As Halloween is quickly approaching, I thought it would be fun to explore some of the more disturbing and eerie show tunes to get you ready for the big fright night event of the year. The list I’ve put together includes ghosts, witches, serial killers… and the most terrifying thing of all, dentists. And no, it’s not a mistake that there are thirteen songs on this list. Enjoy!
1. THE BALLAD OF SWEENEY TODD – SWEENEY TODD
I’m going straight in there with one of the most sadistic serial killers in musical theatre. Sweeney Todd is about the demon barber of Fleet Street who makes a sinister partnership with the pie shop owning Mrs Lovett. I battled with whether to use ‘Epiphany’ but in the end I went with ‘The Ballad of Sweeney Todd’. The ballad is heard throughout the show and provides a retrospective look at the narrative. Almost as if the townspeople are telling the audience what they know about Sweeney Todd from the rumours and gossip.
2. AND EVE WAS WEAK – CARRIE
Carrie is a musical adaptation of the Stephen King “cult classic” horror novel by the same name. In the story, Carrie’s mother is an abusive religious fanatic who is mentally unstable due to past sexual trauma. Upon finding out that Carrie has become a ‘woman’ after starting her period, she locks Carrie in the closet to ‘repent for her sins’. Marin Mazzie gives a terrifying performance in the role!
3. KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN – KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
Don’t ask me what this musical is about, I have to admit I have no idea. I first heard the song on John Owen-Jones solo album (which is also worth looking up!). The version I have included in the playlist is the legend Chita Rivera. From what I understand the ‘Spider Woman’ is meant to represent the Angel of Death. So when she sings “you can scream, you can hide, but you cannot escape”, it makes for a very unnerving song that is perfect for this Halloween playlist.
4. THE WHOLE “BEING DEAD” THING – BEETLEJUICE
I couldn’t make a Broadway Halloween playlist and not include the most recent Hallowen hit. As Beetlejuice says in the song, this is a show about death. It’s set in a haunted house with ghosts, demons and other spooky creatures. For this opening song, the anti-hero takes the stage whilst telling the audience members they’re all gonna die at some point and therefore life is meaningless. It’s a really depressing perception of life and death.
5. DENTIST! – LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
Arguably the most terrifying song on this list, as I’m sure anyone who is afraid of the dentist would agree (hi mam). I’d like to hope that all dentists in real life don’t intend to bring pain to their patients. The dentist in Little Shop is sadistic and enjoys the torment he inflicts on others during their dental treatment.
6. THE TIME WARP – THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
No show tunes Halloween playlist would be complete without a song from the cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The song isn’t necessarily ‘spooky’ but it is a bop and therefore made the list.
7. SPOOKY MORMON HELL DREAM – THE BOOK OF MORMON
When Elder Price abandons his mission companion, breaking the Mormon code, he has a scary nightmare *queue spooky mormon hell dream*. In the nightmare he is trapped in hell whilst being tormented by the worst things he could possibly imagine. Along the way we meet some of history’s most horrible humans as well as the big guy himself, Lucifer.
8. ROSA’S CONFESSION – THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD
This show is based on the unfinished Charles Dicken’s muder mystery novel. He died before completing the book and therefore we will never know who he intended the murderer to be. With the musical, the audience were given the chance to vote who the culprit is and the song would be different depending on who was chosen. My personal favourite has always been ‘Rosa’s Confession’. She comes across as very unhinged with her maniacal laugh – it’s enough to give anyone nightmares!
9. ALIVE – JEKYLL & HYDE
We all know the story of Dr Jekyll and his struggle to suppress his violently evil alter ego. ‘Alive’ comes after Dr Jekyll falls victim to his own scientific experiment and transforms into the aggressive Edward Hyde. It’s a chilling moment in the show sung by a man who is driven by the desire to cause suffering to everyone who crosses his path.
10. I WILL PREVAIL – WONDERLAND
The opening to this song gives off incredibly spooky vibes with the cast whispering the lines behind Kate Shindle’s voice. It comes straight after The Mad Hatter kidnaps Alice’s daughter and declares she is going to succeed in taking over Wonderland. You can say what you want about Wildhorn, but he is great at writing villain songs.
11. HELLFIRE – THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
I’m including this song because as a child I was absolutely terrified of Frollo, and as an adult nothing has changed. In the song Frollo speaks of his lust for Esmerelda and treats her as if she’s an object that no one can have if he can’t. Patrick Page’s deep voice only makes it even more creepy. Literally makes my skin crawl!
12. POISON IN MY POCKET – A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER
Yet another murderer has made the playlist! In ‘A Gentleman’s Guide’ Monty Navarro discovers that he is heir to an Earldom. So he does what anyone would do (joking) and kills off all the family members who are in line befor ehim so he can inherit the fortune. This song takes place during one of the many murders throughout the show. Whilst it sounds like a pretty dark show, it’s surprsingly a comedy.
13. TRANSYLVANIA MANIA – YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
Ending the playlist on this bop about Transylvannia in a show about one of Halloween’s most beloved monsters, Frankenstein. Disclaimer: when I saw this show in London I didn’t enjoy it and found parts of it to be blatantly sexist. It’s a shame because it had the potential to be a good show. Anyway, ‘Transylvania Mania’ is the act one closing number where the main characters are trying to distract the villagers from seeing Frankenstein in a flashy and energetic number.