EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL

There will be blood!

Area Premiere
October 22 – November 7, 2010 

Book and Lyrics – George Reinblatt
Music – Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt

This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Evil Dead: The Musical is a hilarious stage musical that takes all the elements of the cult classic films, Evil Dead 1, Evil Dead 2 andArmy of Darkness then combines them to make one of the craziest theatrical experiences of all time!  Five college students go to an abandoned cabin in the woods, and accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them into demons.  It’s all up to Ash (a house wares employee, turned demon killing hero), and his trusty chainsaw to save the day. Blood flies … Limbs dismembered … Demons tell bad jokes … and all to music.
(Note: This production contains adult language.)

Director / Choreographer – Steven Meerdink
Musical Director – Lori Maxwell

Light Designer – Grant Merges
Scenic Designers – Darren Hensel and Joshua Stevens
Costume Designer – Kirsten Iverson
Sound Designer – Lucas Melchior
Prop & Special Effects Designers – Joe Hendren and Kris Detailleur
Reharsal Accompanists – Jessica Franken and Emily Hanson
Stage Manager – Joyce Norman
Assistant Stage Managers – Sarah Bauer and Jessica Kelley
Scenic Construction – Darren Hensel and Jay Schueller

Cast
Ash – Chris Kind
Linda – Emily Jabas
Scott – Derek Prestly
Cheryl – Alex Kotlarek
Shelly – Andrea Alioto
Annie – Christine Karki
Ed – Thomas Karki
Jake – Ryan Grimes
Moose / Fake Shemp / Spirit of Knowby – Andrew Newman

Musicians
Jessica Franken (Keyboard)
Emily Hanson (Keyboard)
Dave Hofgren (Guitar)
Jesse Reimer (Bass)
Paul David Stanko (Percussion)

“Appropriating Campbell’s take with uncanny precision, Chris Kind delivers familiar one-liners with corny relish. But Kind does more than impersonate, running through Ash’s crisis with a uniquely frantic animation on his own, especially during an exhaustive battle against his own hand. The production’s crowning musical achievement belongs to the demonic hordes that engulf the stage for a choreographed dance macabre to Do the Necronomicon. Steven Meerdink, the production’s director and choreographer, infuses the scene with a ghoulish variety of steps deriving from such seemingly incongruent inspirations as Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Henry Winkler’s Arthur Fonzarelli. Atmospherically, the cabin in the woods setting is given a rustic tangibility by scenic designer Darren Hensel and Joshua Stevens. Unlike most cabins, however, the furnishings and decorations in this particular place are prone to violent outbursts, as imaginatively rendered by Joe Hendren. Hendren also oversees a Grand Guignol exhibition of creative slaughter so pervasive that audience members are given the opportunity to sit within an appointed ‘Splatter Zone.’ With a concept like Evil Dead: The Musical, perhaps a degree of wariness is to be expected. Such skepticisms, however, are proven utterly unfounded by the inspired madness of this production. By celebrating the brazen lunacy of the material, Minneapolis Musical Theatre has created a bracingly hysterical thrill ride that stands as ideal entertainment for the Halloween season.” – examiner.com

“Personally, I hate horror movies. I find life scary enough, thank you very much. That makes Evil Dead: the Musical the perfect horror show for me. It’s a silly parody that substitutes laughs for screams. Minneapolis Musical Theatre’s production, at Illusion Theatre, perfectly captures the spirit of the show. And it adds its own layer of antic craziness. Director Steven Meerdink makes the most of every campy moment, like the demonic wall-mounted moose head that sings. There is a self-consciousness to the script, like ‘I’ll wear this as long as I live’ (ba-dum-bum), that he exploits unapologetically. And he proves a master of physical comedy, as with a continuing bit of the hero’s wrestling with his own severed hand. There is not a subtle performance in the company. And that’s as it should be. But it’s Chris Kind, as the hero, who is most successful at being over the top without losing the character’s humanity.” – Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Chris Kind sets the tone as Ash, transforming along with his character from a wallflower to a studly, iron-chinned, one-handed action hero. He doesn’t much resemble Bruce Campbell, but he manages to project the same B-movie charm. His singing—the performances of the whole cast, in fact—are a treat. Sure, the songs are spoofs from beginning to end, but his Act Two standout, ‘It’s Time,’ is as well written and well performed as most big-budget call-to-arms songs. The cast is required to stay over the top from beginning to end. Standing out from the rest of the cast are Christine Karki as Annie, the archeologist who may have a solution to their living-dead problems, and Ryan Grimes as Jake, a local who gets dragged into the proceedings. Both breathe life into one-note characters through their comedic timing and singing. The set and staging are also stars, and they are loaded with special effects, from a singing moose head to routines with a dismembered head and hand.” – City Pages