MANSFIELD, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—This October, moviegoers in North Central Ohio can experience Halloween at the Renaissance Theatre in three very different ways — from a free psychological thriller tied to Ohio’s cinematic history to a century-old silent horror classic accompanied by live organ music, followed by a late-night Halloween tradition built around costumes, callbacks and the “Time Warp.”

The Renaissance Theatre’s 2026 Spooky Season film lineup brings The Silence of the Lambs, Nosferatu and The Rocky Horror Picture Show to the big screen, offering audiences in the Crawford and Richland County region three distinct reasons to make a trip to Mansfield this fall.

The lineup opens Oct. 1 with a free screening of The Silence of the Lambs as part of Ohio Goes to the Movies™, a statewide celebration of the Buckeye State’s connections to filmmaking.

Then, as Halloween approaches, the Renaissance will turn its historic theatre into a movie palace of another era for Nosferatu, accompanied live on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ. Halloween night will bring The Rocky Horror Picture Show, complete with audience participation and a Tim Curry-themed costume contest.

A thriller with an Ohio connection

The Spooky Season festivities begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, with The Silence of the Lambs.

Admission is free, although advance reservations are required.

The screening is part of Ohio Goes to the Movies™, a Signature Event of America 250-Ohio running from mid-February through October 2026. The statewide program highlights Ohio’s contributions to film through screenings featuring Ohio actors, directors, writers and composers, as well as movies connected to Ohio locations and subjects.

The Silence of the Lambs has several ties to the state.

The film includes the fictional Ohio community of Belvedere, while the real Bellaire Bridge in Bellaire, Ohio, appears when FBI trainee Clarice Starling travels into town. Actor Ted Levine, who portrayed serial killer Jame Gumb — better known as Buffalo Bill — was also born in Bellaire.

For local movie fans, the screening offers more than a chance to revisit a celebrated psychological thriller. It is also part of a statewide look at the ways Ohio has appeared on the cinematic map.

A century-old vampire returns

The mood changes dramatically Oct. 30.

At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, the Renaissance will screen F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, the influential 1922 silent horror film that helped establish the visual language of vampire movies and horror cinema.

But this won’t be a typical movie screening.

Acclaimed organist Jay Spencer will provide live accompaniment on the Renaissance Theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, creating a theatrical experience reminiscent of the early movie-palace era, when films were regularly accompanied by live musicians.

The organ itself has a cinematic history.

Originally installed at Warner Brothers’ Vitaphone studios in 1929 and later owned by Hollywood actor Joseph Kearns, the Mighty Wurlitzer eventually arrived at the Renaissance Theatre in 1985. It remains part of the theatre’s distinctive artistic and historical character.

For audiences, that means Nosferatu will be presented with two pieces of history sharing the same room: a landmark silent horror film more than 100 years old and an organ with its own connection to Hollywood.

Tickets start at $10.

And there is an extra incentive for those planning to make a Halloween weekend of it.

Guests who attend Nosferatu can bring their ticket back the following night for free admission to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Those who already have a Rocky Horror ticket can instead present their Nosferatu ticket for a free popcorn.

Halloween night gets strange

On Saturday, Oct. 31, the Renaissance will trade silent-film chills for one of the most interactive movie experiences in American pop culture.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show begins at 10 p.m.

Tickets are $6.66, or $16.66 with an official prop bag.

The late-night Halloween screening is designed for participation rather than quiet observation. Fans can dress up, sing along, shout callbacks, dance the “Time Warp” and join in the traditions that have made Rocky Horror a Halloween staple for generations.

This year’s event will also celebrate the career of the late Tim Curry, whose performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter helped make the film a cultural phenomenon.

A Tim Curry-themed costume contest will invite attendees to draw inspiration from characters and looks spanning Curry’s career, with prizes going to the winning costumes.

For those looking to participate fully, approved prop bags are available for an additional charge, bringing the admission-and-prop-bag total to $16.66. Prop bags can be picked up at Will Call before the screening.

Because the Renaissance is also a historic theatre, audiences are asked not to bring their own props from home. The approved prop bags allow fans to take part while helping protect the venue.

Whether it’s someone’s first visit to the “Frankenstein place” or an annual Halloween ritual, the Renaissance is inviting audiences to embrace the unusual.

Three movies, three ways to celebrate October

Taken together, the Renaissance’s October lineup offers three distinctly different moviegoing experiences.

The Silence of the Lambs connects a modern audience with Ohio’s role in filmmaking. Nosferatu transforms a silent-film screening into a live theatrical event with the Mighty Wurlitzer. And The Rocky Horror Picture Show turns Halloween night into an interactive celebration where the audience becomes part of the show.

For movie lovers across Crawford and Richland counties, it also provides an opportunity to experience films in a historic theatre rather than simply watching them at home.

Tickets and reservations are available through the Renaissance Theatre, by calling the box office at 419-522-2726, or in person at 138 Park Avenue West in Mansfield. The box office is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m.

2026 Renaissance Spooky Season at a glance

The Silence of the Lambs — Ohio Goes to the Movies™
Thursday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m.
Free; advance reservations required.

Nosferatu (1922) with the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ
Friday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets start at $10.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 p.m.
$6.66 admission; $16.66 with official prop bag.

For tickets and additional information, visit rentickets.org or contact the Renaissance Theatre box office at 419-522-2726.