The Woman in Black

The Woman in Black is back at Parker Theatre this Halloween season, running October 23–31 and November 6–7, with all performances starting at 7:30 PM. It's become a bit of a tradition around here: the play returns every October, and this year is no different. It's a two-man show set inside the theatre itself, and it doesn't rely on special effects to get its scares. Instead, it's all storytelling and acting, which means the scariest parts are the ones you imagine for yourself.

The story is adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from Susan Hill's 1983 novel. A solicitor is summoned to the haunted Eel Marsh House, where the tragic secrets of a reclusive widow manifest as the presence of a woman dressed in black. As the haunting past unfolds on stage, the line between performance and reality starts to blur. It's the kind of ghost story that works because it keeps the focus on the acting rather than the tricks.

There's a bit of history behind the production, too. The play was first staged at the Parker Theatre the year after the original West End production closed in 2023—that one went down as the second-longest-running non-musical in West End history. Since then, it's turned into an annual Halloween-season fixture for the theatre.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for children age 17 and under. The show is recommended for ages 10 and up, and no babies or toddlers are permitted. You can catch it at the Parker Theatre, 3605 S State St, Salt Lake City, UT 84115, on those dates in late October and early November, with every curtain rising at 7:30 PM.