"Heart of the Megalopolis"

Disco Funk Dinner Theatre in Smithville Including a Benefit Performance

Disco Smithville in the mid-1970's is invaded by funkadelic-alien-zombies from another planet. It's a musical! Assignment Terror (Zombies in Smithville!) a dinner theatre written and directed by john daniels, jr. (sic) premiers at Playhouse Smithville October 19 and plays October 20, 26, 27 and November 2, and 3, with a special benefit performance on Thursday, October 25. Proceeds go to the Veterans Memorial Park and Serenity Star.

Assignment Terror is set in a bucolic Smithville of the 1970’s where the opening of Mr. Ed’s Uni-sex Hair Salon is big news. Suddenly, 1950’s style alien-zombies crash land and turn the peaceful disco town into a nightmarish funk music colony. Three teenagers, a starving musician and the owner of the local toilet paper company save the day. It’s song, dance, comedy, dinner and zombies for Halloween and beyond.

Starring as the Alien Zombies are Lisa and Zoe Picciandra and Cheyenne Lambert who doubles as the show’s choreographer. The zombies are driven to their task by the Telosian General Eros played by Steve Haight who also plays Mr. Ed, the town barber turned 70’s hair stylist. Making a special guest appearance via film are Lana and Kris Benavidez of San Antonio as The Supreme Alien Leader Pathosdiviantus and her royal concubine.

The heroes are played by local teens Geoffery Goerlitz, Kayla Jo Williams, Sydney Hight and teen at heart Jim Woodruff playing H. Clarence Arbuckle III, the owner of the local toilet paper company. They team up with the quintessential musician Maynard played by Matt Torrez to drive the aliens back into space and save the human race. Matt is the co-musical director for Assignment Terror.

Recent Playhouse Smithville director Jon-Michael Williford plays O. K. Smith the editor of the Smithville Times. Smith is joined by Playhouse newcomer Jessica Parks as Madley Sweet the new photographer. Smith and Sweet fall under the zombie influence along with Lori the local disco philosopher danced to life by Charla May Cason. Belinda Parsons as Alexis Behr the manager of Arbuckle Paper becomes a deadly raw meat eating songstress. Shelby Brown is Rhonda Raymond the first Smithvillian turned zombie who menaces the heroes and is subdued by funk music. Sam Blasco is Disco Tony the boy toy who charms the Aliens with his smooth jive and irresistible essence. April Daniels, co-musical director, plays Evenstar the B-list diva turned zombie siren. Jim Sanders adds a turn of paranoia as CK the conspiracy theorist and Kya Lambert joins the cast as the dancing imp Tracy who takes it all in and laughs it all off.

“Assignment Terror is a spoof of the bad Sci-fi horror movies of the late seventies,” says Playhouse Artistic Director daniels. “It is also a send up of the disco culture and a celebration of the innocence of the “me” decade. I was in Jr. High and High school and I took my turn with blow dried hair and platform shoes. This is all about having fun!”

The Playhouse has donated a special benefit performance to the Smithville Veteran’s Memorial Park and to Serenity Star to be performed on Thursday, October 25 with special pricing for that performance and all proceeds going to the two organizations. Tickets for that performance can also be purchased at the Playhouse website.

Dinner will be served at 6:30 and the show begins at 7:30. Dinner is served by Smithville’s own Comfort Café-Serenity Star. Spaghetti dinner and show are $20.00 or see the show only for $10.00. For tickets visit www.playhousesmithville.com or call 512-360-7397. “The whole world is a Playhouse.”