‘Zombie Prom’ brings radioactive romp to Island stage

No doubt about it, the Shelter Island School Drama Club’s production of “Zombie Prom” this past weekend, April 7-10, was a blast from the past that lived up to its billing. The musical comedy, produced and directed by Anu and John Kaasik, carried its audiences back to the 1950s and provided a satirical take on the social and political mores of the time, most notably America’s response to the threat of atomic warfare.

Click here to view a slide show of the romp.

Seen through the eyes of the kids at Enrico Fermi High, the school’s rules-and-regulations principal, one particularly toxic teenager and a sleazy ace reporter, the production was a horror comic book come to life on the Shelter Island School’s stage, in a “Dr. Strangelove” sort of way.

The story line may need a bit of explanation. Toffee, a high school senior who falls for Jonny (an orphan rebel without an “h”), is bullied into breaking up by her parents and the mean old principal Miss Strict. A despondent Jonny throws himself into the smoky silo of a local nuclear plant and ends up buried as toxic waste in the nearest ocean.

Love, however, works wonders and he reappears, somewhat the worse for wear, and becomes the center of a media frenzy whipped up by a sleazy reporter. Jonny wants to return to school, Miss Strict will have none of it, and Toffee has some second thoughts about his transformation as a zombie. Love, again, conquers all, and the issues are resolved neatly on prom night, thanks to the reporter’s exposé of certain facts and a shocking revelation by Miss Strict — well, you really had to have been there!

More than 30 students in grades 7 through 11 took on the show’s 72 parts, and most of them played multiple roles, some up to four each, requiring fast-paced costume and character transitions.

Given the pool of available talent, Mr. Kaasik again this year double cast several roles. Lea Giambruno and Morgan McCarthy shared the honors in the role of the principal, Miss Delilah Strict, a tyrant who experiences a tango meltdown with the reporter in Act II. Both girls played the heavy-handed principal with authority and great gusto.

The show’s star-crossed romantic leads, Toffee and Jonny, were show-stoppers with Ariana Loriz and Lisa Kaasik paired with Matthew Dunning and Drew Garrison respectively in alternating performances. Ariana and Matthew’s duets were particularly affecting; Drew nailed the zombie body language; and Lisa left no doubt in her scenes of teenage angst. All four actors fulfilled their roles effectively, with individual touches that made the parts uniquely their own.

Toffee’s side-kicks, Candy (Libby Liszanckie/Olivia Garrison), Ginger (Jillian Calabro) and Coco (Aterahme Lawrence/Tara Sturges) were a delight to watch. In alternate performances they seamlessly joined the ensemble of high school singers and dancers.

Jonny had his equivalents in Josh (Corey Brewer), Jake (Charlie Binder) and Joey (Wyatt Brigham), each of whom brought distinct and memorable personalities to the mix. Corey and Wyatt also doubled as two of the Motorwise Guys, a syncopated quartet singing the virtues of gasoline in the TV sequence, joined by Macklin Lang and Drew/Matthew.

Jay Card was a convincingly seedy but ultimately lovable reporter at Exposé magazine, stirring up trouble in general, not to mention having an alarming effect on Miss Strict. His scenes in the Exposé office with his carbon-copy secretaries in harlequin glasses — well-executed characterizations by Taylor Sherman, Brianna Rietvelt, Colibri Lopez, Kenna McCarthy and Elizabeth Dunning — and later in the TV studio, were fast-paced, and played with a lively sense of humor. In both scenes Exposé cameraman Macklin Lang, copy boy Liam Cummings and sound man Henry Lang contributed to the fun.

The studio interview scene with Jonny also featured a good cameo role for Felicity Williams as Ramona Merengue, backed up by the able Motorwise Gals (Serina Kaasik, Shawna Goody, Margaret Michalak and Kelly Colligan). Kenna McCarthy had a precocious moment as Orphan Annie, and Leila Mulligan also got into the act as the announcer. All the actors in these scenes played it straight and in character and provided great entertainment.

