Theatre department performed their spring horror show on April 18-20 in the main theater.
“Maul of the Dead,” written by playwright Mitch Brian, is a show was set in the 1970’s during a zombie apocalypse. The theatre department also featured a more diverse cast than usual, having a great balance of class levels including a rare abundance of freshmen and sophomores.
“There is this supportive atmosphere that people in the Southwest theatre department have that is unique to the department,” senior Hersh Ellis said. “The people in the cast want to be there for each other and that somehow spreads to everyone that gets involved whether it’s their first show or second [show]. A lot of people who are new to the department were attracted by the idea of getting to play a zombie and ended up falling in love with the environment.”
In the play, the undead take over the earth and the last refuge is a JCPenney store within a shopping mall. From there the main characters converge and work toward survival.
SWAT officers Frank (played by senior Will Barboza) and Lewis (played by junior Grant Laster) arrive at JCP first and are quickly introduced to the perfume clerk girl, Charlie (played by junior Gabrielle Wingert).
The group then runs into television weather girl Wendy (played by junior Lauren Henke), Chopper John (played by sophomore Caleb Jenkins) and finally a teenage punk rocker (played by sophomore Erica Christie) and her zombie boyfriend, Cody (played by senior Hunter Sprong)
“I think some of my major similarities with Wendy are our inner struggles and femininity,” Henke said. “She is a weather reporter used to appearing on television, tries to stay very composed and put-together, so she often fusses about her appearance. Wendy finally does break down however, since it’s the zombie apocalypse of course, and that’s where we see her struggle for independence from others. A major difference, however, would probably be her pregnancy hormones, I definitely don’t know what that’s like.”
Throughout the play, the main characters’ make-shift paradise is threatened by zombie attacks, betrayal, false identities, and the infection of one of their own.
“Maul of the Dead” also featured lots of punk rock and disco music as well as 70’s style stage props and costume design.
“I think there is a level of dedication in Mr. Schmidt that you don’t see everywhere.” Barboza said. “It seems like the group here is a bit smaller so you get more of a community feeling and you get to work a lot more with the director then I think you would be able to in other schools.”
