Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Theatre Department, in collaboration with the LAB Theater Project, will present the premiere of Zombie Beach: The Musical on select dates March 30 through April 8 at the Mainstage Theatre at the HCC Ybor City Campus. This new musical is based on playwright John Cecil’s book, “Zombie Beach,” with original music and lyrics by musician Laura-Rebel-Angel.
In the 1960s, in an unknown beach town of Southern California, a group of teenagers spent a summer they would remember for the rest of their lives. When first conceived in 2012, this mashup musical brings together the 60s beach movies, zombies and punk rock to narrate a story about the love of the living and the hunger of the dead, along with the laughs, tears and lessons learned in a forgotten time on Zombie Beach.
Performances will run March 30-April 1 and April 6-8 at 7:30 p.m. On Saturdays, April 1 and 8, there will be an additional performance at 2 p.m.
General admission tickets are $20. Admission is free for HCC students, faculty and staff with valid ID. The box office opens an hour prior to the performance. Advanced tickets can be purchased at hccfl.edu/theatre.
The Mainstage Theatre is located in the Performing Arts Building on the Ybor City Campus at 1411 E. 11th Ave., Tampa, FL, 33605.
For more information, contact Suzanne DeVore at sdevore@hccfl.edu or Owen Robertson at owen@labtheaterproject.com.
For press review tickets, photo passes and interview requests, contact Angela Walters Eveillard at aeveillard@hccfl.edu.
About the Playwright:
John Cecil is a product of the Pinellas County Center for the Arts theatre program. Born and raised in the Tampa Bay Area, John moved to New York City after college. He’s lived there for the past 26 years, which is odd since he tells people he’s 27 years old. He’s had numerous plays (“Blackout,” “Liars,” “Hell’s Gate”), independent films (“Liars,” “Hell’s Gate”), a web series (“Debuffed”) and a sitcom pilot (“Alphabet City”) produced in New York City. He’s grateful to both Lab Theater Project and HCC for bringing his newest work to life. John is excited to be returning home to Florida with his mashup of the 1960s pop art, rock music and horror movies that he’s loved his entire life… a life of 27 years.
Laura Rebel-Angel started in the music business first as a DJ and then as a music promoter for punk and rock’n’roll bands. As the bands she promoted heard her sing and play the guitar, they coaxed her to join them on stage. In 2011, she formed the concept for Screamin’ Rebel Angels, a popular rock’n’roll revival band on the New York City local club circuit. Most recently, she joined author John Cecil to compose the lyrics and music for Zombie Beach: The Musical.
Hillsborough Community College serves more than 42,000 students annually at its five campuses located throughout Tampa Bay. For more information, visit hccfl.edu.
HCC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOS) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Hillsborough Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 3033-4097, by calling 404.679.4500 or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org). Visit
hccfl.edu/accreditation for more information.