Open Forum

My sister school did it. Script and score are actually available on Amazon. If you properly buy into the campiness, it's a whole lot of fun. As it takes place in a high school, you can add as many in the chorus as you need, not just students, but characters like custodians, etc.

Sam French holds the rights. Cast--5m/5f with doubling,  I don't know if there is a performance track out there, as I considered it for this year, but decided against it before my research got that far.(I decided against it just because we had other things that worked better for this group of kids. I'll definitely keep it on the radar for the future.)

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Holly Thompson
Worthington OH
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-08-2017 09:30
From: Gene Flaharty
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I have some students asking about it.  Has any one done it? I have not seen it.  Can you give me some information about it.   Size of cast, easy score, age appropriate, etc.

GREAT SHOW!  Very funny.  Wonderful opportunity to show off the acting/singing/dancing abilities of your students.  Set can be as minimal or elaborate as you desire.  Only one character is actually a Zombie, so you won't have to strain your budget on monster makeup.  It's set in the 1950s and is very over-the-top in style.  Similar to the tone of "Rocky Horror" and "Little Shop...", "Zombie Prom" is written to make fun of monster movies and the training films ("Duck and Cover") of that era.

There are two versions: The full-length off-Broadway production and the "Atomic Edition" that is cut down for length.  Both are licensed through Sam French.

The music is fantastic with some opportunities for very complex vocal harmonies to show off your chorus singers.  I always listen to the cast recording before I read the libretto.  If I get the story just from the songs, then it usually is a very strong show worthy of my time.  This show does that.

The only thing to be aware of is the song "Expose''" - it gets a little risqué as the principal of the school and the journalist talk about their "backseat encounter" when they were in high school.  It's PG-13 (maybe PG), but it's nothing that audiences don't get in "Grease."

Break a leg!

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Josh Ruben, M. Ed.
Fine Arts Head
Northwest Whitfield HS (dba, The Northwest Theatre Co.)
Tunnel Hill, GA
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-08-2017 09:30
From: Gene Flaharty
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I have some students asking about it.  Has any one done it? I have not seen it.  Can you give me some information about it.   Size of cast, easy score, age appropriate, etc.

I produced it a few years ago and I'm a huge fan of the show. I'm a big fan. I think it combines the best of both Grease and Little Shop of Horrors but without Little Shops difficult tech requirements and Grease's unfortunate message ("change who you are for a boy if you want him and his friends to like you").  I produced it with a cast of ten, which was how it was originally done, but this requires a LOT of fast doubling (and tripling, quadrupling). I've seen it done at a high school where they easily expanded the cast by not double and triple casting the ensemble, adding students, secretaries and people at the TV station. It worked fine and made it feel more like big scale musical. The lead villain, Delilah Strict, can be played by either a guy in drag or by a woman. I've seen both done effectively. The humor is hip, but PG and really you get four leads with Taffy, Jonny, Miss Strict and Eddie Flagrante and a very strong ensemble (with a couple of soloists). 

I think the show is a undiscovered gem that should be getting much more high school play than it does. Go for it!

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John Monteverde
Drama Teacher
Pittsfield High School
Pittsfield, MA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-08-2017 09:30
From: Gene Flaharty
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I have some students asking about it.  Has any one done it? I have not seen it.  Can you give me some information about it.   Size of cast, easy score, age appropriate, etc.

If your students are asking for it because they think there will be zombies, then this is not the show for you (as someone mentioned before, there is only one zombie).  If they are into a 1950s spoof with super corny humor, then do it!  I do not personally like the show, but some people just love it.  You have to have actors that don't mind being silly and can play into the melodrama.  Cast is easily expandable; set can be incredibly simple or ornate.

------------------------------
Lindsay Shields
Drama Specialist
Flushing High School
Brooklyn NY
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-08-2017 09:30
From: Gene Flaharty
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I have some students asking about it.  Has any one done it? I have not seen it.  Can you give me some information about it.   Size of cast, easy score, age appropriate, etc.

I genuinely think this is one of the best productions out there for high school musicals. We had a BLAST doing Zombie Prom a few years ago. I had a large cast of extras. We absolutely loved it. The music is great and the characters and story are perfect for high school. Yea, the sexual innuendo pushes the edge a bit, but we had nothing but positive feedback (and we didn't hold back!) The Broadway cast recording is a fantastic reference. Listen to that and you pretty much know the show.

You and your students will love it.



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Keith Burns
Theatre Arts Director
Paradise Valley AZ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2017 22:11
From: Lindsay Shields
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

If your students are asking for it because they think there will be zombies, then this is not the show for you (as someone mentioned before, there is only one zombie).  If they are into a 1950s spoof with super corny humor, then do it!  I do not personally like the show, but some people just love it.  You have to have actors that don't mind being silly and can play into the melodrama.  Cast is easily expandable; set can be incredibly simple or ornate.

------------------------------
Lindsay Shields
Drama Specialist
Flushing High School
Brooklyn NY

Original Message:
Sent: 09-08-2017 09:30
From: Gene Flaharty
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I have some students asking about it.  Has any one done it? I have not seen it.  Can you give me some information about it.   Size of cast, easy score, age appropriate, etc.

Finally someone is championing a more recent musical.  This show sound great.

