RESEARCH – Zombie Prom

What knowledge and information will you need to find and use so that you can be successful in this project?

To be successful throughout our seasonal project of “Zombie Prom” researched knowledge and information will help us to develop many aspects of our performance. We will have a higher understanding of the intent behind the piece, context of the time period and geographical background as well as how I can accurately develop a character as a member of the “Kid’s ensemble”. This is important as it means that we will have accuracy within our characters and general knowledge of everything which is in the performance and linked to it. This also means that as a cast we are aware of the director’s choices and why things are happening, they will certainly be highly linked to the context and background of the show. As I am creating my own character details, it is very important that I have a high understanding of what is happening in 1950’s America, for a teenage girl preparing for the prom with a nuclear disaster which effects the whole school. This improves performance as we are committing to our characters and very aware of what we are performing and the reasons for this.

The information that I will need to find out about will be the following: The authors and composers, performance style and features, the time period and how I may develop a character based on this information.

Find out as much information as you can about the show you have been cast in and about the author (s) / composer (s). This might include looking at reviews from other performances, YouTube clips, films, books etc. Why will this research help you with your own performance?

Zombie prom is classified as an Off-Broadway musical which was then adapted to becoming a short film (Wikipedia, October 2018). Zombie prom was produced first in Florida, specifically in Key West, 1993. After this, it opened in New York at the Variety Arts Theatre in 1996. The production made its way to the UK in 2009, when performing in London on the West End- at the Landor Theatre (Wikipedia, October 2018).

From my own knowledge, this is a synopsis/plot of the show:

“Zombie Prom” opens with an upbeat and energetic song, “Enrico Fermi High”, setting the scene of the strict school environment which is reinforced throughout by head mistress Delilah Strict. We immediately meet the “Bad Boy” Jonny Warner, who spells his name without the customary “H”. Jonny Warner is not an ideal student, yet he falls in love with our cute and innocent “Toffee”. When Toffee’s parents disapprove of Jonny Warner, siding with Miss Strict, Jonny chooses to jump into the local Nuclear power plant, ending his life. Jonny Warner leaves Toffee distraught but with the comfort of her closest friends: Coco, Candy, Ginger, Jake, Joey and Josh. However, in a shocking plot twist, Jonny Warner comes back from the dead as a zombie due to the nuclear waste, with the ambition of winning back his true love Toffee. This shakes up the high school leaving Miss Strict shocked and disappointed. Throughout the developing musical, we are giving updates from news reporter Eddie Flagrante. Due to complications, Jonny is led to believe that he is an orphan and grew up without knowing who his parents are. However, we learn that Miss Strict is harsh on the students as she does not want them to make the same mistakes that she did. It is revealed that her mistake was Eddie Flagrante, they were together as children and made many mistakes throughout their teenage years, leaving the story with a shocking discovery that Miss Strict and Eddie Flagrante are Jonny Warner’s parents. In the end Toffee chooses the “Bad boy” Jonny Warner and they go to the most important and focus throughout the musical “The Prom”.

Author: John Dempsey

John Dempsey is an American Theatrical lyricist and playwright who has produced work both in the USA and United Kingdom. His work has also reached  Brazil and Japan. He is seen to have worked alongside Dana P. Rowe for a lot of his work. Dana P. Rowe and Dempsey, adapted Updike’s version of the “Witches Of Eastwick”, alongside their adaptation of “The Fix” which both were produced in London by Cameron Mackintosh (Wikipedia, October 2018)

Nominations: Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical, 2001, 1998 (Wikipedia, October 2018).

John Dempsey was the lyricist for: Zombie Prom, The Witches Of Eastwick, The Pirate Queen, The Fix and Brother Russia (Wikipedia, October 2018)

Composer: Dana P. Rowe

Dana P. Rowe is an American Musical Theatre composer, a lot of his work has been completed alongside the lyricist for “Zombie Prom”. His work has been internationally produced in Australia, Japan, London, Russia, Czech Republic, New York and Brazil. “He also composed the score for The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde, with book and lyrics by Michael Aman and Oscar E. Moore”. This was shown at the Theatre Music Festival in 2005. “His most recent work, Brother Russia, was a recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and premiered at the Tony Award winning Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA under the direction of Eric Schaeffer” (Samuel French, October 2018).

