New Dorp High School students to present ‘Zombie Prom’

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- It’s not common to include green body paint on your list of prom night necessities, but an exception is made for a group of New Dorp High School students.

The group is set to perform “Zombie Prom," a quirky off-Broadway musical, this Thursday and Friday at the school. The show comes just one week before the school’s actual prom.

Under the direction of Craig Stoebling, the show is musically directed by Steven Pepe. The pair has worked on the show for three months, in the hope that it’ll be the best time of the students “after life.”

“We’ve made it our own by making the music suitable for a 30-piece orchestra,” said Pepe. “It’s a rock musical that is just challenging enough where the students can get musical education, but it’s also fun.”

“It’s goofy and over-the-top and the kids are having a lot of fun with it,” he continued. “That’s all that really matters at the end of the day.”

ABOUT THE SHOW

“Zombie Prom” is a musical based on John Dempsey’s fictional story of a teenage boy that is brought back to life by the love of his high school sweetheart. The show centers around the romance and future endeavors of Enrico Fermi High School students Jonny and Toffee.

GET ZOMBIFIED

The process to turn New Dorp sophmore Noah Hijleh into a zombie involves green body paint, yellow face paint and a Morphe contour palette. Backstage crew used beauty blenders to color Hijleh’s character, who turns into a zombie in the play after an accident by a nuclear power plant.

A two-student team has five minutes between songs to complete the look.

“I feel good, I’m just afraid of getting paint in my mouth,'' Hojleh said backstage during the process. "That’s what I’m focused on right now.”

The New Dorp High School cast of “Zombie Prom” comprises Emily Giambrone (Toffee), Noah Hijleh (Jonny), Haley Holmes (Miss Strict), Michael Caruselle (Eddie Flagrante), Christina Herbert (Candy), Nicole Jasso (Coco), Florentina Gjonbalaj (Ginger), Thomas Grace (Josh), Justin Snyder (Joey), Marie Ferrezza (Toffee’s Mother), Alek Sleczkowski (Toffee’s Father) and Arianna Wiener (Ramona Merengue).

The show’s ensemble includes Mikey Camello, Dominic Ditre, Charles Esposito, Colin Gallagher, Mark Garel, Steven Gentiluomo, Arnold Lopez, Thomas Grace, Paul Rydell, Greg Santora, Justin Snyder and Alek Sleczkowski.

IF YOU GO TO THE SHOW...

“Zombie Prom” will be performed on Thursday, May 16 and Friday, May 17, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door and all are welcome. New Dorp High School is located at 465 New Dorp Lane.

Want a sneak peek at this mutated musical? Keep scrolling for more photos of the set and performances.