The stage lights go down and the eerie soundtrack starts, and the stage manager, junior Emma Greffe, begins to instruct the actors and crew members where to go and what to do over her headset. People are frantically running around backstage getting in their positions to go out when they hear their cue, while audience members anxiously await the show. Senior Ryan Kearton, playing Journalist Eddie Flagrante, is going over his lines one last time. He is excited to start his last year of theater with a leading role and wants to make it perfect. Emma signals to him to go on stage as his first song, ‘That’s the Beat for Me’, begins.

“The challenges for having a lead role are the responsibility of learning all the lines and songs and really becoming the character. The  benefits would be the chance to show off all your hard work and getting some time in the spotlight,” said Kearton.

Kearton has been a member of the Theatre Company all four years of high school. This year, his senior year, is starting off with a bang with him getting a leading role in the show. While it comes with its challenges, like memorizing lines and dedicating himself to the character, Kearton has felt his hard work pay off through his role as Eddie. Learning lines and long rehearsals are not the only challenge that the actors in Zombie Prom encountered. Hurricane Harvey threw a wrench in their rehearsal schedule, missing two weeks of precious time they could have spent preparing the show

“That gap threw everyone off a little bit. We all had to try to get back on track in everyday life and then play some catch up with the timeline of the show to get things done on time. For example I would normally want a final script done with all the tech cues about a week before the show and for this show I didn’t have a fully finished one until opening night,” said Greffe.

It was difficult to get the cast and crew back on track after such a big break. Because of all the missed time, the cast and crew was scrambling to find time to make sure everything was ready for opening night, and were even making changes the day before the show opened.

“I personally loved doing this show and think it went very well. The songs were all ones that the techies could dance to backstage and in the booth, and everyone had a really fun time throughout the rehearsal process with all kinds of inside jokes. I also think the show was received really well, especially by teens and adults because there were some joke and things in the show that you had to paying attention to get. If you were paying attention you couldn’t help but laugh,” said Greffe.

As opposed to a more serious play, Tompkins opted to do two musicals for their fall and spring shows. The Zombie Prom music was upbeat and catchy and the overall vibe was light and fun, which made being a part of it an exciting experience both the cast and crew got to experience. Even the crowd got to have a laugh with the actors, because of the many hidden jokes in the play.

“Eddie would have to be the most fun role I’ve ever had in my life. I liked being able to just go out on the stage and make all the funny faces or weird dance moves I wanted, and it being totally within the character’s personality,” said Kearton.

Zombie Prom pushed through the obstacles and put on a fun show where the actors could be themselves. This ability for actors to perform eccentrically and in a fun and engaging way made the show a joy to watch.This light hearted, humorous play was one of Tompkins’ best and has set the tone for the next musical, Shrek:The Musical which promises to be a good show as well.