Evil Dead the Musical: A Bloody Great Performance!
By: Christine E. Boston
Evil Dead the Musical draws upon the story lines of Sam Raimi’s cult classics, Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2. While Raimi’s movies were some of his first he ever directed and were meant to establish him as a serious director, they developed a huge cult following and are forever imprinted on the psyche of B-movie lovers everywhere. The movies are risqué, funny, and over the top, and these same sentiments resonate in Evil Dead the Musical. Evil Dead the Musical pays homage to the movies, Bruce Campbell, and fans of all ages. Well, mostly all ages. It would be a grievous omission not to state up front that this is not a kid friendly show. This is also not a show appropriate for your grandmother, unless your grandmother loves bawdy, over the top, obvious sexual innuendo and humor. And slight nudity. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, there is plenty of cleavage, bare chests, and tree porn to titillate all.
Evil Dead the Musical premiered to a Reno audience on Friday, September 26. It was a full house in the Good Luck Macbeth Theatre and the excitement of the audience, of which I was a member, was palpable. Preshow shenanigans were provided by the Reverend Rory Dowd, one of the show’s producers, who entertained the anxious audience with songs that complimented the overall theme of the production. John Frederick, one of the directors, graced the stage to give thanks to sponsors and major donors (e.g. Nightmare Studios, Haunt X, Vaude Villain Entertainment, Art Works, among others), as well as express his appreciation for the cast and crew who were able to put together a great production. This truly was a team effort as the entire cast and crew spent the summer not just rehearsing and memorizing lines and choreography, but also dedicated their time to raising money through a variety of fundraising campaigns. He thanked the audience, promising a good show, and then the lights went down and the show started.
The next two hours flew by without notice. Blood and beer was everywhere, covering the stage, floors, and first four to five rows of the audience. Hands were sore from clapping, and voices were hoarse from screaming and moaning in admiration. One of the pervasive questions I have received about the show has been “Is it funny?” This question was fully answered within seconds of the show opening as the cast jumped on to stage for their first song and dance number and were quickly drowned out by laughter of the audience. My face, along with those of many audience members, hurt from laughing so hard. Any questions about the general audience appropriateness of the show were snuffed five minutes later by the amazing cast that gave a no holds barred performance that included more sexual innuendo than a a Dungeons and Dragons scene in a brothel. The amazing actors gave a performance of suggestive that failure to do so would lead to their own possessions by Candarian demons.
John Frederick not only delivered on his promise of a good show, he and his amazing cast and crew knocked it out of the park! There were absolutely no requests for refunds, but instead demands for more and promises of the audience returning for more. If opening night’s demand for tickets is any indication, these tickets will sell out faster than it took for Ash’s hand to become possessed, so stop reading this review now and purchase your tickets before it is too late. The show runs through October 31 at 12 midnight, with the majority of the tickets for that night already being sold out, and tickets are available for purchase at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/505725. More information about the show can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EVDRENO.
Evil Dead the Musical draws upon the story lines of Sam Raimi’s cult classics, Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2. While Raimi’s movies were some of his first he ever directed and were meant to establish him as a serious director, they developed a huge cult following and are forever imprinted on the psyche of B-movie lovers everywhere. The movies are risqué, funny, and over the top, and these same sentiments resonate in Evil Dead the Musical. Evil Dead the Musical pays homage to the movies, Bruce Campbell, and fans of all ages. Well, mostly all ages. It would be a grievous omission not to state up front that this is not a kid friendly show. This is also not a show appropriate for your grandmother, unless your grandmother loves bawdy, over the top, obvious sexual innuendo and humor. And slight nudity. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, there is plenty of cleavage, bare chests, and tree porn to titillate all.
