Evil Dead: The Musical
Campy Summer Horror with a Musical Twist
By Taylor Onski
For their summer show this year, Triple Threat Talent will present Evil Dead: The Musical. Artistic director Tegin Menei, a self-proclaimed horror fan, is also excited this campy musical will launch the Young Directors Initiative (YDI), a scholarship program for students planning to pursue a career in the arts. The first YDI class consists of Hayden Halvorsen, Henry Rivers-Moore, Mila Madigan-Deley, Nico Silvaggio, and Tucker Oleksuk, who will co-direct a cast of eight local actors aged 22 to 49 in this slasher-classic-turned-musical.
“I've worked with [the YDI class] as actors, but they all have such creative minds,” says Menei. “I want kids to continue with the arts after high school. I thought this would be an enticing way to get them involved in the behind-the-scenes stuff that happens when producing a show.”
When asked what attracted her to directing, Madigan-Deley says, “The draw for the behind-the-scenes work is one. I'm a very introverted person. Two, I think it's [more fun], underappreciated, and more of a challenge,” As for the YDI program, she says, “It's been a joy working with everybody, and it's definitely pushed us in a way.”
Filled with dark comedy, fake blood, and catchy songs, Evil Dead: The Musical is based on the cult-classic movie following five college students whose trip in a remote cabin leads to demons being summoned, chainsaws getting wielded, and all hell breaking loose.
“It's a very funny show, especially in a way that I think Thunder Bay will appreciate. It's unique and something the community really enjoys,” says Silvaggio. “I'm normally an illustrator, but I'm having fun expanding into a 3D space of figuring out something that's going to go on the stage.”
Silvaggio, Madigan-Deley, and their fellow directors want to curate a holistic experience of classic slasher fun, from programming NV’s lighting system into a concert and adding haze machines, to costuming the actors in the big wigs and jewelry of the 80s, to getting ponchos ready for audience members the blood spattered splash zone. Seeing these young people’s passion for their director roles, it’s clear Canadian theatre is going to grow bigger and better thanks to these talented teens.
Evil Dead: The Musical runs from July 30 to August 1 at NV Music Hall. Find Triple Threat Talent on Facebook or follow @triplethreattbay on Instagram for more info.