Nominations:  Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical, 2001, 1998 (Wikipedia, October 2018).

Reviews:

1. “A musical blast!  Fun for the whole nuclear family!” – New York Daily News
2. Exhilarating! Sharp, spiffy, brighter and better crafted than both “The Rocky Horror Show” and Grease put together.  It has musical wit and breathtakingly catchy, rich melodies. – New York Law Journal!”
3. “ZOMBIE PROM: Kooky, creepy, campy fun…Packed with soupy mock-’50s sock hop tunes and more teen-age turmoil than a John Waters film… – Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel”

(Quotes from Samuel French October 2018)

Find out as much information as you can about the performance style you will be working in. What are the key features of this style? What will you need to emphasise / work on to pull off this style effectively? How are you going to use this information to develop your performance?

The style of the piece is musical theatre. “Zombie Prom2 itself is classified as a musical. The performance has been on Broadway and the West-End as a piece of musical theatre.

According to Wikipedia, the definition and elements of a musical theatre piece are as follows:

“Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humour, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole. Although musical theatre overlaps with other theatrical forms like opera and dance, it may be distinguished by the equal importance given to the music as compared with the dialogue, movement and other elements”

With this as our main focus, to pull of this style effectively it is key that we focus on all of the different elements of our performance. Our aim is to tell a story using all of these things, and portray emotions, characterisation and a storyline through our performance elements.

Find out as much as you can about the period your production is set in; what was going on in the world, what was important to them, how did their society work etc. Why will this research help you with your own performance?

The production of “Zombie Prom”, was set in the period of the atomic 1950’s, according to Samuel French. Due to the nuclear power plant, we can interpret that it was set specifically in Michigan, which is close to Chicago and Madison.

There are currently three nuclear power plants in Michigan, according to the Michigan State Police website.

Throughout the 1950’s in America, there were many events happening.

• Economic growth
• Cold War
• Fear of communism
• America was included in the Korean War.

Images of 1950’s hair and makeup:

1950’s outfit ideas:

Find out about your character. What motivates them? (We recommend using Uta Hagen’s 9 questions as a way in to understanding your character in an in depth and useful way) How are you going to use this information to develop your performance?

Kids Ensemble Member:

Who am I?

• I am a seventeen year old girl named Shelley Brooke.
• Typically known as the “dumb blonde” who is very ditsy and can be easily confused. However, she is pleased and satisfied by the simple things in life.
• Shelley is a cheerleader at Enrico Fermi High who dances outside of school on the weekends and also Tuesday nights.
• She is also on the pep squad, taking part in rehearsals at school lunchtimes, going along with the flow and following the crowd.
• My character is seen as very laid back as she avoids any confrontation wit other students.
• She always has a lollypop and loves to have her hair in pig tails, braids or a accessorised pony tail.

What time is it?

• Specifically, it is July 1953.
• The students are in their final term and looking forward to the senior prom.
• The weather is beautiful and it is the most relaxed term at school.

Where am I?

• I live in a small town, with a few shops full of essentials. However, it is mostly shops and apartments in the area.
• My character lives in a 3 bedroom apartment in Michigan with her family.
• I go to and attend the local High School Enrico Fermi High.

What surrounds me?

• I live in a small but socialable town.
• I am surrounded by friendly neighbours, some of which attend my school.
• Everybody in the town knows each other well.
• I live in Michigan, I am therefore close to a dangerous Nuclear power plant and the states close to me are Chicago and Michigan.

What are the given circumstances?

• There is so much drama throughout the school, as the prom is coming up and excitement and nervousness runs throughout the halls.
• There is tension due to everything happening with Toffee and Jonny. Due to my character wanting to avoid arguments she says what she hopes will please others and get rid of arguments.
• Shelley loves the idea of teen romance and is very happy to support Toffee and Jonny and is outraged by Miss Strict’s actions. But, she is a good student anad will not go against her word.

What are my relationships?

• My character has an interest for love, but seems to be unlucky due to her goofy and nervous personality.
• She has a great connection and level of understanding with her parents.
• My character has always been the only child. Therefore, loves the company of her close friends and family who know the real Shelley.
• My character has the ability to talk to anyone as she is so friendly and loves a general chat.

What do I want?

