It’s rare to see a thriller on stage – other than “Dracula” or an Agatha Christie piece, it’s been a notoriously tough genre to crack in live theatre. But that’s just what Time Slip Theatre is doing with their new show “Who Invited Them,” opening this Friday at The Henry Clay Theatre. 

While Time Slip is most known for its out-loud-and-proud productions of “The Rocky Horror Show” every October at PLAY, “Who Invited Them” will launch a new three-part series for the company.

Based on the film of the same name written and directed by Duncan Birmingham, “Who Invited Them” centers on a housewarming party thrown by Adam and Margo. As the gathering winds down, two guests who neither Adam nor Margo remember inviting linger after all others are gone. What follows is a salacious spiral of seductive danger and relentless tension that Time Slip calls, “a sinister blend of horror and comedy.”

“It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen on stage,” says Artistic Director Remy Sisk. “It’s hilarious, it has jump scares and it just keeps you guessing the whole time. It’s definitely something that will be fun to see live in a theatre with an audience.”

This production by Time Slip will actually mark the film’s stage debut; after Sisk and co. watched the movie on Shudder one night, he sent an Instagram DM to Birmingham inquiring about adapting it for the stage. To Time Slip’s immense surprise (and thrill), Birmingham was game for the adaptation and is actually planning on attending the show this weekend.

“Who Invited Them,” running August 29 – September 6 at The Henry Clay Theatre, will be the first show in Time Slip’s new three-part series. Following this one, the company will be producing Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” in January and then host an interactive adaption of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” in May. It will be the first time “Jagged Little Pill” has ever been done locally, and the team looks forward to doing a very nontraditional take on what it means to see a play with their “Masque of the Red Death.”

But before then, Time Slip will be back as always this October with “The Rocky Horror Show” as a series extra, delivering another wild and untamed year of their bread and butter material. “Most people definitely know us for ‘Rocky Horror,’” Sisk says, “but I’m excited this year to not only produce year 12 of ‘Rocky’ but also offer this really eclectic and varied programming in our three-part series. We have our thriller, our rock musical and our very unconventional interactive show. It’s an exciting series of work and I’m so excited to introduce more of the community to what Time Slip has to offer!”

“Who Invited Them” runs August 29 – September 6 at The Henry Clay Theatre, 604 S. Third Street, Third Floor. Tickets are $28 and are available at timesliptheatre.org. Series passes including “Who Invited Them,” “Jagged Little Pill” and “The Masque of the Red Death” as well as “Rocky Horror” are also available at timesliptheatre.org.