THEATER IS DEAD is a darkly comic suspense thriller that follows bright-eyed engineering student Willow as she’s seduced by the world of theater. When a visiting, renowned director arrives to stage the inaugural production at her island’s brand-new theater, she auditions on a whim and lands the lead. But as rehearsals intensify and cast members begin to act strangely, she discovers the production is more ritual than play, and opening night may demand a real sacrifice.
THEATER IS DEAD is a bold, subversive exploration of ambition, power, and the exploitation of artists and anyone chasing a dream. Blending sharp humor with dark supernatural forces, it captures the chaos of theater-and the evil that can thrive beneath the spotlight.
THEATER IS DEAD is written, directed, and produced by Katherine Dudas (Juniper); written and produced by Decker Sadowski (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Olivia Blue (Animal Kingdom), and Madison Lawlor (The Conjuring: Last Rites); and produced by Jacob Nichols (Bel-Air), Shane West (A Walk to Remember, ER, The Dirty South), and Juan Mas (Z Nation) in association with Zach Mann (1-800-Hot-Nite, Tiger 24, Low Low) of Halfway Crooks Entertainment. The film’s cast features writer/producers Decker Sadowski, Olivia Blue, and Madison Lawlor; producers Shane West and Jacob Nichols; and Stephanie Suganami (Opus, Doctor Odyssey), Colin McCalla (Ruthless), Dylan Adler (The Late Late Show with James Corden, After Midnight), Tammy Tavares (Days of Our Lives), and Julie Wittner (ACME Saturday Night).
The independent feature was shot on location on Vashon Island, Washington, with the team discovering the small, rainy island when their previous feature Juniper played the Vashon Island Film Festival in 2022. They felt its familiarity and quaintness could become confining and threatening, like being trapped in a cage, and the horror genre was the perfect vehicle to explore such themes. “We fell in love with the beauty of Vashon and its incredibly kind artistic community,” says Decker Sadowski. “Being able to shoot at the Vashon Center of the Arts was a dream that brings audiences into the reality of theatrical performances.”
“We came together as a group of female writers, sharing our own horror stories from the industry and wanting to take back our power through making this film,” adds Katherine Dudas. “At first, we saw it as a straight horror, but found that adding a comedic lens was the best way to tell this story in the most captivating and cathartic way possible. Both genres rely on buildup and release, and together they gave us the best tools to tell this important story about an artist’s journey.”
The film team is honored and excited to celebrate their World Premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025, and encourage you to keep an eye out for their independent, suspenseful black comedy at this year’s festival.
Writer/Director/Producer Katherine Dudas will be on-hand to present the film’s World Premiere at Fantastic Fest alongside Writer/Producer/Actors Decker Sadowski, Olivia Blue, Madison Lawlor; Producer/Actors Jacob Nichols and Shane West; Actors Stephanie Suganami, Colin McCalla and Dylan Adler; and Producers Zach Mann and Juan Mas.
