Fri Sep 03 2010
by April Helms
Special Products Editor
The auditorium at the Aurora High School was a hive of activity as the cast and crew of Aurora Community Theatre's "Zombie Prom" worked to put the final touches of the musical in place.
This show, which will open July 9, will be performed on Aurora High School's auditorium as the theater, a stone's throw from the high school, is undergoing renovations, said producer John Marchese.
The setting seems appropriate for a comic musical set in a high school.
"I'm very biased, but I think this is going to be a fantastic show," Marchese said.
Director Marc C. Howard said during a June 28 interview the cast has been working on staging for about three weeks.
"They've been working really, really hard," said Howard, who also is choreographing the show. "I just fell in love with the show after hearing a cast recording of it. I love the music. People who are not familiar with the show may not get a great impression from the name, but if they see it, they will love it. It's being described as ''Grease' meets nuclear power.'"
"Zombie Prom" features book and lyrics by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe, all based on a story by Dempsey and Hugh M. Murphy. The musical is set in the 1950s at Enrico Fermi High, where sweet and proper Toffee (played by Colleen McCaughey) falls for class bad boy Jonny (played by Andy Weyenberg). When family pressure forces an end to the romance, Jonny jumps on his motorcycle and speeds to the local power plant where he throws himself into the nuclear waste dump. Although buried at sea in a metal casket, Toffee's undying love penetrates all barriers and rejuvenates Jonny who returns to school as a green-faced, toxic zombie bent on graduating with his class and taking his dream girl Toffee to the prom. Tyrannical principal Delilah Strict (played by Claudia Lillibridge) has different ideas and bars the goo-covered, cadaverous zombie teen from rejoining his class. The school's discrimination policy ("walking dead are strictly prohibited at Enrico Fermi High") prompts sensationalist journalist Eddie Flagrante (played by Michael Guffey) to expose the school's intolerance, bringing him face to face with the intractable Miss Strict. When principal and reporter realize their shared past, true to his name, Flagrante rekindles the flame which softens the inflexible Strict.
I saw part of a rehearsal for "Zombie Prom" on June 28, where I caught a glimpse of the fast-paced, light-hearted musical, brought to life by a high-energy cast. I talked to several cast and crew members, who all seemed to agree the show was a lot of fun to work on.
"I'm having the greatest time," said Lillibridge, a Twinsburg resident. "The kids are so professional and so great to work with."
Lillibridge's said her character's name "speaks volumes for the type of character she is."
"She is very authoritarian," she said. "The girls should be well-behaved. The boys should have their shirts tucked in. The appearance of the zombie throws a wrench in her order. But she has secrets in her past that come out, and there's a twist at the end."
Weyenberg said his character Jonny -- who dropped the "h" from his name to stand out -- "is not exactly in the wrong place at the wrong time, but people make assumptions about him because of the way he dresses, for taking the 'H' out of his name. People assume he's a bad kid."
The makeup for when Weyenberg turns into the zombie will be an interesting challenge, he said.
"I'm not sure what they are going to do, but I know I will be very, very green," he said. "I look for ward to it."
McCaughey, who graduated from Hudson High School last year, said that her character's relationship with Jonny "changes her life."
"She doesn't know how to deal with it once Jonny comes back," she said. "She's used to being the perfect girl. But love is more than having the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend. I hope the audience realizes this is a show about love and loving unconditionally. I think sometimes with everything going on in the world, we forget about what it's like to be in love."
Guffey, a Stow resident, said his character was "looking for the big brake, to better himself."
"I don't want to say he's full of himself, but he is sure of himself," he said. "He's looking for a scoop but he also wants to get to the truth."
Brandon Lambert, the music director and a recent graduate from Aurora High School, said the music for "Zombie Prom" was a challenge.
""You would think with a 50s musical, it would be easy, four-chord rock," Lambert said. "But there are many layers of harmonies. I've looked at YouTube videos of this show, and it's obvious that many music directors have told their cast to sing in unison."
Toffee's best friends will be performed by Kaley Voorhees, Coco; Kristin Benner; Candy and Lindsay Simon, Ginger. Billy Eline plays Josh, Shane Hurst is Jake and Jeffery Raig is Joey. Abby Zerull will take to the stage as Ramona Merengue and as a Student. Nicole Romo will be seen in three roles as Mother, Secretary and Stage Manager. Other multiple-role players include: Alli St. John, Student/Secretary, Andrew Novak, Student/Copy Boy, Angel Foster, Secretary/Make-Up Lady, Dave Sherman, Father/Announcer, Evan Henrich, Student/Motorwise Guy and John Sudsina, Student/Motorwise Guy. Julie Ballway, Lexi Clossin and Caitlin Houlahan all perform as students.
Ticket and show information
Shows start at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays from July 9 through 24. Aurora High School is at 109 W. Pioneer Trail.
Tickets at $16 for adults, $11 for youth 18 and under, are available online, including seat selection, at www.auroracommunitytheatre.com or call the box office at 330-562-1818. Discounts for groups of 15 or more are available by calling the box office.
E-mail: ahelms@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3153
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