PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS Presents
EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL
Book and Lyrics by George Reinblatt
Music by Frank Cipolla Christopher Bond
Melissa Morris George Reinblatt
Based on characters created by Sam Raimi
By Special Arrangement with Renaissance Pictures, Ltd. & Studiocanal
Original Music Supervision by Frank Cipolla
Additional Lyrics by Christopher Bond
Additional Music by Rob Daleman
Originally Produced in New York by Jenkay LLC, Jeffrey Latimer Entertainment, Just For Laughs Live, and Idle Dave Productions LLC
Technical Specialist TOMÁS TORRES
Production Stage Manager
RYAN ALGER
Production Manager TOM HESSMAN
Lighting Designer / Scenic Designer KYLE SANTOPADRE
Properties JAMES GRAUSAM & MARISA PROCOPIO
Music Director JASON NERI Choreographer JAMES GRAUSAM
Director JAMES MARHOLD
A MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
In 1981, Evil Dead premiered on the big screen as a low-budget horror flick and introduced the world to the Necronomicon, Deadites, and a chainsaw-wielding hero named Ash in what director, Sam Raimi, describes as a “gorier the merrier” mentality. It’s difficult to explain why this B-Movie has captured the imagination, fascination, and out-and-out obsession of so many fans worldwide. It stands as one of the most cited inspirations for countless directors, writers, video game developers, and Comic Con cos-play fanatics 40 years after its release. I became a super fan, not of the movie, but of the Off-Broadway musical parody when it premiered in 2003. Everything about the musical screamed deliciously WRONG! - which is the highest praise I can give a show like this. The songs were over-the-top camp (just look at the song list in your program), the make-up was insanely amateurish but so funny, the hilarious one-liners seemed almost ad-libbed, but the commitment to the Evil Dead legacy, authenticity, and honoring the spirit of the movies was phenomenal. I know that my perception of camp theatre was forever changed by Evil Dead The Musical, and it began my obsession with approaching parody, camp, comedy, farce, and eventually all theatre with the emotional honesty and serious rigor actors and directors usually apply to Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Sondheim. It may seem like just a side-splitting (and blood-splattering) good time in “an old, abandoned cabin in the woods” – but it’s also serious theatre. I’m grateful to the creative team, cast, crew, staff, and everyone at the Count Basie Center for their unwavering support and commitment to making quality theatre.
Enjoy the show, and I hope you don’t get any Shelly on your shoe.
James Managing Artistic Director
Phoenix Productions at the Count Basie Center for the Arts
THE CAST
Ash ........................................................................................................ TYLER VANTERPOOL
Cheryl ............................................................................................................ KATIE MESTRES
Scott.................................................................................................................. CORY SINGER
Linda MICHELLE MOUGHAN
Shelly / Annie .................................................................................. LINDSAY PAIGE SPITZER
Ed ERIC BRÁS
Jake ................................................................................................................. JOHN FISCHER
Fake Shemp / Knowby / Moose .................................................................... JOHN MORRIS
THE BAND
Conductor / Keyboard JASON NERI
Guitar ........................................................................................................ ANDY BUSLOVICH
Bass ................................................................................................ ANDREW ROSCISZEWSKI
Drums ..................................................................................................................... JAY MACK
THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Production Manager ....................................................................................... TOM HESSMAN
Director JAMES MARHOLD
Choreographer / Costumes JAMES GRAUSAM
Music Director JASON NERI
Technical Specialist TOMÁS TORRES
Lighting Designer / Scenic Designer KYLE SANTOPADRE
Lighting Board Operator ....................................................................................... ZACK BLISS