------------------------------
Leon Kaye
Playwright for the Ages
Lhk@koa1.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-11-2017 11:16
From: Keith Burns
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I genuinely think this is one of the best productions out there for high school musicals. We had a BLAST doing Zombie Prom a few years ago. I had a large cast of extras. We absolutely loved it. The music is great and the characters and story are perfect for high school. Yea, the sexual innuendo pushes the edge a bit, but we had nothing but positive feedback (and we didn't hold back!) The Broadway cast recording is a fantastic reference. Listen to that and you pretty much know the show.

You and your students will love it.



------------------------------
Keith Burns
Theatre Arts Director
Paradise Valley AZ

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2017 22:11
From: Lindsay Shields
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

If your students are asking for it because they think there will be zombies, then this is not the show for you (as someone mentioned before, there is only one zombie).  If they are into a 1950s spoof with super corny humor, then do it!  I do not personally like the show, but some people just love it.  You have to have actors that don't mind being silly and can play into the melodrama.  Cast is easily expandable; set can be incredibly simple or ornate.

------------------------------
Lindsay Shields
Drama Specialist
Flushing High School
Brooklyn NY

Original Message:
Sent: 09-08-2017 09:30
From: Gene Flaharty
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I have some students asking about it.  Has any one done it? I have not seen it.  Can you give me some information about it.   Size of cast, easy score, age appropriate, etc.

As the kids say, "10 out of 10 recommend."
Really fun show!

------------------------------
[William] [Myatt] [Director of Theatre]

[Pleasant Valley High School]

[myattw@pleasval.k12.ia.us][563-332-5151][Bettendorf][IA][USA]
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-11-2017 19:41
From: Leon Kalayjian
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

Finally someone is championing a more recent musical.  This show sound great.

------------------------------
Leon Kaye
Playwright for the Ages
Lhk@koa1.com

Original Message:
Sent: 09-11-2017 11:16
From: Keith Burns
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I genuinely think this is one of the best productions out there for high school musicals. We had a BLAST doing Zombie Prom a few years ago. I had a large cast of extras. We absolutely loved it. The music is great and the characters and story are perfect for high school. Yea, the sexual innuendo pushes the edge a bit, but we had nothing but positive feedback (and we didn't hold back!) The Broadway cast recording is a fantastic reference. Listen to that and you pretty much know the show.

You and your students will love it.



------------------------------
Keith Burns
Theatre Arts Director
Paradise Valley AZ

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2017 22:11
From: Lindsay Shields
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

If your students are asking for it because they think there will be zombies, then this is not the show for you (as someone mentioned before, there is only one zombie).  If they are into a 1950s spoof with super corny humor, then do it!  I do not personally like the show, but some people just love it.  You have to have actors that don't mind being silly and can play into the melodrama.  Cast is easily expandable; set can be incredibly simple or ornate.

------------------------------
Lindsay Shields
Drama Specialist
Flushing High School
Brooklyn NY

Original Message:
Sent: 09-08-2017 09:30
From: Gene Flaharty
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I have some students asking about it.  Has any one done it? I have not seen it.  Can you give me some information about it.   Size of cast, easy score, age appropriate, etc.

An adorable show and one of my favorite musicals to direct!  

Yes, the one song is PG-13, but you can play the camp of it all and tone it down.  I have seen productions where the song has been downright raunchy, but when we produced the show, made that number silly and fun.  It didn't hurt that our female was already 3 inches taller than our male before we put her in four inch heels and a beehive wig!  We turned the number into a tango and played the whole thing for laughs!  

Costuming and set designs were a blast for our design and tech students!  

I encourage you to take a look at it!  


My best!
Carolyn

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Carolyn Cork Greer
Kentucky Thespians
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-12-2017 09:53
From: William Myatt
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

As the kids say, "10 out of 10 recommend."
Really fun show!

------------------------------
[William] [Myatt] [Director of Theatre]

[Pleasant Valley High School]

[myattw@pleasval.k12.ia.us][563-332-5151][Bettendorf][IA][USA]

Original Message:
Sent: 09-11-2017 19:41
From: Leon Kalayjian
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

Finally someone is championing a more recent musical.  This show sound great.

------------------------------
Leon Kaye
Playwright for the Ages
Lhk@koa1.com

Original Message:
Sent: 09-11-2017 11:16
From: Keith Burns
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I genuinely think this is one of the best productions out there for high school musicals. We had a BLAST doing Zombie Prom a few years ago. I had a large cast of extras. We absolutely loved it. The music is great and the characters and story are perfect for high school. Yea, the sexual innuendo pushes the edge a bit, but we had nothing but positive feedback (and we didn't hold back!) The Broadway cast recording is a fantastic reference. Listen to that and you pretty much know the show.

You and your students will love it.



------------------------------
Keith Burns
Theatre Arts Director
Paradise Valley AZ

Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2017 22:11
From: Lindsay Shields
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

If your students are asking for it because they think there will be zombies, then this is not the show for you (as someone mentioned before, there is only one zombie).  If they are into a 1950s spoof with super corny humor, then do it!  I do not personally like the show, but some people just love it.  You have to have actors that don't mind being silly and can play into the melodrama.  Cast is easily expandable; set can be incredibly simple or ornate.

------------------------------
Lindsay Shields
Drama Specialist
Flushing High School
Brooklyn NY

Original Message:
Sent: 09-08-2017 09:30
From: Gene Flaharty
Subject: Zombie Prom the Musical

I have some students asking about it.  Has any one done it? I have not seen it.  Can you give me some information about it.   Size of cast, easy score, age appropriate, etc.