The Zombie Effect at ACME Comedy Theatre
Location: ACME Comedy Theatre, 5124 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601
Dates: October 17 through December 14
Hours: Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 7pm; Halloween Night performance at 10pm.
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Description: The Living Dead shamble into Los Angeles for two months of Halloween horror at the North Hollywood ACME Comedy Theatre. Don’t let the word “comedy” fool you – amidst the laughs, The Zombie Effect delivers all the gruesome zombie mayhem you could ask for – and more. Read our review here.
Previously staged as They’re Not Zombies and The Afflicted, Lief Gantvoort’s apocalyptic horror-comedy focuses on a small group of survivors who take shelter in a seemingly abandoned church while trying to figure out why the world is going to hell. Are the mindless attackers pursuing them really zombies? And if so, do they abide by the rules we’ve learned from the movies? And ifhttp://www.hollywoodgothique.com/2006/11/theyre-not-zombies-stage-review/ a bullet to the brain won’t do the job, what chance is there for humanity’s survival?
Opening Night Media Preview is October 17; the “World Premiere” follows on October 18. Then the play runs through December 14, with performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm.
On October 31, there will be a special Halloween performance at 10pm. Expect an especially wet rendition of the play, with no attempt to minimize the blood raining onto the audience. Also, wine may be provided so that viewers can join the drinking game played by a character on stage (take a sip every time someone says the Z-word!).
Running time is 75 minutes. Ponchos are provided to protect audience members from arterial spray.
Tickets are $20.
We understand that The Zombie Effect has been not only re-titled but also rewritten, with substantial changes to the story. So even if you saw its Halloween 2014 presentation by Theatre 68, this version should be worth another visit.
Read the complete press release below:
LOS ANGELES, CA – The ACME Comedy Theatre in North Hollywood, CA and Three Knuckleheads Entertainment present The Zombie Effect, an afflicted comedy that follows a motley crew of people trying to escape the wrath of the alleged undead. The production stars Jeremy Luke (TNT’s Mob City, Don Jon, Clint Eastwood’s Jersey Boys) and Leif Gantvoort (The Amazing Spiderman), also the show’s writer/director. The show welcomes a special media preview on October 17th and runs through December 14th, with a hilarious and horrifying special engagement on Halloween night.
ABOUT THE SHOW – After the city erupts in an outbreak of mass murder, a few survivors find shelter in an isolated, dilapidated church. The government claims the spreading chaos is the result of a biological terrorist attack, but the refugees in the church have theories of their own. Some believe that it’s stem cell research gone mad. Some think it’s the wrath of God…and others are convinced that it’s a surprise ground attack by North Korea as an act of war. In fact, the only thing these people seem to agree on is that whatever it is afflicting their funny-walking attackers isn’t really important. What matters is survival, even if that means using fighting techniques learned from bad horror movies and Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Among the survivors are a priest trying to find salvation at the bottom of a communion bottle, a self-serving cop, a quintessential rich bitch, a hot stripper and a douchebag. “The Zombie Effect” is a funny, yet scary evening of entertainment that throws the audience into the show and features disturbingly believable special effects.
The Zombie Effect runs October 17th through December 14th, 2014, with performances on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 7:00 pm. On October 31st there will be a very special Halloween performance at 10:00 pm.
All performances will be held at ACM E Comedy North Hollywood: 5124 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA. 91601
Running time is 75 minutes with no intermission.
General admission: $20.00.
Ponchos provided for splatter.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Playwright – Leif Gantvoort
Directed by – Leif Gantvoort and Jen Woldrich Pittman
Produced by – Jeremy Luke, Leif Gantvoort and Eddie Alfano
Set and Lighting Design – Leif GantvoortCAST:
Leif Gantvoort
Jeremy Luke
Krizia Bajos
Chauntal Lewis
Ana Alexander
Eddie Alfano
Kevin Small
Brett Sheridan
Femi Longe
Danny Turco
Charles McCarthy
Laura Seyffert
Meghan McCabe
Les Feltmate
Niko Bonelli
Rachel Bausch
Looking for Halloween plays in Los Angeles? Check out our pages for Halloween Haunts and Halloween Haunts: Tours and Shows.
