“I thought that we were really focusing on a group of very sort of 20- to 30-somethings, but we rolled it out and I found lots of sort of closet Evil Dead supporters,” Steven Anderson, the Contemporary American Theatre Company, or CATCO’s creative director of the new musical, Evil Dead told WOSU’s theatre critic, Joy Reilly.

Evil Dead is about five college students who go to an abandoned cabin in the woods and unleash demons, Anderson said. The demons then pick off the students one by one. The hero, Ash Williams, must then save humanity from the demons.

At one point in the musical, a character’s hand is demon-possessed. Anderson said blood squirts everywhere when the character saws off his hand.

For moments like these, Anderson said there is a splash zone where “safe blood” hits the audience. The blood is made of chocolate.

“It’s an experience,” Anderson said.

Although Anderson said the show had been selling out in many other markets, he did say the show was not suitable for all ages.

“There is a certain amount of words that your mother would not allow you to say,” Anderson said. “So the strong language and, of course, the completely funny blood aspects of it would not make me say, ‘Oh, this is the perfect opportunity for my 10 year old.”

Evil Dead: The Musical runs from June 1 through 19 at the Riffe Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Read More:

• CATCO: Evil Dead – The Musical (CATCO)
• Deadites Online: The fan’s official source for Evil Dead (Deadites)

Plus, it’s double the feel good ending as the proceeds benefit hospice and palliative care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Talk about art therapy – you can get some, and give some this weekend.

The musical is produced by Pleasure Guild of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, a 102-year-old organization of women committed to raising funds for the Children’s Hospital’s hospice and palliative care program, whose signature fundraising event is an annual, professionally directed family play.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has a huge volunteer cast.  You might even recognize a neighbor or two.

The cast is made up of volunteers throughout the community who are wrangled by Lisa Andres (director), Brooke Andres (choreographer), Tony McDonald (musical director).

Tom Patton, who plays Jacob, says Pleasure Guild always strives for high quality productions – you might remember last season’s The Music Man or 2009’s Beauty and the Beast, both of which Patton worked on.

“I did my first show with the Pleasure Guild in 1978,” Patton says. “They really make the actors feel appreciated.”  Plus, he says, it’s for a great cause.