• My character has the main aim of finding love and being loved for who she really is.
• She also wants to be overlooked as the dumb blonde. Even though she is ditsy, she can be clever when she pouts her mind to it.
• She always has the ambition to do all her work on time and wants to be in the “good books”.

What’s in my way?

• My character struggles with how to act in new and different circumstances.
• She doesn’t always say the right things.
• Her own self stands in her way of being perceived how she wants to.

What do I do to get what I want?

• Think before I speak.
• Analyse the situation I am in and who is there.
• Try hard in lessons to improve her grades and begin to be seen as more than a “ditsy student”

Secretary Character:

Who am I?

• Esme Brown
• I am a 23 year old women
• I grew up studying at “Enrico Fermi High”
• Went to University at 18 and studied Business
• Worked for Eddie Flagrate for two years
• Office is situated in Michigan

What time is it?

• Summer of 1953
• My character works 9-5 everyday in the office
• It is the busiest time of year in the office

Where am I?

• In the largest town in Michigan, surrounded by shops, offices and various companies.
• I share an office with 4 other women and we are at the central point of the company.
• My character lives in a 2 bedroom apartment with her partner.

What surrounds me?

• I am surrounded by the various secretaries in the town as we all work for new and different companies.
• The town is constantly busy and everything rarely stops due to everybody’s timetables and the shops and business. which are located here.
• I am close to a nuclear power plant, but my office is in the safest part of town.

What are the given circumstances?

• The office has been very busy lately, we get a regular student from “Enrico Fermi High” called Josh who arrives to inform Eddie Flagrante on news from the high school.
• Eddie is receiving numerous phone calls from students and parents informing him on stories he may be interested in producing.
• Sheila is currently Eddie’s number one secretary and the women he relies on to transfer his calls and inform him on the important information.

What are my relationships?

• I have known Eddie Flagrante for two years now, since I applied for my Job as a secretary In June 1951.
• I am very close with my parents and have also have a close relationship with my friends I work with.
• I am a very confident secretary in the office but my character has the personality trait of being very self obsessed and conscious about her hair and nails.

What’s in my way?

• Sheila is currently Eddie’s most reliable assistant and always the one he will immediately go to.
• Therefore, Sheila stops Esme from being promoted as a secretary.

What do I do to get what I want?

• Work had regularly in the office and continue to excel when finding out information when regarding the newspapers.
• Always be on time and on top of work.

Motorwise Guy Character:

Who am I?

• Veronica May
• I am a 24 year old performer
• I work for “Motorwise Gasolines hard to believe” and this is my third year on the show.

What time is it?

• It is July 1953 and we are performing in the summer showcases currently as a part of our job.
• I work everyday from 3-6pm and perform with Romona.

Where am I?

• I spend approximately 3 hours a day at the Tv studio and the rest of my time rehearsing or at home with my Fiancé.
• The TV studio is in the busiest town but is very well hidden.

What surrounds me?

• The other 5 performers are with me regularly and I am surrounded by constant business due to my job.

What are the given circumstances?

• The given circumstances are that we are performing alongside Romona as her back up dancers, which we do regularly.
• Additionally, we are performing on the show special as Jonny Warner is a special guest.

What are my relationships?

• I am very friendly with the other girls and we have a good bond and love working together.
• We all look up to Romona and aim to be like her when we progress further.

What’s in my way?

• I want to be like Romona very soon and have a featured spot one day.

What do I do to get what I want?

• Continue to work hard and perform my best.
• Always turn up on time and be on top of my routines.

Find out about the potential physicality of your character. How do they sit, stand, move? Are they relaxed, tense, energetic, sluggish? How do you know this? How are you going to use this information to develop your performance?

Personally, my character is very ditsy and clumsy. However, she is always full of energy. Therefore, my posture would always be perfect as I walk with a spring in my step and my movements are always energetic. My character puts 100% into everything, always standing with good posture and walking with purpose and meaning throughout the whole show. My character is also definitely a teachers pet who is a tiny bit nosey and always wants the gossip and is therefore always in a group of people.

Where have you found the above required knowledge and information?

The links are below to all the websites I received my information from:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie_Prom
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dempsey_(lyricist)
• https://www.samuelfrench.com/a/1985/dana-p-rowe
• https://www.samuelfrench.com/p/2193/zombie-prom