36 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY August 8-14, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com ONSTAGE How about a seat in a “blood splash” zone? No? There are plenty of other seats in the compact, upstairs space of Paper Wing Theatre in Monterey, but it’s not guaranteed that you will avoid blood on your shirt or face. You will not regret it, because Evil Dead The Musical is half-horror, half-comedy, with song and dance numbers that will make your night. The script comes from a Canadian playwright, George Reinblatt, who took all the elements of the cult classic films, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness and combined them for an off-Broadway musical that became an instant hit when first staged in 2003. This version is not a touring show. It features a local cast telling the musical tale of five college students who go to an abandoned cabin in the woods and unleash an evil force that turns them all into demons. Ash (Ian Bridger) is a houseware employee turned demon-killing hero, who hunts his friends-turned-zombie down. Limbs are dismembered—there is not only a rifle, but also a chainsaw involved. Other happy and goofy college kids are Ash’s sister Cheryl (Taylor Rain Coleman), his girlfriend Linda (Laurel Lane Bowen), his annoying but entertaining best friend Scotty (Gillespie Ruvalcava), the cowardly Ed (Brian Steen-Larsen) and provocative Shelly (Nancy Lara). The actors are young and incredibly enthusiastic, all with compelling voices. Time passes quickly. And even after two acts, the audience seems to have an appetite for more of the scary goofiness. Songs such as “Look Who’s Evil Now,” “What the Fuck Was That?” and “All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Kandarian Demons” don’t sound like your typical musical pieces. But there is a sense of humor, without a concern for genre. Music was composed by Frank Cipolla and Christopher Bond; lyrics come from the author. Producers are the one and only Koly McBride and her longtime partner LJ Brewer. As always, Paper Wing Theatre’s bar serves drinks and snacks, adding to a relaxed, homely atmosphere. Overall, the play is a treat. And the blood? It’s not real, and it washes out. Evil Dead 7:30pm Thursday-Saturday Aug. 8-10, FridaySaturday Aug. 16-17; 6pm Sundays Aug. 11 and 18. Paper Wing Theatre & Supper Club, 711 Cannery Row, Suite # I, Monterey. $30. 905-5684, paperwing.com. Bloody Funny A horror comedy at Paper Wing makes dismemberment by chainsaw look like good fun. By Agata Pop˛eda This is what happens when a group of college kids end up alone in a haunted cabin in the woods. Blood splashed abundantly in Paper Wing Theatre’s musical Evil Dead. Open Tue-Sun 11am-9pm and Mon 4-9pm Or order to-go,and take it home 2149 N. Fremont St. • Monterey • 831-642-9900 MontereyCookHouse.com What s Cooking Authentic Italian Am ican Cuisine
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