Juliet (left, Laura Loy) and Lady MacBeth( right, Kate Grimm)
kiss for the first time as their romance blossoms.
SAM CARAVANA / THE DEPAUW
William Shakespeare would’ve never imagined his works would go on to be meshed with a “zombie-infested” world, but that’s what Qui Nguyen had in mind when he produced Living Dead in Denmark , which DePauw University Theatre will be putting on this weekend.
“It’s honestly just a bunch of craziness on stage… in the best way,” said senior production-stage manager Bella Markovski. “It’s zombies, it’s war, it’s love… it’s a pretty good mix of everything you could think of to put into a show.”
The plot goes something like this: Ophelia, as many know, committed suicide in "Hamlet." However, in the play, she is revived by Fortebras, and sets out with Juliet and Lady Macbeth on a “tirade” against Zombie Lord and the rest of the undead.
“[The women] woke up from these comas like, ‘what am I doing alive right now’?” said Markovski. “So the journey just kind of follows them… obviously things happen here and there that kind of set them off track and make the story turn different ways.”
The characters range from the classics mentioned above to Miley Cyrus and Mario (from the Nintendo games), along with “a ton” of references from AMC’s The Walking Dead, which adds pop culture to the storyline.
“Even though the story itself gets pretty serious, little things like the Miley Cyrus reference… allows the play to still be lighthearted and kind of more fun,” said Markovski.
Miley Cyrus (left, Courteny Graham) holds a teddy bear
up for protection as she fights Ophelia (right, Alison Howard).
SAM CARAVANA / THE DEPAUW
Produced by the Vampire Cowboys Theatre (which Nguyen help found), in 2006, "Living Dead in Denmark" has received two nominations from the New York Innovative Theatre Awards, ultimately winning for best choreography and movement.
In the eyes of the cast, the choreography and movement are what make "Living Dead in Denmark" unique. In preparation for the production, the cast was required to take a combat class during winter term to make sure they knew how to use the equipment, such as actual swords, in a safe way.
“[Combat] is just a fun thing to do,” said junior Allison Howard, who plays the lead role of Ophelia. “You get to get all that energy out, but not cause any harm.”
For the cast, the hard work put into the class and production has finally paid off.
“It’s been an experience,” said sophomore Jeremy Boyd, who plays the role of Horatio. “It’s very different from the other acting I’ve done here because the stage movement is so structured from all of the combat… but it’s still been very fun to do.”
Freshman Courtney Graham agreed.
“Seeing the progress of the show from learning stage combat… to it coming together for an audience has been an amazing experience,” said Graham, who plays Miley Cyrus.
Regardless of whether one is familiar with Shakespeare classics or zombies, the cast has no doubts that "Living Dead in Denmark" will make for an enjoyable show, as they have come to fall in love with it.
“[The show has] pushed me in terms of characterizations, and it’s just one of the most fun things I’ve done,” said junior Laura Loy, who plays Juliet.
Ophelia (Alison Howard) duels with Tybalt (Jeff Collins).
SAM CARAVANA / THE DEPAUW
Graham agreed.
“I’ve never met a group of actors as dedicated to their craft as these kids,” said Graham. “I know the audience will enjoy the show as much as we do.”
The play is directed by communication and theatre professor Andrew Hayes, who plays the role of Fortenbras.
After opening on Thursday, the play will run through the weekend, with a 7:30 p.m. start on Friday and Saturday followed by a Sunday matinee at 1:00 p.m. Tickets cost $3 for students and $6 for adults.
The show isn’t recommended for children under 13.