Kate Trefry is a key creative force behind Stranger Things. Joining the show as a writer in Season 2, she’s been with the series for over seven years, and her work has helped shape the mythology, tone, and lore of the town of Hawkins — and all of its beloved (and haunted) inhabitants.

Her latest venture takes the franchise into uncharted territory: the stage. Kate wrote Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a theatrical prequel set in 1959 Hawkins that blends psychological horror with jaw-dropping effects.

The First Shadow is one of the most incredible theater experiences I’ve ever had — its a mind-blowing fusion of stagecraft, horror, and storytelling that feels like witnessing real magic unfold in real time. So if you’re in New York City or London’s West End, run — don’t walk. This show absolutely blew me away.

In this episode, Kate gets into her career history, including her ten-year struggle in Hollywood after which she was making snowcones before landing the writing gig of a lifetime on Stranger Things. She also dives into her collaborative process with the Duffer Brothers and the extremely challenging, grueling, and fascinating experience of adapting Stranger Things to the stage.

On today’s episode of The Nick Taylor Horror Show, here — without further ado — is Kate Trefry.

Key Takeaways

Ignorance is bliss.

Despite having written for Stranger Things for over five years, Kate had never written a play before — and that turned out to be an advantage. Unburdened by the typical constraints of stagecraft, she approached The First Shadow like she would an episode or film: big set pieces, impossible visuals, cinematic pacing. Instead of limiting her vision, the creative team encouraged it — telling her to write whatever she wanted and leave it to them to figure out how to make it work live. The result is a show that doesn’t just adapt Stranger Things for the stage — it redefines what live theatre can do.

There is no writing, only rewriting.

Throughout the development of The First Shadow, Trefry wrote hundreds of drafts. During the workshop and preview process, she sat with live audiences, watching for moments when people shifted, coughed, or lost focus — then made adjustments accordingly. Kate believes the magic starts to happen around draft six — when emotion, structure, and theme finally begin to align. Her process always involves discovery through multiple rewrites, often transforming scenes completely from their original form. For her, the key is getting to the end of your first draft as quickly as possible — so you can start rewriting. And then rewrite again. And again.

Authenticity opens doors.

Kate’s path to Stranger Things began not with a polished pitch, but with brutal, unfiltered honesty. After years grinding in Hollywood, she took a call with the Duffer Brothers and told them point-blank that “Hollywood is a cesspool” and “writing is a nightmare” — not exactly go-to lines for landing a job. But to her surprise, they loved her candor. That authenticity — combined with clear talent — landed her in the Stranger Things writers’ room the following week. The takeaway: showing up as your real self, especially in an industry full of rehearsed personalities, can resonate more than trying to be what you think others want.

Show Notes

Movies Discussed

• Stranger Things (Netflix)
• Stranger Things: The First Shadow (West End & Broadway)
• Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things The First Shadow (Documentary)
• Game of Thrones
• The Shining
• Harry Potter
• Lord of the Rings

Books & Projects

• Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
• Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey
• Dragons Love Tacos
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Follow Kate Trefry at:

• IMBd: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4418668/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/kaaaaaatetrefry?lang=en