5 must-see plays at Baltimore theaters this fall, from ‘Rocky Horror’ to ‘Hell’s Kitchen’

Frankenstein, a story of unlikely female friendship and even Alicia Keys’ life — don’t say Baltimore’s theater scene isn’t, at the very least, eclectic.

Fall means it’s time to head to local theaters, where these plays will soon grace Baltimore’s stages, both historic and new. (More on the latter below.) They include fresh takes on scary tales around Halloween, a comedy penned by a local actress and a Broadway jukebox musical on its first world tour.

With its rich history of theater, Charm City has reaffirmed its reputation as a theater town in recent years, launching Broadway tours and premiering celebrities’ works here. Can these new productions build on the momentum?

Check out these five Baltimore plays we’ve circled on our calendar in the coming months, and be sure to let us know in the comments which shows you can’t wait to see, too.

‘Witches!? In Salem!?’

• Friday-Oct. 18 at Spotlighters Theatre (817 St. Paul St.)

Spotlighters Theatre’s 64th season kicks off with a dark comedy about the Salem witch trials that proclaims to be “(mostly) historically accurate.”

Written by Matt Cox, who found off-Broadway success with his Harry Potter parody “Puffs” a decade ago, “Witches!? In Salem!?” wears its Monty Python influence on its sleeve while providing history lessons about witchcraft and religious hysteria in 17th-century colonial Massachusetts.

‘Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’

• Oct. 9-Nov. 1 at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (7 S. Calvert St.)

Nothing says spooky season like a fresh take on a tale that’s creeped out audiences for more than 200 years.

Debuted in 2019 at Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre Company, this adaptation of the gothic horror classic stars Vince Eisenson as the titular scientist whose blind ambition to produce a living Creature (Joshua Williams) morphs into a gruesome story about abandonment and revenge.

As artificial intelligence’s growth shows no signs of slowing down and concerns arise over robots’ potential ability to kill their makers, “Frankenstein” continues to resonate in a world that still hasn’t learned its central lesson: Be careful what you wish for.

‘The Rocky Horror Show’

• Oct. 16-Nov. 7 at Iron Crow Theatre (2600 N. Howard St., Suite 200)

It’s a big fall for Iron Crow Theatre, the queer theater company founded in Baltimore in 2009.

The troupe is opening a new, permanent home for its productions at 2600 N. Howard St., sharing the former tire shop space with Café Dear Leon’s eatery La Maison in Remington.

The black box theater’s debut play is a fitting choice: “The Rocky Horror Show,” the queer cult classic that’s delighted crowds for 50-plus years. The campy, comedy-meets-horror musical feels particularly resonant in 2026, as the film’s lead actor, Tim Curry, died last month at age 80.

Attendees can expect an interactive night inside a “fully immersive castle experience” with crowd callouts, “prop-tossing chaos” and a live rock band, according to Iron Crow’s website.

‘Different Words for Happiness’

• Oct. 18-Nov. 15 at Everyman Theatre (315 W. Fayette St.)

It’s a new era, and a time of transition, for Everyman Theatre.

While new artistic director Brandon Weinbrenner has officially taken over from retired founder Vincent Lancisi, the latest season was programmed by Lancisi, including “Different Words for Happiness.” The world premiere was written by Katie Kleiger, an actor in Everyman’s resident company.

The comedy centers on two women whose unlikely friendship blossoms after an OB-GYN checkup.

The story “has some serious things but it’s all dealt with in a really clever way that brings the ‘Happiness’ in the title into every aspect of the story,” Weinbrenner said.

For Weinbrenner, who arrived in Charm City from Houston’s Alley Theatre, “Different Words for Happiness” showcases a “singular” perspective from an emerging homegrown talent.

“To be a major player in American theater, I feel like it’s important to be churning out new voices, new material into the canon, and this play is no different,” he said.

‘Hell’s Kitchen’

• Nov. 17-22 at the Hippodrome Theatre (12 N. Eutaw St.)

After a nearly two-year run on Broadway, “Hell’s Kitchen” — a jukebox musical based on R&B singer Alicia Keys’ music and career — is now touring the world, with a stop at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre in November.

The play, which was produced by Keys, focuses on the singer-songwriter’s teenage years in New York through the eyes of Ali (Maya Drake), the protagonist based on the 17-time Grammy winner. Along the way, Keys’ smash hits like “Fallin’” and “Girl on Fire” are recontextualized to tell a coming-of-age story about love, motherhood, resilience and creative triumph.

If the tour is anything like the Broadway version, which was named a New York Times Critic’s Pick, then audiences should expect a night of soaring hooks, nostalgic ’90s fashion and high-energy choreography.

This article has been updated to correct the name of Iron Crow's production of "The Rocky Horror Show."