Sound Design .........................................JAMES GRAUSAM, TOM HESSMAN, ALEX WIDOM
Properties ................................................................. JAMES GRAUSAM, MARISA PROCOPIO
Scenic Charge ................................................................................................ ASHLEY CUSACK
Production Stage Manager ................................................................................. RYAN ALGER
Assistant Stage Manager ............................................................................ OLIVIA GRAUSAM
Run Crew ............................. SABRINA CLAIRE, KAELEIGH MacLENNAN, KEELEY McCABE
Managing / Artistic Director ....................................................................... JAMES GRAUSAM
Special Thanks ......................................COUNT BASIE CENTER MARKETING DEPARTMENT, DIANE DiYANNI
ABOVE GROUND
TUBS
SEMI IN-GROUND AND IN-GROUND POOLS
PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
SoVonna Day-Goins (Co-Chair)
Sarah Bradley
Jerry Conaty
Natalie Hayes-Scott
Tom Hessman
Nancy Karpf
Joe Wajda (Co-Chair)
Fran Centofante Katz
Maria Maher
James Marhold
Adam Philipson
Izzy Sackowitz
Jarrod Scott
Dennis Tolentino
Fran Turner
Jon Vena
Anthony Viera
Darrell L. Willis
Count Basie Center for the Arts, a not for profit organization
Count Basie Center Executive Committee of the Board
Jeremy Grunin Chairperson
Jerry Conaty Treasurer
Robin Klein Governance Officer
Stuart Alderoty
Mitch Ansell
Alison Banks-Moore
Tom Bernard
Sarah Bradley
Michael Bruno
Heather Burke
Craig Cummings
Stephen Cutler
Maria Maher Co-Vice Chairperson
SoVonna Day-Goins Co-Secretary
Claudia Dulac Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
Maggie Riker Co-Vice Chairperson
Delisha Grant Co-Secretary
Adam Philipson President & Chief Executive Officer, Ex Officio
Count Basie Center Board of Trustees
Lauren Goldfarb Carlina Jessen
Jason Jurgens
Steve Kaiman
Nancy Karpf
Marshall Knopf
Kathryn Lissy
Mario Monello
Michael Parent
Cathy Pugliese-Sivo
Mark Rohl
Peter T. Roselle
Matthew J. Saker
Dr. Perry Scaranni
Carol Stillwell
Fran Turner
Joe Wajda
Tom Widener
Darrell Lawrence Willis
Kaye Wise
Edward J. Zipprich
MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT I
“Cabin in the Woods” .................................................. Ash, Linda, Scott, Shelly, and Cheryl
“Housewares Employee” ................................................................................ Ash and Linda
“It Won’t Let Us Leave” ............................................................................................... Cheryl
“Look Who’s Evil Now” .............................................................................. Cheryl and Shelly
“What the Fuck Was That?” Ash and Scott
“Join Us” ........................................................................... Cheryl, Moose, and House Spirits
“Good Old Reliable Jake” ............................................................................. Jake and Annie
“Housewares Employee (Reprise)” ................................................................ Linda and Ash
“I’m Not a Killer” Ash
ACT II
“I’m Not a Killer (Reprise)” .............................................................................................. Ash
“Bit Part Demon”................................................................................................................ Ed
“All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons” Annie, Ash, and Jake
“Ode to an Accidental Stabbing” Jake, Annie, and Cheryl
“Do the Necronomicon” Demons
“It’s Time” .................................................................................................... Ash and Demons
“We Will Never Die” ................................................................................................. Demons
“Blew That Bitch Away” .................................................................... Ash, S-Mart Customers
THERE WILL BE ONE 15-MINUTE INTERMISSION.
Warning: Please be aware that Evil Dead The Musical contains strobe lighting, explicit language, adult content, and copious amounts of blood.
The use of any recording device, either audio or video, and the taking of photographs, either with or without flash, is prohibited. Please turn off all electronic devices such as cellular phones, tablets, beepers, and watches. The use of cell phones in the theater is prohibited.
PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS THANKS OUR 2025/2026 SEASON DONORS
RISING STAR LEVEL: $500-$999
Chris Adamo, Joseph Ercolino, John Jackson, Stephanie Malewski, Diane Tresente
PATRON LEVEL: $250-$499
Dennis Tolentino
FAN LEVEL: Up to $249
Dianne C. Asay, In memory of Al Bevacqua, Barbara Saake, Jayne Cybulski, Elizabeth Dean, Judith & William Fraser, Kenneth Groeschel, Gloria Gross, Debra Marsh, Anthony Petrizzo, Carol Petscavage, Donna Pinamonti, Albert Reher
STARS ON PHOENIX’S “WALK OF DREAMS”
Todd Aikens, Andrea Andrews Zawadzky, Matthew Blankley, Grace Brancato, Brothers Commercial Brokerage, The Brown Family, Chloe Carone, Erin O’Malley Chiaravalloti, Sarah Coleman, Liz & Randy Cooper, Sophie Creed, The Cullen Family, The D’Agostino Family, Mike & Betty Ann Dalberg, Bobby Davis, Lily DelPresto, In Memory of Mildred & Patrick DeLuca, Tina & Mike DeVito, Denise DiBona DDS, The Dobbs Family, Hudson Eder & Jo Wymer Music Studios, Joe Ercolino & Melvin Polisher, FILCO Red Bank, Immediate Care Medical Walk-In & CEO Sal Cannizzaro, In Memory of Jakob Franke, Bob Fuller, Carmen Gemellaro, Kayla Goins, Jennifer Grasso, James Grausam, Anthony Greco, Keegan Robert Haack, Holly Hankins & Family, Don & Lois Heirman, Thomas K. Hessman, Taylor Nicole Kaplan, Nancy Karpf, Fran Centofante Katz, Sydney & Jason Katz, Zoe & Molly Kenney, George & Kelly Kerrick, The Kinneman Family, The LaRue Family, James, Kathleen & Patrick Marhold, The Martini Family, In Loving Memory of Pat Mercandetti, The Monteleone Family, Jillian Mueller, Scott Naef, The Nodes Family, Don Olah Hair/Wigs, Alexa Origlio, Christine Paccillo, Wayne, Daniel & Marisa Peck, The Pennington Family, Joanne Penrose, Red Oak Mortgage, The Regan Family, Remember Jones, Lily Grace Riddle, Kara Robertelli, Harper Robinson, The Robinson Family, The Scherzo Family, Haley & Chris Schmalbach, Thomas Scove, The Sheftel Family, Carl Sterling Smith, Jack & Joyce Sica, The Stefanelli Family, The Thorner Family, Mary Jo Tort-Bergeron Carol Wade, The Wagar Family, Ellen & Michael Walsh, Amanda Winter, Lindsay Wood, Chip & Ilda Wood, World Subaru
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST
ERIC BRÁS (Ed)
is very excited to be performing in his second show with Phoenix Productions. Credits include: Oklahoma! (Jud Fry), Kinky Boots (Richard Bailey), Company (Andy), and Once on This Island (Tonton Julian). He would like to thank you for coming, and enjoy the show!
JOHN FISCHER (Jake) has performed in theaters across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, with favorite shows including: Camelot (Arthur), Groundhog Day (Phil Connors), Matilda (Mr. Wormwood), Something Rotten! (Nick Bottom), and The Scarlet Pimpernel (Chauvelin). John has also worked as a writer in partnership with Dave Breidenstine and Sean Eisenhauer on Lemonade! The Musical, which has so far been produced three times in NJ and PA. John is doing his best. Love to Jen, Rhea and Killian.
KATIE MESTRES (Cheryl) is thrilled to be back on stage in NJ after spending the last three years getting a double Master’s in Shakespeare & Performance at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, Virginia. She also has a BA in Theatre with Education Certification from Kean University. College credits: Sylvia (Sylvia), A Midsummer’s Night Dream (Puck), Pippin (Fastrada), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Schwarzy), RENT (Maureen), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Sally). Community Credits: Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), Urinetown (Bobby Strong), Kiss Me, Kate, (Bianca/Lois), Once Upon a Mattress (Fred). Film Credits: Jersey Birdies (Lily).
