I remember when I first encountered the Evil Dead movies -- i lived in Tuscaloosa, and was working at a bar called Harry's (home of the bucket! that's right :) -- anyway, my next door neighbors, who ALSO bartended at Harry's, liked to come home after a long day at work (and several happy cocktails) and pop in those Evil Dead videos. I started watching the videos with them, since my front door was literally 2 feet away from their front door.

The more you watch them, the funnier these movies get! Army of Darkness was my favorite. I became a HUGE Sam Raimi fan - love everything from Xena to Spiderman (and even some of the more obscure stuff, like the American Gothic TV show -- ever seen that?!)

That was YEARS ago, and i still love those movies!! imagine my shock and delight to learn that there was an Evil Dead MUSICAL off-broadway?! i was even more shocked and delighted to learn that my roommate, Aughra Moon, was going to be the seamstress at the show.

AHHHH - fate is kind! fate sent the Evil Dead musical right to my door :)

last night, some friends and I went to one of the preview shows with Aughra. we were all a bit apprehensive .. what was this "musical" thing? how would that work? what would it sound like? would it be campy-stupid, or campy-funny? and would Bruce Campbell be there?

we started the night at the stage lounge (and good god - they have created this "evil dead" drink made with a LOT of black vodka and a splash of cranberry juice -- i HIGHLY recommed you have one (or two, like we did) -- you can carry them into the theater - hurrah!!),

The theater is small and intimate - easy to see no matter where you sit ... BUT, lemme tell you -- you WANT to sit in the splatter zone -- we didn't -- we sat a few rows back, but i am going back just so i can sit in the splatter zone (and i'll just let your imagination figure that one out :)

the set was fun and campy -- spooky trees everywhere! - i don't want to give too much away about the show itself, except that i loved it-- i had a blast! it looked like the actors were loving it too! which made it that much more fun - they really got into their parts :)

my favorite character was the little sister/demon -- watch her, she's a firecracker! boogiing her way through "The Necrinomicon" :)

and my favorite song was "What the Fuck was That?!" --- ahhhh ... the fine music of the theatre!! but i love that song!! you'll catch me wandering the city singing "what the fuck was that .. la la la la la .. what the fuck was that .. hmmmmmm" hehehehe

by the end of my second evil dead cocktail (sometime after intermission), i was laughing so hard, i was cackling -- the writers threw in plenty of inside jokes for all the Sam Raimi fans out there - and i think we caught them all.

what made the show even FUNNIER for me, was that we were sitting next to a bunch of old men - three of whom slept away most of the show -- WTF!? between the chainsaws, screams, and hooting laughter of the audience, those must have been some tuckered out men! i guess it was late -- it was almost 10 PM after all. But, I would love to have heard their impression of the show - i wonder if they knew what they were getting themselves into :)

AND .. no, Bruce Campbell was NOT there, but i've since found out that he will be at the Nov. 2 performance .. might have to dig up some funds to go to that!

my review is a big thumbs up, so GO!!! run, get tickets .. i want the show to last a while - cause i have to contact all of my old friends from Harrys - they MUST buy plane tickets and come see this show!!!

here are some links:
Official website - www.evildeadthemusical.net/home.php
Official fansite on Myspace - www.myspace.com/evildeadthemusical
GET DISCOUNT TICKETS - www.evildeadthemusical.net/ebla...e.htm

see you there!!