Denise Devin

Director Denise Devin knows how to set a mood. Her one-hour Shakespeare adaptations condense the Bard's source material into compact, efficient theatre capsules that are perfect for those who want their Shakespeare short and sweet - or in this case, dark and bloody - with enough time left after the show to head out on the town.

It never ceases to amaze me how effectively the members of Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group can create an atmosphere in their incredibly intimate - make that tiny - black box. You would think a small space might limit their options but they have proven, over and over again, their innate ability to suggest time and place using even the simplest of objects.

A Steam-Punk chorus of cadaverous ghouls, zombified and singing Christmas carols in twitching harmony is about as far from traditional as you can get, and quite possibly the most satisfying prologue for A CHRISTMAS CAROL I've ever seen.

No matter what kind of a production ZJU Theatre Group is working on you can bet they'll throw themselves into it with everything they've got. Their latest, a dance performance piece called DANCING ON THE EDGE, is no exception. Staying true to their overall aesthetic of raw, creative, smartly crafted original works, it blends multiple styles of movement and dance to create an emotionally rich experience completely free of words.

All of its pieces add up to Shakespeare's Richard III but Zombie Joe's version directed by Denise Devin is certainly an oddball mix. Picture a thin, pale Duke of Gloucester (W. Lochridge O'Bryan) with hollow cheekbones and sunken eyes who looks to be barely out of his twenties, a Lady Anne (Anna Gillcrist) with the essence (and visual resemblance) of Julia Stiles, and a wild-eyed Margaret (Tina Preston) with the haunted look of the almost dead, and you get the idea.

If you haven't had the chance to catch up on your theater news, look no further than today's recap of all things theater - exclusive features, interviews, reviews and more! - around the Broadway World for the week of May 6!

Zombie Joe's Underground is getting ready to open RICHARD III on May 10 and what a wild ride it promises to be. The North Hollywood theatre company has become well-known for its action-packed, explosive adaptations of Shakespeare's classics and director Denise Devin is having a field day doing the research for this one.

Want to see another side of Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Company you might not expect? Take your kids to see THE TORTOISE & THE HARE MAKE A HOLIDAY WISH, brought to you by their companion theatre group, Limecat Family Theatre.

At BroadwayWorld we pride ourselves in showcasing theater content from all corners of the globe. Our regional contributors do an amazing job each day of bringing you the latest theater news in their cities and countries. Sit back and catch up on this week's regional reviews, features, interviews and more!

How does a theater company that produces some of the best Horror productions in Los Angeles one day decide to present original children's shows? You might be surprised. Director and writer Denise Devin talks about the humble beginnings of the Limecat Family Theatre and gives us the scoop on their latest holiday production, THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE MAKE A HOLIDAY WISH, opening December 2nd.

Shakespeare's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING gets the Zombie Joe treatment in director Denise Devin's 70-minute quasi-Commedia dell'arte confection that looks at the foibles of love with a winking eye.

Denise Devin deftly directs a fast-paced intermission-less HAMLET with authority and skill at Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre; a risk that pays off handsomely as the production explores one man's psychological descent into evil.

Brought up on The Carol Burnett Show and Saturday Night Live, I love sketch comedy. It makes its point rather fast, and if it's really, really funny, you don't have to be hit over the head more than once to buy into it. Zombie Joe's Underground (ZJU) Theatre Group in NoHo is specializing in some off-the-wall, upbeat sketches in their Christmas Thrills and High Adventure, now onstage Fridays at 11 pm through December 30.

Brought up on The Carol Burnett Show and Saturday Night Live, I love sketch comedy. It makes its point rather fast, and if it's really, really funny, you don't have to be hit over the head more than once to buy into it. Zombie Joe's Underground (ZJU) Theatre Group in NoHo is specializing in some off-the-wall, upbeat sketches in their Christmas Thrills and High Adventure, now onstage Fridays at 11 pm through December 30.

Zombie Joe's Underground presents their fast-paced, high-impact production of Shakespeare's passionate tragedy, about two star-cross'd lovers whose untimely deaths unite their feuding families.

FIRECAT PRODUCTIONS is delighted to announce that a new home has been found for ZOMBIE JOE'S adaptation of SHAKESPEARE'S A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. The previously postponed production has been rescheduled and will now open Sunday May 23rd at 7:00 pm at THE PLAYERS THEATRE LOFT.

FIRECAT PRODUCTIONS is delighted to announce that a new home has been found for ZOMBIE JOE'S adaptation of SHAKESPEARE'S A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. The previously postponed production has been rescheduled and will now open Sunday May 23rd at 7:00 pm at THE PLAYERS THEATRE LOFT.

FIRECAT PRODUCTIONS is pleased to announce of the opening a ZOMBIE JOE'S adaptation of SHAKESPEARE'S A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM beginning Thursday May 6 at 8:00 pm. The production open-ended production runs Thursdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 7 pm.

Firecat Productions has announced that Zombie Joe's adaptation of Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM has been postponed indefinitely. Firecat Productions is currently seeking an alternate performance space.