RECOMMENDED FOR: Lower/Middle Secondary Students
A PLAY TO: read, read aloud, study, perform excerpts and scenes, use as a stimulus for creating, produce
FWAYMTZOT is a play that I wrote to empower younger actors. There are roles that are meant to challenge young performers who are both experienced and inexperienced. There’s a few things that I think are key when looking at the play; character, tension, playfulness and bravery. For the smaller parts, be bold and have fun. Make big choices. Silly choices. Epic choices. It’s about getting the imagination running wild. For the bigger parts, it’s a chance to go into the given circumstances of the character. What are they scared of? What do they want most in the world? Why are they outsiders? But most importantly it’s a play for young actors to have fun with and feel like they can own it. Have a ball with it! – Matthew Whittet, Playwright
CAST: 9F, 11M – doubling can occur – and there are many zombies in the play
STYLES: Comedy, heightened, drama
THEMES AND CONCEPTS: Friendship, Halloween, zombies, “a few scary scenes”
CURRICULUM LINKS: The Arts – Drama, Theatre Studies, English/Literacy, Science, General Capabilities
SYNOPSIS: It’s not easy being young and smart.
Alex is a twelve-year-old with a keen eye and a wit to match. She’s been watching everyone at school for the last few days like an eagle… or maybe a hawk, and something’s not right. Everyone is acting weird. They’re all starting to say the same things, wear the same clothes, do bad dance routines in the corridors for no reason at all and meet up after school to drink decaf-mocha-latte-soy-frappucions. The writing’s on the wall. She knows what’s happening. They’re all turning into zombies. In fact, it’s the Night of the Zombies – that fateful occurrence that happens once every 200 years. Alex and her buddies know what to do, they’ll have to fight with all their might the zombies of tonight.
STAGING: So many staging opportunities for this play, especially make-up and hair for the zombies. The play moves around to multiple locations so consider how lighting and sound can be used effectively. Sound features quite prominently in the play. Creating some of the props will be fun including the ‘poo-like’ portal for the zombies. A play that invites performers and designers to make some imaginative choices
ADDITIONAL LINKS: ATYP – Zombies Program
