Zombie attack at Warren High
Warren High School students build the set for “Night of the Living Dead” (photo Kyle Deichman).
There were zombie sightings in Downey this past week. All were part of the zombie ensemble in Warren High School’s Drama Department’s triennial trip into zombie madness.
The zombie actors clearly had a role they could sink their teeth into. The audience loved every minute of it.
Since 2007, drama teacher, director and designer Kyle Deichman has presented four different productions of George Romero’s classic cult horror film, “Night of the Living Dead” (1968), at The Emerson Theatre.
Deichman says it is so popular with students and audiences, he does open casting with the entire school, double casts roles, and recruits actors and stage crew into the department.
Some students come from DUSD’s wonderful middle school programs. Some join up for the first time. Deichman had to add an additional performance since it was sold out.
Romero didn't invent zombies. But everything we think we know about zombies today began with him, including the slow-moving dead body that eats humans.
Inspired by the zombie of Haitian folklore, the undead slaves from voodoo culture, and were not cannibalistic.
The Emerson Theatre is a converted black box with flexible seating. It is as well-equipped and comfortable as any intimate theatre in Los Angeles. It’s the kind of theatre the majority of Los Angeles theatre artists ply their craft.
The technical achievements here are quite remarkable for a high school.
Deichman says he learned the basics of technical theatre at the historic Downey Civic Light Opera (DCLO) at the Downey Theatre. Larry Dusich was the producing artistic director. It was there he first started working with DCLO’s Mark Keller building sets. He even has costumes from the now defunct DCLO.
Warren has been inspiring theatre students for almost 60 years. The Emerson Theatre is named after the beloved former drama teacher, Jacquie Emerson. Emerson brought Keller in to design and build her sets. Deichman joined him there again as a student.
The scrim curtain has an old fashioned black and white TV test pattern projected on it. Projections also create oversized TV screens on each side of the stage that provide TV broadcasts. The rotating set includes the inside of the house, the outside, and the basement.
The sound intensifies the constant banging, shuffling and sound of the increasing zombie horde. When the blood begins to splatter, there is a vocal reaction from the audience. That’s just the beginning of more to come. The actors and the audience are having a ball.
The play begins with a terrific introductory video (Nicholas Benevidez) on the TV screens, which announces “Night of the Living Dead” credits, and includes the beginning of the actual film with a car driving along a rural road to a cemetery. Then the actors hit the stage.
Barbra (Melody Vera/Valarie Ward) and her brother Johnny (Nathaniel Lopez) visit their father's grave, when suddenly a zombie kills Johnny and attacks Barbra.
She escapes to a nearby farmhouse only to find a half-eaten corpse on the floor. A growing horde of zombies soon surround the house. Ben (Santos Reyes/Roger Sanchez) also escapes zombies and seeks refuge inside. He drives back a few zombies and boards the windows and doors. That’s the beginning of the ever-present noise and movement of the zombies.
They discover Harry (Nicholas Godinez), his wife Helen (Lexie Canon/Aeris Rivera), and their young daughter Karen (Calinda Madrigal), hiding in the cellar after escaping zombies themselves.
With them is Tom (Justin Edward/Ryan Calhoub) and Judy (Eny Villa Lopez), who took shelter there after hearing a broadcast about a series of strange brutal killings. Tom and Ben secure the farmhouse while Harry argues “The cellar is the safest place!” and returns to the cellar. Did I mention that the zombies are constantly besieging the farmhouse?
Ben does his best to control the situation, but when the reanimated bodies surround the house, the other survivors begin to panic. As any semblance of order within the group begins to dissipate, the zombies start to find ways inside — and one by one, the living humans become the prey of the deceased ones. And there is a bit of a surprise ending when the sheriff and deputy arrive.
A shout out to the stage manager (Gabriela Gutierrez), sound (Nicholas Benevides), lights (Mathew Saucedo), lighting design (Michelle Wolfson), costumes (Eyleen Lopez), zombie makeup (WHS Media Makeup), cast makeup (Mandy Silva), hair (Desiree Tesso), the running crew, and the set construction crew.
At least 62 students were involved in this production. It was great to see the joy and sense of accomplishment on the faces of the actors during the curtain call. It was also a delight to see them then immediately join with the crew, pitch in, mop the floors, and clean the set. Deichman took the costumes home to wash. Did I mention there was a lot of blood?
Deichman praises Warren principal Dr. Cari White, faculty, alumni, and the ASB for their support. In the program, the students are enthusiastic in their praise of Deichman, and his support.
The cost of theatre production has skyrocketed. With an annual budget of $2,400, Deichman manages to present four main stage productions, a night of student one acts, and an evening of improvisation. And he plans to rebuild the theatre lobby.
Since the pandemic, theatres across the country are canceling seasons, closing the doors for good, and facing declining revenues and audiences. The Emerson Theatre has been experiencing increased audiences.
Next up: “Enemy of the People” by one of the fathers of modern drama, Henrik Ibsen, (1882); adapted by one of America’s greatest playwrights, Arthur Miller (1950), even more relevant today. “Enemy of the People” plays Dec. 13-16. Tickets are $10.