JOHN MORRIS (Fake Shemp / Knowby / Moose) is elated to be joining the talented bunch at Phoenix Productions for this year’s Evil Dead The Musical. If you’re wondering what Fake Shemp means, it was coined by this franchise to mean anyone with their back to the camera being played by someone who is not that actor. In this show, if you hear a voice or see a severed limb, that’s probably John Morris doing it. He’s been a huge fan of the Evil Dead franchise for years, so this has been an absolute joy. Previous roles include: Something Rotten! (Nick Bottom; Main Street Theatre Company), Scrooge (Nephew Fred; Premier Theatre Company), and Pippin (King Charlamagne; Creative Outlets).
MICHELLE MOUGHAN (Linda)
is ecstatic to return to Phoenix for the second time this year, shifting from the swinging chimney sweeps of Mary Poppins to the swinging axes of Evil Dead The Musical. Sending much love to this fun and talented cast for their collaboration, and much gratitude to the production team for the opportunity to sing a cheesy love ballad and become a headless demon all within the same act. Thank YOU for being here. Hi Mom and Dad! For more performing fun (and less fake blood) follow @mishmou77. AMDG.
CORY SINGER (Scott)
is excited for his first show with Phoenix Productions. Past favorite roles include: Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon Zealots; Main Street Theatre Company), Inner City (Allen; Main Street Theatre Company), Follies (Young Buddy; Westfield Community Players), Here to Recruit You (Billy; Stonewall 50th Anniversary), and Seussical (The Mayor). Cory is also a singer-songwriter who has performed with acts from Don Felder to DJ Khalid. He has appeared on Bravo TV as one of the winners of The Kandi Factory. CorySinger.com
LINDSAY PAIGE SPITZER
(Shelly / Annie)
is thrilled to be getting demonically sexy as Shelly/Annie in Evil Dead The Musical! She is a graduate of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Offstage, Lindsay is a PK-2 general music teacher, princess performer, and vocal coach! Past credits include: Legally Blonde (Brooke Wyndham; Phoenix Productions), Footloose (Rusty; Algonquin Arts Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (Hodel; Algonquin Arts Theatre), The Little Mermaid (Ariel; Bellarine Theatre), Beautiful (Cynthia Weil; Kelsey Theatre), The Last Five Years (Cathy; Ferrell Studios), and Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey; Cabaret Theatre). Much love to her friends and family! IG: @lili_paigeee
TYLER VANTERPOOL (Ash)
is excited to be making his Phoenix Productions debut! He’d like to thank his team at Nouveaux Talent, his phenomenal band Bomb Valley, and all the incredible friends and family who have supported him throughout.
WHO’S WHO ON THE PRODUCTION TEAM
TOM HESSMAN
(Production Manager / Sound Design)
is a lifelong theatergoer and spent 15 years on the media crew for Staples Players (Westport, CT) before moving to the NJ theatre scene where Tom loves volunteering in various capacities. Tom had a brief walk-on role in Phoenix’s 2019 production of Young Frankenstein, and Phoenix hasn’t been able to get rid of him since! Favorite credits include: Kinky Boots, Bat Boy: The Musical (NJACT Perry Award nomination, Outstanding Production of a Musical), The Prom, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Doll’s House, Green Day’s American Idiot, and Evil Dead The Musical. Tom would like to thank James Grausam, this amazing production team, his incredible friends, and his wonderful sister Kat. TomHessman.com
JAMES MARHOLD (Director) has been a performer and Production Manager at Phoenix for over 35 years! Production credits include: Mary Poppins, RENT, In the Heights, Once on This Island, Evita, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, West Side Story, Grease, Legally Blonde, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Spring Awakening, Elf, The Wedding Singer, and Songs for a New World. Thanks to Kathy and Patrick for their love and support!
JAMES GRAUSAM
(Choreographer / Costumes / Properties / Sound Design / Managing Artistic Director) has directed several productions for Phoenix at the Count Basie Center for the Arts, including: Fiddler on the Roof, The Full Monty, Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who’s Tommy, The 30th Anniversary Gala Concert, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Songs for a New World, Smokey Joe’s Café, Spring Awakening, Elf The Musical, Putting It Together, Evil Dead The Musical, Green Day’s American Idiot, The Music Man, Bat Boy: The Musical, and Kinky Boots. He continues to direct and perform other places as time allows. As always, for Olivia.
