SARAH: You're taking me to the Zombie Dance, remember? RICH: Oh yeah, that. — with Sadie Crow and Derek Brown at Monongalia Arts Center.
We had a 1,001 laughs last night during the opening of "Zombie Texts from the Future."
("Zombie Texts" runs again tonight, 10/30, at 8 p.m., also same time Halloween Night & Saturday night, Nov. 1, at Monongalia Arts Center, 107 High St., downtown, Morgantown, West Virginia. Reserve your seats/get your tickets here.)
(Don't tell anybody, but I also have a handful of special Limited Edition 11 x 17 "OMG! They're Eating Grandma!" Zombie Collector posters & very limited ed. World Premier Collector Author Scripts, along with a handful of locally printed paper copies of "Lifeline" (1st book in my "STARLING Series") so be sure to catch me before or after the show (or otherwise get in touch) to get yours before they're gone!)
Cast members Donnelle Bohnke, Derek Brown, Sadie Crow, Tracy Lynch, and Josh Rocchi hit a comedy grand slam. They brought their A-game (or "Z-Game") to our outrageous zombie world premiere. I loved the hilarious, creative interpretations/characterizations these talented actors brought to the stage, breathing life into the characters I'd written months ago. Their creative interaction with each other & especially, their interactions with the audience (my greatest hope for this show was a high level of actor-audience interaction, social aspects/connections & audience participation) was top notch, just as I'd envisioned unfolding... a dream come true. Until this show, these characters were just floating around in my head like "some weird zombie comedy-mystery show from the future," lol...
The obsessive Rich Nash (Brown), the complicated Chris Weathers (Rocchi), the curious, hopeful Sara Jenkins (Crow), the overly dedicated Stoned Justice (Bohnke) & the frightened Margaret Oleander (Lynch) are brought fully to life in a way that would make any mad scientist (or mad author) proud, for YOUR comedic enjoyment, thanks to the amazing cast & the incredible talent, organization, leadership skills of director Mara Monaghan.
("Zombie Texts" runs again tonight, 10/30, at 8 p.m., also same time Halloween Night & Saturday night, Nov. 1, at Monongalia Arts Center, 107 High St., downtown, Morgantown, West Virginia. Reserve your seats/get your tickets here.)
(Don't tell anybody, but I also have a handful of special Limited Edition 11 x 17 "OMG! They're Eating Grandma!" Zombie Collector posters & very limited ed. World Premier Collector Author Scripts, along with a handful of locally printed paper copies of "Lifeline" (1st book in my "STARLING Series") so be sure to catch me before or after the show (or otherwise get in touch) to get yours before they're gone!)
Cast members Donnelle Bohnke, Derek Brown, Sadie Crow, Tracy Lynch, and Josh Rocchi hit a comedy grand slam. They brought their A-game (or "Z-Game") to our outrageous zombie world premiere. I loved the hilarious, creative interpretations/characterizations these talented actors brought to the stage, breathing life into the characters I'd written months ago. Their creative interaction with each other & especially, their interactions with the audience (my greatest hope for this show was a high level of actor-audience interaction, social aspects/connections & audience participation) was top notch, just as I'd envisioned unfolding... a dream come true. Until this show, these characters were just floating around in my head like "some weird zombie comedy-mystery show from the future," lol...
The obsessive Rich Nash (Brown), the complicated Chris Weathers (Rocchi), the curious, hopeful Sara Jenkins (Crow), the overly dedicated Stoned Justice (Bohnke) & the frightened Margaret Oleander (Lynch) are brought fully to life in a way that would make any mad scientist (or mad author) proud, for YOUR comedic enjoyment, thanks to the amazing cast & the incredible talent, organization, leadership skills of director Mara Monaghan.
This is absolutely a show you don't want to miss! Seret Cole has done an outstanding job with coordinating the sounds effects, lighting, etc. Roger Banks & Richard Dumas with Mary Rath and Mara Monaghan have collaborated on a super-cool set design/build, complete with the 4-paned picture window & the "Zombie Huntress" bow & arrows.
And especially, Amy and David Loomis presented a fun dance demonstration at the end of "Zombie Texts," on behalf of Swing Dance WVU. Special thanks to David & Amy & all members of Swing Dance WVU.
Thanks, as always, to our friends at the MAC: Sami Rose, Ro Brooks, Daniel Gibbons & our friend JR.
Importantly, I want to personally thank our opening night audience. I was thrilled to see many of our friends there & many new faces, with so many people out for the show on Wednesday/weeknight.
As a writer, I'm constantly thinking about the audience & last night I had the strongest feeling yet of exactly how an audience is 100 percent equally important to every aspect of a show (or poem, novel, film, any work of art). I don't think there is art without an audience, and I consider the audience co-creators.
In many ways, I feel an audience is the show, as the audience is bringing something amazing to the stage as well: When the lights go up, the audience members too are bringing their own lenses, their own experiences, ideas and thoughts to the stage.
The spirit of the audience also affects the show, what happens, how everything feels and so much more. So again, I cannot thank this audience enough for bringing your wonderful energy, your laughs & smiles. You are all beautiful & amazing. Thanks for talking to me, sharing your thoughts, feelings and more.
I wish I could name every member of the audience, but I don't know everyone (and maybe not everyone wants to be mentioned, lol...)