Evil Dead the Musical premiered to a Reno audience on Friday, September 26. It was a full house in the Good Luck Macbeth Theatre and the excitement of the audience, of which I was a member, was palpable. Preshow shenanigans were provided by the Reverend Rory Dowd, one of the show’s producers, who entertained the anxious audience with songs that complimented the overall theme of the production. John Frederick, one of the directors, graced the stage to give thanks to sponsors and major donors (e.g. Nightmare Studios, Haunt X, Vaude Villain Entertainment, Art Works, among others), as well as express his appreciation for the cast and crew who were able to put together a great production. This truly was a team effort as the entire cast and crew spent the summer not just rehearsing and memorizing lines and choreography, but also dedicated their time to raising money through a variety of fundraising campaigns. He thanked the audience, promising a good show, and then the lights went down and the show started.
The next two hours flew by without notice. Blood and beer was everywhere, covering the stage, floors, and first four to five rows of the audience. Hands were sore from clapping, and voices were hoarse from screaming and moaning in admiration. One of the pervasive questions I have received about the show has been “Is it funny?” This question was fully answered within seconds of the show opening as the cast jumped on to stage for their first song and dance number and were quickly drowned out by laughter of the audience. My face, along with those of many audience members, hurt from laughing so hard. Any questions about the general audience appropriateness of the show were snuffed five minutes later by the amazing cast that gave a no holds barred performance that included more sexual innuendo than a a Dungeons and Dragons scene in a brothel. The amazing actors gave a performance of suggestive that failure to do so would lead to their own possessions by Candarian demons.
John Frederick not only delivered on his promise of a good show, he and his amazing cast and crew knocked it out of the park! There were absolutely no requests for refunds, but instead demands for more and promises of the audience returning for more. If opening night’s demand for tickets is any indication, these tickets will sell out faster than it took for Ash’s hand to become possessed, so stop reading this review now and purchase your tickets before it is too late. The show runs through October 31 at 12 midnight, with the majority of the tickets for that night already being sold out, and tickets are available for purchase at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/505725. More information about the show can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EVDRENO.
It’s All Fun & Games at RAGECon Even Though a Gingerbread Man Lost an Eye: A Review of the First Annual RAGECon Tabletop Gaming Convention
By Christine E. Boston
The Reno Area Gamers’ Extreme Convention (RAGECon) premiered on June 27 at a downtown Reno casino, Circus Circus, and overall, it appeared to be a relatively seamless maiden voyage for the con. RAGECon was the brainchild of Jeff Jones, Ashley Andrews, and Randy Andrews who conceived of a local gaming convention in the hopes of bringing together tabletop gamers from all over northern Nevada and the adjacent areas. The con featured a variety of tabletop games, including miniatures, card games, and board games galore. Many local and international gaming companies donated games for participants to play and potentially win; local vendors put up shop for the weekend, promoting their products and businesses; local groups and organizations organized and ran several games and tournaments, and panelists wowed the audience with their knowledge and expertise on a variety of topics. And as the saying goes, if you build it they will come, and come they did.
The Reno Area Gamers’ Extreme Convention (RAGECon) premiered on June 27 at a downtown Reno casino, Circus Circus, and overall, it appeared to be a relatively seamless maiden voyage for the con. RAGECon was the brainchild of Jeff Jones, Ashley Andrews, and Randy Andrews who conceived of a local gaming convention in the hopes of bringing together tabletop gamers from all over northern Nevada and the adjacent areas. The con featured a variety of tabletop games, including miniatures, card games, and board games galore. Many local and international gaming companies donated games for participants to play and potentially win; local vendors put up shop for the weekend, promoting their products and businesses; local groups and organizations organized and ran several games and tournaments, and panelists wowed the audience with their knowledge and expertise on a variety of topics. And as the saying goes, if you build it they will come, and come they did.
Attendees were introduced to old, classic games, such as Munchkin, Settlers of Catan, and Carcassonne, as well as new, yet to be premiered games, including Run For Your Life Candyman, a twist on the classic Candyland where gingerbread meeples were decapitated, maimed, and generally torn limb from limb; Transylvannia: Curses and Traitors, a semicooperative fantasy board game involving everyone’s favorite supernatural villains: zombies, vampires, and werewolves; and Euphoria, a futuristic dystopian game of Orwellian influence. These and many other games were played throughout the main area of the con. Games were available to borrow in the extensive gaming library, which was regularly utilized, but options to play scheduled games were also present for those who were unfamiliar with either the game or other gaming enthusiasts. All of the games were a hit amongst both young and old gamers, allowing everyone to have fun and many to forge new friendships.