Brianna Rietvelt and Chandler Olinkiewicz made brief but effective cameo appearances as Toffee’s parents and doubled as high school kids.

Felicity, Serina Kaasik, Margaret Michalak, Shawna Goody, Kelly Colligan and Ava Meing, all members of the high school ensemble, switched gears in a nicely choreographed and performed ballet to “The Voice of the Ocean.” And chorus members Kelly, Elizabeth Dunning, Shawna, Henry Lang, Colibri Lopez, Kenna McCarthy, Ava and Liam Cummings were also double cast as zombies, contributing to the rip-roaring finale.

In addition to the high school ensemble members already mentioned, Taylor Sherman, Brianna Rietvelt and Macklin Lang sang and danced up a storm, along with the double-cast principals at alternating shows.

Throughout the two-hour production, there was hardly a scene that did not showcase the talent of choreographer Laura Dickerson, who, with John Kaasik, filled the small stage with a variety of dance routines from Latin to ballet to classic rock and roll  — performed at various times by every member of the cast.

The entire cast tackled their roles with enthusiasm and confidence, thanks in part to drama coach Susan Cincotta and artistic consultant Karl Kaasik. That spirit was evident in their singing as well, both solo and ensemble. As one cast member wrote in the program, “Without Mrs. Power we wouldn’t be able to sing, which is pretty important in a musical!”

It’s probably a safe bet that many members of the audience were not familiar with the “Zombie Prom” music and lyrics (written by John Dempsey and Dana P. Rowe) but the professional pit musicians, directed by Keith Brace and Phyllis Power, who also accompanied on piano, had this audience member toe-tapping out “Zombie Prom” in the finale and humming “Ain’t No Going Back” all the way home.

What happens backstage is worth more than a passing mention. Reading the list of the production crew in the program is an eye-opener. Students and more than two dozen community members, many without students in the school or otherwise involved in the program, put in hours on everything from painting the sets to setting hair. Look at your programs, Mr. Kaasik urged the opening night audience — that says it all. “It’s important to recognize what a community effort this is,” he said.

This year Island artist Peter Waldner joined Blake Winter as set designer and worked with Paul Mobius, Kevin Dunning and the play’s director to paint and put assemble the flats that transformed the stage into Miss Strict’s office, Toffee’s bedroom, the busy Exposé office, the Enrico Fermi High School gym, a TV studio and the Malt Shop – not to mention the ghoulish landscape of the zombies and the two-story cooling tower that swallowed up Jonny.

The set changes segued seamlessly between scenes thanks to long-time stage manager Susan Binder and her stage crew of Melissa Ames, Katy Binder, Breanna Hallman, Kristie Moschetta (recognized Saturday as the only senior in the show), Rider Moschetta, Megan Mundy, Matthew Murphy and Annamarie Ruscica.

Lights were very effectively cued up by Jeannette Payne and sound was the purview of the ubiquitous Mr. Kaasik.

Linda DiOrio recreated the 1950s wardrobe from high school casual to prom night; Miss Strict was transformed from a bully to a bride; even sprightly ballerinas morphed into zombies. Linda was aided and abetted by Anu Kaasik, Lynne Colligan, Linda McCarthy and Kelly Michalak.

And those 1950s hairdos and make-up! How did Miss Strict keep her beehive from becoming a pompadour, and how did those flips stay flipped? Anna Salsedo, Marianna Baldi, Mary Boeklen and Jacki Dunning no doubt know but they’re not telling.

Before the shows, Lisa Goody and Jerry Mundy kept reservations and tickets in good order, and Megan Lang produced the attractive program.

In the cast members’ program notes, the word “fun” appears often, despite the long hours and work that went into this production. That translated into palpable on-stage energy, sustained over several performances.

Another word, “respect,” part of Principal Strict’s mantra, also seemed to characterize the cast and crew interactions on and off stage — supportive, connected to what was happening around them — good ensemble work.

If you weren’t part of the full houses at “Zombie Prom” this weekend, you missed a rollicking, rock-and-roll romp that all ages could relate to.