But I do want to mention a few folks I've known awhile who have inspired me & thank them for their support.
One of my most important inspirations over the last few years, comedy-wise, is Michelle Bowser, author of "Don't Yell at the Damn Desk Clerk" and the recently released: "The Hags of Black County."
I just got a copy of "The Hags of Black County" (which I'm looking forward to reading & posting a review here on theodorewebb.com when I have some free time after the run of "Zombie Texts...")
I highly recommend Michelle's "Don't Yell at the Damn Desk Clerk." This is THE book which kick-started my long road back to humor writing. It helped me laugh my way through a long winter. Anyone who has worked customer service will understand, relate to & laugh with the incredible humor & wit of this book. Michelle is one of the wittiest writers I know & if you liked the films "Clerks" and "Office Space," you'll definitely love "Don't Yell at the Damn Desk Clerk."
It was also great to see another fellow author, Mark Husk. Mark is among the authors of Passive Terrain Press, where his book, "Perspectives," is available. Passive Terrain Press is the creation of artist & writer Ashton EB Cutright, who also graciously created the art that everybody loves for "Zombie Texts from the Future."
Big thanks to Andrew Spellman for taking photos opening night & The Daily Athenaeum, The Dominion Post, WAJR-AM (Kay Murray & Jim Stallings) and other area media and friends for telling folks about the event.
Other folks I enjoyed talking with at the "Zombie Texts" premiere, included Jolene Paternoster, a writer & poet who also works with Populore Publishing Company, Sean DeMarko, and good friends Andrew, Jonah, Jan, Bill and company.
We'll have more updates as the show progresses, so stay tuned here at theodorewebb.com & on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theodorewebbauthor.
And especially, Amy and David Loomis presented a fun dance demonstration at the end of "Zombie Texts," on behalf of Swing Dance WVU. Special thanks to David & Amy & all members of Swing Dance WVU.
Thanks, as always, to our friends at the MAC: Sami Rose, Ro Brooks, Daniel Gibbons & our friend JR.
Importantly, I want to personally thank our opening night audience. I was thrilled to see many of our friends there & many new faces, with so many people out for the show on Wednesday/weeknight.
As a writer, I'm constantly thinking about the audience & last night I had the strongest feeling yet of exactly how an audience is 100 percent equally important to every aspect of a show (or poem, novel, film, any work of art). I don't think there is art without an audience, and I consider the audience co-creators.
In many ways, I feel an audience is the show, as the audience is bringing something amazing to the stage as well: When the lights go up, the audience members too are bringing their own lenses, their own experiences, ideas and thoughts to the stage.
The spirit of the audience also affects the show, what happens, how everything feels and so much more. So again, I cannot thank this audience enough for bringing your wonderful energy, your laughs & smiles. You are all beautiful & amazing. Thanks for talking to me, sharing your thoughts, feelings and more.
I wish I could name every member of the audience, but I don't know everyone (and maybe not everyone wants to be mentioned, lol...)
But I do want to mention a few folks I've known awhile who have inspired me & thank them for their support.
One of my most important inspirations over the last few years, comedy-wise, is Michelle Bowser, author of "Don't Yell at the Damn Desk Clerk" and the recently released: "The Hags of Black County."
I just got a copy of "The Hags of Black County" (which I'm looking forward to reading & posting a review here on theodorewebb.com when I have some free time after the run of "Zombie Texts...")
I highly recommend Michelle's "Don't Yell at the Damn Desk Clerk." This is THE book which kick-started my long road back to humor writing. It helped me laugh my way through a long winter. Anyone who has worked customer service will understand, relate to & laugh with the incredible humor & wit of this book. Michelle is one of the wittiest writers I know & if you liked the films "Clerks" and "Office Space," you'll definitely love "Don't Yell at the Damn Desk Clerk."
It was also great to see another fellow author, Mark Husk. Mark is among the authors of Passive Terrain Press, where his book, "Perspectives," is available. Passive Terrain Press is the creation of artist & writer Ashton EB Cutright, who also graciously created the art that everybody loves for "Zombie Texts from the Future."
Big thanks to Andrew Spellman for taking photos opening night & The Daily Athenaeum, The Dominion Post, WAJR-AM (Kay Murray & Jim Stallings) and other area media and friends for telling folks about the event.
Other folks I enjoyed talking with at the "Zombie Texts" premiere, included Jolene Paternoster, a writer & poet who also works with Populore Publishing Company, Sean DeMarko, and good friends Andrew, Jonah, Jan, Bill and company.
We'll have more updates as the show progresses, so stay tuned here at theodorewebb.com & on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theodorewebbauthor.
THEODORE WEBB, co-founded Morgantown Poets. Teenagers battle constant surveillance in Webb’s “The STARLING Connection.” “Family Hour,” depicts cubicle imprisonment. A returning vet takes action in “Desperate Engine.” Free samples: http://www.amazon.com/Theodore-Webb/e/B009KLU5IW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 “Is Freedom on the Menu?” will be published in “Diner Stories” by Mountain State Press. Webb's latest poetry book, "Poems for Poets," is available through Passive Terrain Press. His zombie comedy-mystery ("zom-com") "Zombie Texts from the Future" will be performed at 8 p.m. Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2014 at Monongalia Arts Center, Morgantown, West Virginia. Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/theodorewebbauthor; Twitter @theodoretedwebb
