ZOMBIE HAUNTS KOFMAN AUDITORIUM (March 2009)

ZOMBIE HAUNTS KOFMAN AUDITORIUM
“Zombie Prom” at Alameda High is 'Killer'
Written by Miguel Gamalinda


So we've all heard about the smash hit musical Grease and we've all seen Michael Jackson's Thriller, but have you ever imagined the two combined? Sound impossible, doesn't it? Well, that's exactly what you get in Zombie Prom, Alameda High's most recent venture into Performing Arts.

Zombie Prom, which is directed by Alameda High Drama teacher and local Theatre legend Frederick L. Chacon, tells the story of high school Senior Jonny Warner and his love Toffee. Toffee, who's 'Goody Two-Shoes' image sparkingly contrasts with Jonny's 'Wrong Side of the Tracks' image, is pushed from the moment their relationship begins to, “Break up with him.” Heavily pressured, she eventually gives in, driving Jonny to commit suicide by jumping into the cooling tower of a nearby Nuclear Power Plant.

The cast is lead by AHS Senior Ben Hughson and Sophomore Monica Lee as Jonny and Toffee, respectively. Both Jonny and Toffee portray all emotions of their respective characters perfectly.
Other cast members include AHS Sophmores Nathan Brown as tabloid journalist Eddie Flagrante and Casey Hutchinson as Pricipal Delilah Strict.

The story is set at Enrico Fermi High School in the nuclear 1950s. Named after Enrico Fermi, father of the Atomic Bomb, the school is “coincidentally” located close to a nuclear power plant.

“Zombie Prom pokes fun at the paranoia of the 1950s nuclear drills, which I remember so vividly from my childhood, and the innocense of high school teenagers (Which I think I remember.),” says director Fred Chacon.

Much of the emotional sadness of the performance is shown when the girls sing "Jonny Don't Go," where Toffee mourns the loss of her love, while her friends tell her to get over Jonny since “it's been three whole weeks!” Toffee, however, can't stop hearing Jonny's voice singing wherever she goes.

Enrico Fermi High gets a surprise, however, when Jonny Warner, now sporting an 'Atomic Green' skintone suddenly returns from the dead in the number "Blast From the Past." Jonny then expresses his wishes to return to high school and get his diploma, however, his desires are rejected by Principal Strict.

Meanwhile, Eddie Flagrante starts snooping around Enrico Fermi High, looking to cash in on the 'High School Zombie' craze.

All put together, Zombie Prom tells an epic story about love, peer pressure, and rejection. Alameda High once again pulls off an amazing production, something it's been able to do year after year for the past three decades. Fred Chacon has done it again.

The book and lyrics for Zombie Prom were written by John Dempsey with music by Dana P. Rowe. It was based on a story by Dempsey and Hugh M. Murphy. It was directed by Fred Chacon, with musical direction by AHS Music teacher Jesse Randell.