'Evil Dead the Musical' makes a bloody return

Evil Dead the Musical.

"Deadites" -- hard-core fans of Evil Dead the Musical -- will get a month's worth of splattering fake blood and outrageous laughs starting this weekend at the Valentine Theatre in Studio A Theatre.

What else can you expect when a group of college students accidentally unleashes an evil force that turns them into demons? Their only hope is Ash, a house wares' employee turned chainsaw-wielding demon killer played by Ryan Zarecki. The 2003 musical is based on the Evil Dead movie series -- The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, and Army of Darkness -- that started in 1981.

Since its debut in the back room of a small Toronto bar, it's become a cult classic. The show has been performed around the world. When it was performed last winter in Studio A the show was an instant hit.

"We started out with nine shows and those sold out before we even opened. We added another six and those sold out so we decided to bring it back in October," said James Norman, the director of both productions.

"It's just a fun night in the theater; there's nothing serious about it. It's very campy," he said.

Featured in the cast are Toledoans Eli Brickey as Linda, Wesley Grudzien as Scott, Lindsey Denham as Shelly, Kathryn Zarecki as Cheryl, Jeffrey King as Jake and Moose, Ann Steck as Annie, and Zach Lahey as Ed and Beaver.

Evil Dead the Musical, recommended for ages 16 and older, will be performed 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 28. at the Valentine Theatre in Studio A Theatre, 410 Adams St. Additional performances are 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Oct. 30. Tickets are $15. Information: 419-242-2787 or valentinetheatre.com.

'39 Steps'

ADRIAN -- Four actors play more than 100 characters in Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps opening Friday at the Croswell Opera House in Adrian.

Richard Hannay, played by Cody Robison, of Tipton, Mich., finds himself tangled in a web of espionage and murder as he races from London to Scotland to keep military secrets from being smuggled out of the country and to prove his innocence in this mystery that played on Broadway from 2008 to 2010.

Karl Kasischke and Nicholas Craig, both of Ann Arbor, along with Kat Bodie, of Luna Pier, Mich., complete the cast.

The 39 Steps will be performed 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Oct. 15 with 3 p.m. performances Sundays through Oct. 16 at Croswell Opera House, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian. Tickets are $20 adults, $18 seniors and students, and $12 children ages 12 and younger. Information: 517-264-7469 or croswell.org.

'Rebecca'

MONTPELIER, OHIO -- A housekeeper who revels in the memory of the late Mrs. de Winter taunts the second Mrs. de Winter in Rebecca opening at 8 p.m. Friday at the Montpelier Playhouse, Montpelier, Ohio.

Presented by Williams County Community Theater and directed by Crystal Bowers, of Bryan, Ohio, this murder/mystery/romance is based on the 1938 novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

Rebecca will be performed 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Oct. 15 at the Williams County Community Theater Montpelier Playhouse, 501 S. East Ave., Montpelier, Ohio. Additional performances are 2:30 Sunday through Oct. 16 and 8 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $15 for adults and children, $11 for seniors. Information: 419-636-6400 or 888-569-9228.

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Contact Julie Njaim at jnjaim@theblade.com.