An entire theatre goes pitch-black for a hair-rising climax. A surprise, gasp-inducing appearance acts as an exclamation point on a show's final seconds. Thrillers—tightly plotted dramas that kept audiences on the edge of their seats in collective suspense—used to be a staple of Broadway. In fact, some of the longest-running non-musicals in Broadway history were thrillers, including Deathtrap and Sleuth.
In honor of the Halloween season, see how many you can recognize from their Playbill covers.
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Deathtrap Playbill - Feb 1978
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Wait Until Dark
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Night Must Fall Playbill - April 1999
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Dial "M" for Murder Playbill - Dec 1952
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Sleuth
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Witness for the Prosecution
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Angel Street
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The Pillowman
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The Crucible Playbill - Nov 1991
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The Weir
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Frankenstein Playbill - Opening Night, July 1981
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Dracula
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The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade Playbill
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The Bad Seed
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1984 Playbill - May 2017
