YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Rust Belt Theater Company will present “Jesus vs. the Zombies” at 8 p.m. April 18-19 and 25-26 at its venue inside Club Switch, 221 Belmont Ave., downtown.
The comic musical was written by Rust Belt founder Robert Dennick Joki and Josh Taylor.
It tells the story of a struggling community theater board, trying to find its identity in a changing political landscape. It must decide whether to pander to its older, more conservative audience members with a Passion Play for Easter or try to attract a younger, edgier crowd with a show about zombies. The result ends up being a ridiculous mashup of both.
“The inspiration for this show came from years of my own personal experience working on productions like ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘Godspell,’ not to mention countless Sunday school pageants and Passion Plays,” Joki said.
The show, which Rust Belt last presented in 2019, also pokes fun at small-town community theater culture and features colorful characters like stage mothers and backstage minions, as well as behind-the-scenes feuds and romances.
The cast includes Caitlyn Murphy, Shelby Gossick, Charity Bauer, Jon Bunge, Rachael Kerr, Lisa Torrence, Vasi Sfikas, Keith Stepanic, Eric McCrea, Caitlyn Santiago, Caitlin Marie Cole, Jennifer Koprivnak, Gavin McNamara and Joki.
Tickets are $15. For reservations, call 330 507 2358.
Pictured at top: The cast of “Jesus vs. the Zombies” includes, kneeling, Jon Bunge, Caitlyn Murphy, Charity Bauer and Shelby Gossick; standing, Keith Stepanic, Eric McCrea, Vicci Sfikas, Jennifer Koprivnak, Rachael Kerr, Caitlyn Santiago, Lisa Torrence and Caitlin Marie Cole; and Gavin McNamara, center.