Jacob Liao, Contributing Photographer

On Halloween night, nearly 2,000 Yale students –– decked out in their Halloween best –– will attend Yale Symphony Orchestra’s wildly popular, annual Halloween Show. Tickets sold out in five minutes, according to YSO member Tobias Liu ’26. 

Dare to attend the Halloween Show and you’ll find: a student-made silent film, musicians dressed in ghoulish garb and symphonic interpretations of Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift discographies. 

This year, the show’s theme is “Frosh’d and Found.” 

The Halloween Show is known for its student-made silent film that plays in the backdrop as musicians perform a fun, contemporary soundtrack. This year’s medley of songs was selected by music director Atticus Margulis-Ohnuma ’25 and student conductor Nicole Lam  ’25.

The film is usually a spoof of a famous scary movie adapted for Yale audiences, containing Yale references and featuring an unnamed celebrity guest. Last year, the film’s celebrity guest was Yale alum and two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster ’85.

“[The show] is definitely not like anything I’ve ever done before,” said Amanda Wu ’28, a violist in the symphony. “It’s definitely a lot crazier and more fun than our typical hardcore music. But it’s super cool, I’m really excited, and I think it will teach me to adapt my musicianship skills in ways that I haven’t before.”

Rehearsals for this show only begin a week before the performance. Attendees can expect to hear classics such as Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2, as well as popular pop songs. 

Wu, who will dress as a gymnast for the performance, believes that preparing for the show encourages camaraderie among YSO members.

One of the four producers for this year’s show is Eleanor Ohm ’27. In her second year as an upright bassist for the YSO, Ohm leads the programming and organization of this annual performance.

Preparation for the production began at the end of last year with the selection of a film director, scriptwriter and music producer. Producers were selected in April and by the end of July, the script was completed. From mid-July, Ohm and her fellow producers sent out casting forms to all YSO members to gauge interest. 

The members then show off their acting chops in an audition video they send over to the producers. Acting skills aside, priority is given to those with seniority.

“As soon as we get to school, we hit the ground running,” Ohm said. While the process was long, and “there were some bumps in the road,” Ohm added that “it’s all been really fun and rewarding.”

Ohm is aware of the competitiveness and difficulty of attaining a coveted ticket to the show, with many Yalies setting alarms and clearing the schedules for the day of sales. 

Ohm said that the popularity of the Halloween show is “flattering” for YSO and a testament to how beloved and enduring a tradition it is at Yale. Seeing students scramble for tickets is a motivation for putting countless hours into the project, she added.

Sally Zheng ’28 is one of the few lucky Yalies who got her hands on a ticket. She was initially placed on the waitlist but was quickly let off. 

“I’m most excited about the energy and seeing everyone in their costumes,” Zheng said. “Also, I can’t wait to watch my friends and my suitemate Amanda, who are in YSO, perform and hear all of the pop songs and soundtracks.”

Jasmine Chen ’27, another producer of the show, suggests that those who were unable to purchase tickets watch the show’s live stream from the comfort of their homes or attend a livestream party.

Chen said that she is excited about the buzz of Halloween energy attendees will bring and the audience’s reactions to the Yale-specific jokes in the show.

“We do target a lot of the writing to appeal to a Yale audience,” Chen said about references students will get simply because they go to the University. “I just hope that attendees leave understanding the importance of live music and how fun and exciting orchestral music can be.”

Each year, information about the Halloween Show is kept tightly under wraps. Ohm hinted that she might become emotional while playing this year’s setlist. She hopes that these emotions will also be felt by onlookers. 

The 2024-25 Yale Symphony Orchestra season will mark William Boughton’s final run as the symphony orchestra’s director.