*** DATELINE: MILWAUKEE 1955 – FLYING SAUCER INVASION ***
Zombies from the Beyond
The Visceral Company, winner of “best LA theater season” accolades for 2013 from review aggregate site Bitter Lemons, is pleased to present the Los Angeles premiere of ZOMBIES FROM THE BEYOND, James Valcq’s musical comedy satire of 1950s sci-fi B-movies.
The year is 1955. The Space Race is in full swing in the midst of Eisenhower-era Cold War paranoia when a bevy of flying saucers from Planet X suddenly appears over the skies of Beertown. The invasion is led by evil alien aviatrix Queen Zombina, on a quest to “zombify” and abduct all of Earth’s men to repopulate her planet!
The Milwaukee Space Center and the US military prepare to meet the otherworldly foes head on, until Zombina unleashes her “stratospheric” secret weapon. It’s up to a mild-mannered scientist, an all-American girl-next-door, a man-hungry secretary and one plucky, tap-dancing delivery boy to save the world from this planetary menace from outer space!
A critical smash Off-Broadway in 1995, this affectionate satire of 1950s sci-fi B-movies makes its LA debut at last, as part of the 2014 Hollywood Fringe Festival.
“Dead aim, deadpan, dead-on new musical!” – New York Times
“This crazy satire is absolutely enchanting!” – New York Post
“Hilarious! Superb! Marvelous! Out of this world!” – NY Daily News
ZOMBIES FROM THE BEYOND will play Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm and Sunday matinees at 3 pm, from May 30 through July 20, 2014, at the Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave., Hollywood, CA. There are two special weeknight performances on Tuesday, June 10 and Thursday, June 12 at 8 pm.
Tickets are $32 for all performances and are available at www.thevisceralcompany.com. Preview performances run through June 10, with all tickets just $25. Students with ID may purchase tickets for $25 at the door ($20 for previews).
ZOMBIES FROM THE BEYOND features Frank Blocker as Major Malone, no-nonsense head of the Milwaukee Space Center; Amelia Gotham as his lovely and multi-talented daughter Mary; Eric Sand as Rick Jones, space center second-in-command; Daniel Jimenez as egghead scientist wunderkind Trenton Corbett; Lara Fisher as man-hungry secretary Charlie; Alex Taber as tap-dancing delivery boy Billy; and Alison England as cheap comic diva Zombina.
ZOMBIES FROM THE BEYOND, with book, music and lyrics by James Valcq (The Spitfire Grill), is directed by Dan Spurgeon (Visceral’s Artistic Director and 2013 LA Weekly Theater Award winner). Music direction and orchestrations are by Garth Herberg and Robert Finucane, with choreography by Anna Safar.
Lighting design is by Joshua Silva; set design by Tommi Stugart, Angel Madrid and Jason Thomas; costume design by Pam Noles; and wig and makeup design by Dawn V. Dudley. The three-piece live band features Robert Finucane conducting and playing keyboards, Karmann Hillman on additional keyboards, and Karoly Kiss on percussion.
The Visceral Company, called “LA’s premiere horror theatre troupe” by Fangoria magazine, specializes in works that explore the dark, strange, and macabre – killer shows from darker places. We hope to encourage further onstage exploration of the horror, thriller, and science fiction genres, which have been underrepresented in theatre, and to build an appreciation of theatre in the younger audiences that are traditionally drawn to them.
This production is presented under the AEA LA 99-Seat Theatre Plan.
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- FOR THEATRE/PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR LISTINGS *
WHAT:
ZOMBIES FROM THE BEYOND
book, music and lyrics by James Valcq
directed by Dan Spurgeon
WHERE:
The Lex Theatre
6760 Lexington Ave., Hollywood, CA 90038
WHEN:
Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm, Sunday matinees at 3 pm
May 30 through July 20, 2014
Special weeknight performances Tuesday June 10 & Thursday June 12 at 8 pm
Running time approximately 2 hours, with one 15-minute intermission
CAST:
Frank Blocker (Malone)
Alison England (Zombina)
Lara Fisher (Charlie)
Amelia Gotham (Mary)
Daniel Jimenez (Trenton)
Eric Sand (Rick)
Alex Taber (Billy)
CREW:
Garth Herberg and Robert Finucane, music direction
Anna Safar, choreography
Joshua Silva, lighting design
Tommi Stugart, Angel Madrid and Jason Thomas, set design
Pam Noles, costume design
Dawn V. Dudley, wig and makeup design
BAND:
Robert Finucane, conductor and keyboards
Karmann Hillman, keyboards
Karoly Kiss, percussion
SYNOPSIS:
A musical comedy satire of 1950s sci-fi B-movies
TICKETS:
$32 for all performances
$25 for previews through June 10
Advance tickets available at www.thevisceralcompany.com
Students with ID: $25 at the door ($20 previews)
INFO:
www.thevisceralcompany.com
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