JASON NERI (Music Director) is thrilled to be back at Phoenix Productions! Favorite past productions include: Kinky Boots, Green Day’s American Idiot, Evil Dead The Musical, Ragtime (Barrymore Nominated for Outstanding Music Direction), The Last Five Years, Godspell (Barrymore Nominated for Outstanding Music Direction and Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical), Rock of Ages, and Heathers The Musical. Be here now!
RYAN ALGER (Production Stage Manager)
is thrilled to be BACK at The Vogel! Ryan’s Phoenix debut show was Evil Dead The Musical (2023) as an Assistant Stage Manager, and she has been involved in many shows with the company since! Her standout favorite will always be Bat Boy: The Musical as her PSM debut! Thank you Jim, James, Jason, and Tom for the opportunity. THE BIGGEST THANK YOU to Olivia and my cast & crew!!!! Your support means the world to me; both as a stage manager and as a person. Thank you for spending some time in our cabin in the woods with me <3 (Hi M&D!!)
SABRINA CLAIRE (Run Crew) is excited to be back with Phoenix Productions for the second time. She made her Phoenix debut in Legally Blonde (Enid) this summer and is excited to be on the crew side of things! With Halloween being her favorite holiday, she couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than doing Evil Dead The Musical! Break legs (and arms), cast and crew!
ASHLEY CUSACK (Scenic Charge)
is a freelance designer and artist throughout the tri-state area. She holds her MFA in Set Design from Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts. Since 2007, Ashley has worked in the Phoenix shop mixing paint, building and dreaming up set pieces to fill the Basie stage. Favorite past Phoenix designs include: Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Once on This Island, Elf The Musical, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame When not designing for the stage, she is busy starting new home projects and keeping up with her 8 year old daughter’s imagination.
OLIVIA GRAUSAM (Assistant Stage Manager) is so excited to be working on this spooky show! In the past, she has served as Associate Production Manager for Phoenix’s productions of Ragtime and West Side Story, as well as designed props for The Prom and Mary Poppins! She would like to thank the entire team, especially Jim and Jason, her dad, and PLC for all the support throughout this show and all the others! A special thanks to Ryan for being the best stage manager and friend a girl could have. Enjoy the show!
KEELEY McCABE (Run Crew) is thrilled to be working on yet another Phoenix show. She has been working at The Basie for close to four years and has gotten to know Phoenix Productions through them. She started her love for behind the scenes back in high school, where she was on the run crew and was the school’s lighting designer. Keeley is ecstatic to get back to her roots and be on the run crew for Evil Dead the Musical! She would like to thank the production team for including her in this show, and her other run crew members for being a great team.
MARISA PROCOPIO (Properties) is excited to be back at Phoenix, where she has designed for over a decade, beginning with Miss Saigon for James Grausam. Regional: Mad Love, The Jag, Multiple Family Dwelling, & Juliet, Halftime with Don, F Theory, Theatre Brut 2017, Mutual Philanthropy, The Calling, Wild Horses, Issei, He Say (NJ Repertory Company); The Women of Padilla (Two River Theater); To Kill a Mockingbird, Twelfth Night, Circle Mirror Transformation, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Little Women, The Imaginary Invalid, Of Mice and Men, Much Ado About Nothing (Holmdel Theatre Company); Mack and Mabel, Sugar Babies, Seesaw, 42nd Street, Chicago (Red Oak Music Theater). Other credits: 1776 (NJACT Perry Award nominee), Frost/Nixon, The Producers, Les Misérables, The Drowsy Chaperone, Fiddler on the Roof, and many others.
KYLE SANTOPADRE (Lighting Designer / Scenic Designer) has a BA in Theatre with a Design concentration from Rowan University. He is the Assistant Technical Director and Lighting Designer for the Count Basie Center for the Arts. Past scenic designs include: West Side Story, In the Heights, Guys and Dolls (Phoenix Productions); Noises Off (Raritan HS); Hello, Dolly! (Capital Productions). Many thanks to a wonderful production team!
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