‘Tis the season for spooks and scares, so what better time for a musical featuring the undead?
This semester’s mainstage production, Evil Dead The Musical, is a campy comedy about five college students whose spring break vacation has gone wrong when they accidentally summon demons into the mortal realm. Performances will take place at the W. Carroll Coyne Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, Oct. 25, 26 & 31 and Nov. 1 and 2. All shows will begin at 8 p.m., with an additional 2 p.m. performance on the final day.
With direction by Matt Chiorini, music direction by Greg Giovanini, and choreography by Ruth Arena, the musical borrows elements from the Evil Dead movie franchise from the 80s, and mashes them all together in a satirical, wacky, and fun stage adaptation. When disaster strikes, it is up to Ash (played by sophomore Tim Kelsey) and his chainsaw-arm to vanquish evil and save humanity as we know it… all while singing show tunes and spraying copious amounts of “blood” into the audience.
From the exciting fight scenes, to dismembered hands with a mind of their own, to the demonic transformations of the characters, the cast and crew have worked tirelessly for the past month and a half to put together a fun, yet technically challenging production. Kelsey described it as a “crazy and exciting process” and shared that “it’s one of the most fun I’ve ever had in making a show. Our director Matt Chiorini does a great job in making this process a collaborative one, so it really does feel like our show.”
Kelsey also expressed his excitement for audiences to come see Evil Dead: “This show is unique and cool, and really makes a great audience experience that you’re not gonna find with a lot of other shows. I’m super proud of how it turned out and hope that everyone else enjoys watching it as much as I enjoy performing in it.”
Evil Dead is intended for “mature audiences” and not recommended for children under 14. The performance includes blood, adult language and sexual themes. There is also a “splash zone” where audience members can get the full bloody experience (with ponchos provided)!
Tickets are on sale through lemoyne.showare.com or by calling the theater box office at (315) 445-4200. Prices are $5 for Le Moyne students, $10 for faculty and staff, $15 for senior citizens and $20 for the general public. A limited number of free student tickets in the splash zone will be available at the box office beginning 1 hour prior to each performance.
