South Eugene Theater’s take on classic zombie tale is delivered…undead on arrival

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In an early scene, Beth (Marley Hines) takes down a zombie (Malia T.) that has infiltrated a hideout for her and several other desperate humans.

What’s Halloween without flesh-eating ghouls? A South Eugene Theater production sinks its teeth into a famed horror film, re-imagined for the stage.

A poster for South Eugene Theater's "Night of the Living Dead" production.
Poster designed by Alex Bull.

George Romero’s 1968 nightmare classic, “Night of the Living Dead” features a band of humans holed up in a farmstead, fighting off hordes of ravenous zombies.

South Eugene High School senior Autumn Joule adapted and directed this version. She likes Romero’s film.

“But I wasn’t a fan of the female characters in the movie, I thought they were written flat and annoying. Y’know, victims of the time period,” she told KLCC. “So I thought it would be fun to rewrite it my way, and spotlight a woman with more power and agency, work some feminism into South Eugene Theater.”

Joule’s heroine will have her hands full, as zombie after zombie shambles in, to test her mettle.

And with a cast of roughly 50 actors – many of them zombies – Joule herself has been busy, but says her legion of the undead has been very good to work with.

South Eugene Theater’s “Night of the Living Dead” runs from October 27th through the 30th. Showtimes and tickets are available online at southeugenetheater.com.

©2022, KLCC.

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Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.