting familiar to all of us - a middle school auditorium. There are plenty of recognizable characters - that drama teacher we all had, the suspicious-looking janitor, the mean girl, the curious new kid, the practical joker, the brave girl who is like totally into creepy stuff.

Frighteningly fun! 

Now, for those of us who didn’t necessarily grow up reading Goosebumps (because we’re just that old, OK?), I like to think of it as Scooby Doo with a little Stephen King or Neil Gaiman mild sauce on the side! It is my hope that you will be kept on the edge of your seats, watching these delightfully meddling kids bravely and creatively solve the mystery unfolding in this auditorium! 

The Goosebumps books have frightened generations of kids for decades. And with Goosebumps The Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium, it promises to continue for generations to come!

-                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                        -Niffer Clarke

GOOSEBUMPS THE MUSICAL: PHANTOM OF THE AUDITORIUM opens Friday, October 14 and runs through November 13 at the Marcus Center's Todd Wehr Theater.