“Sorority House of the Dead” review

The Living Room, a very post modern venue that holds performances of all different types recently held a play by the charming name of ‘Sorority House of the dead.’

As I walk in I first notice the seating; an assortment of urban couches to the right and mismatched chairs to the left. Right next to me is a bar serving cold beer and other assorted drinks and a little farther ahead is the stage. A quaint, dark stage with an ascending staircase. The theatre is filled to every corner. I am greeted by Ron Megee, the director, who then leads me through the crowded room to a large comfortable chair three rows up. Just far enough away from getting splattered by any false blood and guts making their way into the audience.

The lights slowly start to fade from a dull dim to pitch black as the audience anxiously awaits the performance written by Mitch Brian to begin. Within the first ten minutes of the show a chainsaw had already been put to use and phony blood had been spilt. Three wannabe sorority girls are cordially invited to a sorority house party accepting newcomers. Little do they know that the party they are attending is run by bloodthirsty babes.

Deb, (Zoe Brian) a sophomore, plays the role of a negative Nancy looking to find her place in this world. Tonya, (Molliann McCulley) is a brace face full of energy that dreams of one day being with Greg (Jeff Smith), her school crush. Janet (Rachael Rodgers) fills as “mother” of the threesome. Nothing but utter chaos comes from the visit to the sorority house on Sorority Hill.

The show is full of raunchy jokes, loud screams, an assortment of mockery violence, false blood and guts. Holly (Hannah Ashcroft) and Brenda (junior Anna Dancinger) are the first two of the soon to be many blood sucking sorority sisters that warmly welcome each newcomer at their own risk. The immortal house mother, known as Mrs. B (Kimberley Queen), does an incredible job of consistently making the audience laugh. All jokes aside, the love trance between Greg, every girl’s dream boy, and Tonya the loser was unbearably funny and easily my favorite part of the show. At one point the two love birds were magnetically drawn together across the stage which had the crowd in tears from laughter.

In order to frame specific scenes a letterbox would drop from the ceiling making it easier to catch the moment. Stobe and black lights were used frequently throughout the performance to show for lightening. As for the thunder, a gruesome sound system was in action for every bang, boom, crash and squeak.

With only three weeks of rehearsal for the show, the cast did a wonderful job portraying the bloodthirsty 80’s. According to Brian, the entire cast has worked for nonstop hours on end to perfect and it paid off. Although the cast may have put on a spectacular performance it couldn’t have been done without the help of gruesome sound effects, phony blood and guts. The false blood squirting into the audience had the spectators in an uproar of laughter as well as the many Regan jokes told and references to Patrick Swayze and other 80’s stars.

‘Sorority House of the Dead’ is part of a series that The Coterie at Night has put together. Their final show will be October 31 at the Living Room.