When audiences step into the cabin in Evil Dead The Musical, they’re entering a world where the ordinary rules don’t quite apply. Windows shatter. Trees attack. Furniture seems to have a life of its own. And by the end of the night… there’s a lot of stage blood.
Creating that chaotic universe is the work of set and props designer Eric Luchen, who approached the production with both a fan’s enthusiasm and a designer’s meticulous attention to detail.
“I’ve always loved the comedy horror genre,” Luchen says. “I’d seen the first two Evil Dead films and the TV series Ash vs the Evil Dead, and I’d wanted to design this musical for several years. When the opportunity came along, I jumped at the chance.”
Designing the Cabin
Like many designers, Luchen begins with the script. Every scene, action and location is carefully analysed before discussions with the director help shape the overall vision for the production.
From there, the design process moves into research and experimentation. Images, architectural references and visual inspirations are gathered before the set begins to take shape digitally. Using 3D modelling software, Luchen builds the theatre space on his computer and begins designing the world of the show piece by piece.
“Some elements work immediately, others need to be rebuilt or completely discarded,” he explains. “It’s a constant process of trying things, refining them and collaborating until the design feels right.”
A Set Full of Surprises
Although the story largely takes place in a single location – the infamous cabin in the woods – designing the set presented unique challenges.
“There are a lot of unusual actions in this show,” Luchen says. “Trees break through windows, set dressing seems to come alive, and multiple surfaces end up covered in stage blood. Every detail had to be carefully considered so the set could support all of that action.”
Another complexity was scale. The set needed to work in multiple theatres, meaning the design had to balance spectacle with practical limitations.
“It was like building a puzzle,” Luchen says. “Every time one piece changed, it affected the rest.”
The Power of Perspective
One of the design’s most important visual tricks is something audiences may not consciously notice: forced perspective.
By subtly adjusting angles, proportions and lines throughout the set, the design creates the sense that the world of the show is slightly distorted – a heightened reality where supernatural chaos feels right at home.
And the most important element in achieving that effect?
The floor.
“My favourite part of the set is actually the floorboards,” Luchen says. “They’re designed in forced perspective like the rest of the set, and the downstage boards even appear to break away from the stage.”
Even the trap door leading to the cellar follows the angled lines of the boards, reinforcing the illusion.
“Most people don’t spend much time looking at the floor,” he laughs. “But without it, the entire world of the show would feel very different.”
A Collaborative Creation
For Luchen, theatre design is never a solo effort. The final set is the result of constant collaboration with the director and creative team, refining ideas until the production’s world fully comes together.
“The best idea in the room wins,” he says. “That’s the beauty of theatre – everyone brings their creativity to the table.”
And in a show like Evil Dead The Musical, that creativity helps transform an ordinary stage into a blood-soaked cabin where anything – and everything – can happen.