Also in the main area of the con was the vendor area. Local gaming stores such as Merwin’s Game Shoppe, Comic Kingdom, Games Galore, Heroes Games and Hobbies, and Nerdvana were on hand selling games and gaming wears, while Indie Press Revolution and PerkRPG by Buddy Wagner were their promoting their businesses and services. The vendors, however, did more than just fill a room. They offered great conversation and networking opportunities to game enthusiasts who are interested in entering into the industry, looking for new games to try, and wanting to add to their collections. In fact, the volunteers at Nerdvana of Carson City were integral in assisting run the con as they stepped up and helped RAGECon organizers and volunteers as needed, which freed many of them to enjoy the con while also running it, and Cody Laux of Comic Kingdom donated half of the games that were available in the gaming library, providing tons of fun for all participants.
Also in the main area of the con was the vendor area. Local gaming stores such as Merwin’s Game Shoppe, Comic Kingdom, Games Galore, Heroes Games and Hobbies, and Nerdvana were on hand selling games and gaming wears, while Indie Press Revolution and PerkRPG by Buddy Wagner were their promoting their businesses and services. The vendors, however, did more than just fill a room. They offered great conversation and networking opportunities to game enthusiasts who are interested in entering into the industry, looking for new games to try, and wanting to add to their collections. In fact, the volunteers at Nerdvana of Carson City were integral in assisting run the con as they stepped up and helped RAGECon organizers and volunteers as needed, which freed many of them to enjoy the con while also running it, and Cody Laux of Comic Kingdom donated half of the games that were available in the gaming library, providing tons of fun for all participants.
But board games were not the only things available for participants to play. Miniatures and other RPGs were available. Games such as Warhammer 40K, Heroclix, and Malifaux were run throughout the main area as well as in the Casino Ballroom, while the Magic the Gathering, Pathfinder, and Dr. Who RPGs were run primarily in the Casino Ballroom. This area was separate from the main area of the con and a little difficult to get to, but I like to think of it fondly as another gaming aspect of RAGECon. No one was expecting to have to participate in a scavenger hunt while at RAGECon, but those who did were handsomely rewarded with fabulous RPGs.
And those who scavenged a little further were marveled and awed by the amazing panel discussions available on the fourth floor of the con. Panel discussions on how to improve your DMing skills, breaking into the game production industry, and stereotypes of Indigenous groups in gaming were just some of the topics discussed at the con. Unfortunately, it is not clear if it was the lack of enthusiasm for the topics or the unintended scavenger hunt of finding the panel room that deterred many from attending these panels, but for those who did go they thoroughly enjoyed themselves and the information the great panelists provided.
And those who scavenged a little further were marveled and awed by the amazing panel discussions available on the fourth floor of the con. Panel discussions on how to improve your DMing skills, breaking into the game production industry, and stereotypes of Indigenous groups in gaming were just some of the topics discussed at the con. Unfortunately, it is not clear if it was the lack of enthusiasm for the topics or the unintended scavenger hunt of finding the panel room that deterred many from attending these panels, but for those who did go they thoroughly enjoyed themselves and the information the great panelists provided.
Overall, I give RageCon an A- for its first run. The hiccups at the con were minor and centered on slightly annoying as many gamers gave up on trying to find their way to the Casino Ballroom and panel discussions, causing them to miss out on amazing opportunities available to them, but the opportunities, whether fully taken advantage of or not, the enthusiastic and helpful volunteers, and dedication of the organizers showed through it all and everyone had a smashing good time (and not just during the Smash Up game either). Many of us are anxiously awaiting next year’s con, and those interested in helping out should keep up with the website (http://www.rage-con.com/) as planning for round 2 will begin early next year.