A cult classic musical makes it in time for Halloween

A cult classic musical makes it in time for Halloween By Kate Luce

Halloween is a time for all things horror related to make their appearance. To kick the 2019-2020 theatre season off in that same spirit, the theatre and dance department brought to life Evil Dead: The Musical.

“This was the first time our production schedule was going to allow us to perform right on and near Halloween. As a department, we had spoken for a while about choosing a show to celebrate this time of the year with our audiences. Evil Dead is the show

we picked as it is a hilarious spoof of the beloved cult movies with rocking songs, dancing zombies, and a level of heightened camp,” Justin Amellio, director and associate professor of theatre, explains. “We looked forward to celebrating Halloween in this fun, raunchy, spoofy, bloody and musically hilarious way. It is definitely an adult-themed show, with many features for a more interactive audience experience. It is an up close and personal show, produced in an

Evil Dead: The Musical is based on the Evil Dead film franchise that preceded it. The story begins with five college students that end up alone in the woods. They run into a force that turns them into demons. What happens next? Bad jokes, bloody messes, and a demon slaying the cast members. This musical combines elements of horror and comedy, to create a performance that will leave the audience dying–of laughter.

One of the most infamous scenes of this production involves the use of blood cannons, which splattered the first few rows of the audience. Have no worries, ponchos were provided to the audience members sitting in the splash zone. This performance also carried an R-rating, due to the blood and adult themes of this musical. Audiences were advised not to bring children to this performance. This was a first for the School of the Arts.

intimate setting. You feel like you are in the woods with all the demons, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate Halloween,” Amellio says.

As the show’s debut edged closer, students performing in this production continued to rehearse and looked forward to giving other students and surrounding community members something different to enjoy during the spooky time of the year.

“So far, this was one of the most challenging shows I have ever done. This show is so technically heavy, and I was so excited to tackle that. Another reason that I’m really excited about the performance is the cast. I feel like a lot of our voices blend well within the music,” Eddie Castle, who plays Scott, says. “The amount of combat, blood, and cursing that this show calls for is absolute insanity. Getting beat to smithereens is something that I have wanted to happen to me in theatre for so long. I also have never gotten to play a character like Scott, and I am ecstatic about the challenge.”

This performance surely made the audience feel the spirit of Halloween. Evil Dead is lighthearted but still provides all the elements of all things of a classic horror film.

“From those who love old horror movies to those who love theatre, this is one for the books. This musical is one to remember. It’s one of the most

fun shows I have been a part of,” Taylor Jump, who plays Cheryl, says.

Evil Dead: The Musical made its debut on Oct. 16 and had a special Halloween night performance. The show saw many sold-out crowds, lots of blood and guts, and a very happy (terrified) audience once the curtains closed.