Bluegrass Players Seek the Living and the Undead for Zombie Night! The Musical 🧟

Some people join community theater because they love to sing, some want to act, and others simply want to meet new people or try something they have not done since high school. There is, however, a unique group of people who may have a strange talent for walking slowly, groaning loudly, and looking as if they have not slept in several hundred years. All of them may find a perfect place in Zombie Night! The Musical.

The Bluegrass Players will hold open auditions for this spooky comedy musical on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at The Spotlight Playhouse, located at 214 Richmond Road in Berea. Auditions are open to performers ages 11 through adult, with regular rehearsals scheduled for Sundays and Wednesdays. As Spotlight’s resident community theater troupe, the Bluegrass Players run open and competitive auditions with no participation fees, and actors do not need to be enrolled in Spotlight Acting School to audition.

A small disclosure belongs here: I am writing this article for BereaOnline, and I will also be directing the production. That means I am wearing both the editor’s visor and the director’s cap. It also means I have a very good reason for encouraging people to audition. We need a large, lively cast to bring this production to life.

A Show With Room for Many Performers 🎭

One of the best things about Zombie Night! is its large and flexible cast. The script, published by Pioneer Drama Service, lists a cast of about twenty-five performers with distinct roles for men and women, several gender-neutral parts, an optional chorus, and multiple opportunities for actors to play more than one character.

This means the show needs far more than just a handful of leading actors. The stage will be filled with high school students, street kids, ghostly backup singers, lost hikers, a farmer, a deputy, a nurse, a mad doctor, and a growing crowd of zombies.

The official audition notice makes one point especially clear: Spotlight needs a massive army of the undead. Additional performers can easily be added as students or zombies, making this a great production for people who want to join a musical but may not be ready to carry a large speaking or singing role. Every zombie helps create the strange, comedic world of the show, and every student adds life to the party, at least until the zombies arrive.

What Happens in the Show? 🎶

Zombie Night! The Musical is a comedy thriller written by Tim Kelly, with music by Bill Francoeur and lyrics by Scott DeTurk. The story follows four high school students placed in charge of Zombie Night, their annual senior class party. In search of the ultimate spooky venue, they choose an abandoned farmhouse located right next to an old graveyard.

As party locations go, this choice should probably have raised a few immediate concerns. A local farmer warns the students to stay away, but the party planning continues regardless. Before long, strange things begin happening around the property, and the dead start leaving the cemetery. The musical pays a fun, affectionate tribute to classic zombie films, combining doo-wop music, physical comedy, group numbers, dancing, spooky makeup, and plenty of Halloween mayhem.

Singing, Reading, and Moving 🎤

People auditioning for a leading role should prepare a brief song to perform. The audition will also include cold readings directly from the script, meaning no prepared monologues are required. Because the show includes large group numbers and ensemble choreography, auditioners may also be asked to take part in light movement or dance. Performers should wear comfortable clothes and athletic shoes that allow them to move safely.

No one should stay home because they do not consider themselves a trained dancer. A movement audition is simply designed to help the director see how individuals listen, follow directions, work with a group, and respond to music. It does not mean every performer must arrive ready to perform a Broadway-style dance break. Some roles require strong singers, some need good comic timing, and others need actors who can create large and unusual characters. The audition is the perfect place to discover where each performer may fit.

A Welcoming Place to Try Community Theater 🤝

Walking into an audition room can feel intimidating, even when the show itself is supposed to be funny. Experienced actors get nervous too, and newcomers often worry that everyone else in the room will already know one another. People worry about singing the wrong song, forgetting their lines during a cold reading, or looking silly during a dance combination.

The truth is that community theater depends entirely on new people walking through the door. A cast cannot grow if the troupe only uses the same actors every season. The Bluegrass Players actively bring together adults, teenagers, experienced veterans, and people appearing onstage for the very first time.

Participants regularly travel from Berea, Richmond, Mount Vernon, Lexington, and communities throughout Central Kentucky to take part. While they begin as individuals on audition day, over several weeks of rehearsal they learn music, practice scenes, help one another, solve problems, and become a tight-knit cast. That creative process is one of the most important parts of community theater. Opening night is the result, but the community itself is built during rehearsals.

Rehearsals and Scheduling 🗓️

Regular rehearsals for Zombie Night! The Musical will be held on Sundays and Wednesdays. That schedule gives the cast plenty of time between rehearsals to study lines, practice music, and review choreography, while still keeping the production moving steadily toward its October opening.

