There was the creepy Grey House a few seasons ago, and you might when King Kong lumbered around a stage a while back, but Stranger Things: The First Shadow easily outdoes them for jump scares and genuine thrills.

The First Shadow," a stage prequel to the popular Netflix series, comes the question: Will this stand-alone tale appeal - and then satisfy - audiences beyond its fan base? The answer will depend on whether one's love of spectacular effects - of which there are many - trumps