“Evil Dead: The Musical” has been sweeping the nation and performing all over the world from Tokyo to California. This musical sensation based off the horror movie series finally made it to Milwaukee just in time for Halloween.

“Evil Dead: The Musical” premiered in the back room of a small bar in Toronto, called the Tranzac Club, back in 2003. The show received such positive feedback that people lined up around the block to check out the new act. In November 2006, the musical was featured in the “Just for Laughs” comedy festival in Montreal. “Evil Dead: The Musical” made its Off-Broadway debut in New York City, where it received praise from a wide variety of fans and critics.

After the musical’s Off-Broadway debut, producers from all over the world sought after the rights to bring Evil Dead to their cities, including general manager of Giant Spider Productions, Jared Stepp. Giant Spider Productions is a Milwaukee-based, independent production company dedicated to bringing horror and science fiction stories to the stage and screen.

“I knew we would have a passionate audience,” Stepp said. “The ‘Evil Dead’ films have a huge cult following and the musical sort of serves as a fifth installment in the franchise.”

The musical combines elements from the films “Evil Dead,” “Evil Dead 2” and “Army of Darkness” by mixing together the most prominent characters and concepts from the films. In the show’s plot, five college students go to an abandoned cabin in the woods and accidently unleash an evil force, which turns them all into demons. Lead character Ash, a housewares employee, must save the day with the help of his trusted chainsaw.

Stepp received the rights to put on the show back in September, 2013. He then sought out help from theatre professionals in Milwaukee that he met through directing “The Burden of Being,” an original puppet musical that premiered at the Alchemist Theatre last year.

“The Milwaukee theater scene is such a close-knit community,” Stepp said. “I feel like everyone has an ‘I got your back’ mentality.”

After professionals got on board with the production, Stepp had them listen to the Broadway score and watch YouTube clips of the Evil Dead films, as well as live tapes of the musicals from other cities. This gave Stepp’s team a better understanding of the material, allowing them to offer their own ideas for the Milwaukee installment.

Stepp held auditions in July of this year to ensure actors and band members would be available for the Halloween season run. The casting called for the ten roles in the show, as well as the five-member band. In the end, Stepp selected actors with a base knowledge of the films, as well as a background in professional theater.

“One of the toughest parts was separating the extreme fan from someone who has experience putting up professional theater,” Stepp said.

The show offers a wide variety of effects including strobe lights, fog, breakaway walls and intricate zombie and demon makeup.  A unique experience that comes with seeing any performance of “Evil Dead:  The Musical” is the chance to sit in the “Splatter Zone.” This special seating area consists of the first few rows where audience members have the opportunity to be showered with fake blood throughout the show.

“It’s as close to the action as you can get, other than being an understudy,” Stepp said.

A “Splatter Zone” ticket also includes a free rain poncho, shoe booties and a table for placing snacks and drinks. Since five of the show dates are already sold out for that section, those interested in the “Splatter Zone” must act fast.

From the toe-tapping musical score to the mind-blowing special effects, “Evil Dead: The Musical” will leave any audience member in awe.

“Our show is like streaming a horror movie,” Stepp said. “Except here you get to watch the carnage unfold live from a safe distance.”

The show runs at the Arcade Theatre in the Underground Collaborative (161 W. Wisconsin) between Oct. 23-Nov. 9. Tickets can be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com.