Actors should review the complete rehearsal and performance schedule before accepting a role, as a musical requires regular attendance. The cast must learn lines, vocal parts, choreography, and scene changes as a single, coordinated group, meaning every performer depends on their castmates being present and prepared.

Actors should also expect extra evening rehearsals during the final week before opening. This is often called tech week, and it is when the cast, lighting, sound, costumes, scenery, and backstage work are integrated into the finished show. These final rehearsals will take place on several consecutive evenings. Anyone interested in auditioning should bring a complete list of possible scheduling conflicts. Being transparent about scheduling at the beginning helps the director plan rehearsals efficiently and make informed casting decisions.

The Zombies Have Been Here Before 🧟‍♂️

This will not be Spotlight’s first production of Zombie Night!. The musical was previously performed at The Spotlight Playhouse on November 3, 4, and 5, 2023. At the time, local tourism listings promoted the show as a highly entertaining doo-wop tribute to classic horror films, drawing enthusiastic crowds for its weekend run. Pioneer Drama Service also lists Spotlight Acting School among the prominent organizations that have successfully produced the musical.

Bringing the show back for the 2026 season does not mean simply recreating the 2023 staging. The 2026 cast will include a diverse mix of performers from age 11 through adult. Having teenage actors working directly beside experienced adults will naturally create a different comedic rhythm, energy, and style. A brand-new cast will also bring fresh vocal styles, different physical humor, unique timing, and new personalities to the story. That remains one of the absolute joys of live theater: the words and songs may remain the same, but the show transforms completely when new people step into the roles.

Opportunities Offstage 🎨

Not everyone who wants to participate in local theater wants to perform under the lights. A musical filled with rising zombies requires a massive team working behind the scenes. The production will require volunteers to assist with costumes, props, set construction, lighting, sound, hair, makeup, concessions, and front-of-house ushering.

The zombie makeup can be especially fun for creative volunteers who enjoy experimenting with theatrical wounds, pale faces, dark eyes, and other spooky effects. Community members who are interested in helping backstage are encouraged to contact The Spotlight Playhouse even if they do not plan to audition. The audience sees the actors, but the actors know that the show would never happen without the dedicated crew standing in the wings.

Audition Details 📌

Walk Through the Door 🚪

No one has to arrive at auditions already knowing which part they want to play, as that is exactly what the audition process is designed to help discover. Come prepared to read, sing if you are seeking a leading role, and move with the group. The Bluegrass Players are ready to welcome students, singers, character actors, a mad doctor, and a small army of the undead. The hardest part of the process is walking through the front door; after that, shuffling like a zombie should be easy.

About the Author 👤

Chad Hembree serves as the Executive Director of Spotlight Acting School, The Spotlight Playhouse, and Spotlight Performing Arts. A resident of Berea, Kentucky, and a former member of the Berea Council, he has spent decades working in community theater, arts education, and local journalism. Since 1995, he has operated BereaOnline.com, focusing on local news, civic issues, and stories that highlight community collaboration and grassroots efforts across Madison County.

Related Stories 🔗

• Two Shakespeare Shows Are Coming to The Spotlight Playhouse: One for Teens and One for the Wider Community
• Finally A Broadway Revue Brings Broadway Dreams to Life at The Spotlight Playhouse
• The Spotlight Playhouse Presents Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR.

Upcoming Community & Theater Events 📅

• July 31 – August 9, 2026: Seussical the Musical (Spotlight Acting School students ages 14 to 18) at The Spotlight Playhouse.
• July 31 – August 8, 2026: Wolves of Sherwood (The Bluegrass Players) at The Spotlight Playhouse.
• August 14–23, 2026: Puffs: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic (Spotlight Acting School, Young Wizards version) at The Spotlight Playhouse.
• August 28 – September 6, 2026: Sense and Sensibility… and Margaret (The Bluegrass Players) at The Spotlight Playhouse.
• September 18–27, 2026: Salem’s Daughter (The Bluegrass Players) at The Spotlight Playhouse.
• October 2–11, 2026: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (The Bluegrass Players comedy-mystery dinner show) at The Spotlight Playhouse.
• October 23 – November 1, 2026: Zombie Night! The Musical (The Bluegrass Players) at The Spotlight Playhouse.

Sources 🧾

This article originally appeared on BereaOnline.com – your home for Madison County news, community events, and local updates.