'Living Dead: The Musical' returns to Rust Belt stage

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

“Living Dead: The Musical” will shamble and dance back into the limelight this Halloween season.

Rust Belt Theater Company will reanimate its original comic show for a third-straight year, beginning Friday and continuing for three weekends.

Show times are 8 p.m. Oct. 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31 and Nov. 1. There also will be a midnight performance Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 with alternative endings.

The show, written by Robert Dennick Joki and Josh Taylor, is a parody of popular zombie films.

Song titles include “Midnight Moonlight Movie Show,” “Ode to a Rotting Corpse,” “I Got Yo Black,” “I Think I’m In The Wrong Musical,” “The Slutty Girl is the One Who Gets Eaten First” and “He Only Hits Me Cuz He Loves Me.”

A couple of new song numbers have been added to the show this year: “I’ll Bet Things are Beautiful in Youngstown, Ohio” and “Disaster Nudity Can Be a Girl’s Best Friend.”

The cast includes returning actors Kage Coven, David Cirelli, Grace Offerdahl and Marisa Zamary.

Anna Stanford is the newcomer in the musical, which loosely follows the plot of “Night of the Living Dead.” Stanford plays Barbara, the naive and emotionally fragile young woman.

Rounding out the cast and chorus are Hunter Thomas, Nicole Zayas, Celena Coven, Eric Lewis, Josh Fleming, Kyle Karmelita, Nick Lyras, Cassie Wirtz, Jayden Byrne, Katherine Skaggs, Emilia Holt, Spencer Farkas, Rachel Clifford, Giavanna LaGamba and Emilia Holt.

Tickets are $15 ($10 for students and seniors).

For reservations, call or text 330-507-2358.

A reception will follow the opening-night performance.

Rust Belt Theater Company is located in the Calvin Center at 755 Mahoning Ave., just west of downtown Youngstown.