Napa Valley College Performing Arts

Meet Emerald McDonnell, also known as Ben in Night of the Living Dead: The Rising live streaming tonight at 7pm! "Upon my first viewing of Night of the Living Dead I was instantly inspired by the social implications of the film, particularly how Ben's character maneuvered through this multi-layered, terrifying situation. Jennifer and her team did an amazing job helping me explore all of the facets of Ben's story as a strong and straightforward but also sweet and compassionate Black woman. I love that I've been able to find the Ben in me and the me in Ben." Stream at PerformingArtsNapaValley.org.

Napa Valley College student, Martina Sanchez, is playing Johnny in Night of the Living Dead: The Rising tomorrow, Thursday October 29 at 7pm. Visit PerformingArtsNapaValley.org to stream! "What I love most about the production is how inclusive it is. Contrary to the original movie, this production isn't as strict with gender, ethnic/racial background, and the like; which I feel represents modern America in a very realistic way. It makes this era specific movie modern in a way... that respects the original script and embraces the wonderful American citizens of today. It also shows me how amazing our own theater program is and how creative our director can be. We all trust each other in this cast and every rehearsal makes it more and more clear that we push each other artistically in a very healthy way. There are bumps in the road, but everyone is learning how to roll with them and learn from them together, which will ultimately help put together a fantastic production." See more

Meet Cierra Olivarez, aka "Judy" in Night of the Living Dead: The Rising. "I love how we are taking on a classic horror movie and doing a fresh new take of it that is different than what we are used to seeing. What I love most about the theater program at NVC is the sense of having this big family who is passionate about creativity, the work that goes into doing something big like this, and loves laughing with each other." Watch the live performance tomorrow, Thursday, October 29 at 7pm. Visit PerformingArtsNapaValley.org for details and to stream.

Meet Jeff Bristow, playing Fire Chief in Night of the Living Dead: The Rising. We asked Jeff what he loves most about this production... "I am a life-long fan of all horror movies. So when this opportunity came up, I really wanted to be part of this in some way. Since I figured they already had a Stage Manager (which is usually what I do) I figured, if I could find a small enough part, that I would give acting another shot. I'm glad I did."

Night of the Living Dead: The Rising a harrowing tale of cannibalistic corpses and survival. The cast features Napa Valley College students, alumni and community members. This week, we'll start introducing you to the victims... Psst your donations help us make performances low cost or free to the public. Support us at bit.ly/2Tog1BZ

As Night of the Living Dead: The Rising approaches, it's best to be prepared. See the CDC zombie preparedness tips below Zombie Kit Emergency Plan... Tell us if you have anything to add in the comments!

A look at Night of the Living Dead: The Rising from Napa Valley Register. Check out who's in the cast, inspiration for the script and what to expect from this thrilling production.

"I am really passionate about giving the audience the feeling they are watching so much more than just a Zoom play. I want to allow the new technology to lift us from that confined space and allow us to be taken to different locations and times." - Kevin Kemp from The Streaming Theatre

Night of the Living Dead: The Rising, a cult classic film retold with a script that lives in dialogue with today. Live streaming on October 29 at 7pm. Learn more at PerformingArtsNapaValley.org. Photo: Pilar Gonzalez as Helen

Matthew Cowell, Napa Valley College Performing Arts technical director, is live streaming tonight at 7pm with The Streaming Theatre to discuss what makes good sound design, how to get started in the industry and more!

They're coming... Night of the Living Dead: The Rising showing October 29. Learn more at PerformingArtsNapaValley.org.

Are you a student or professional interested in using sound design to your fullest potential? This is the event for you! Join us on Thursday, September 17th at ...7pm PST (10PM EST) as we discuss the basics of sound design for both theatre and film. Sound Design for Theatre and Film with Matthew Cowell We will be joined by Matthew Cowell who has been a sound designer in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years. He is the Technical Director for Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center, as well as an accomplished recording engineer, sound engineer, fight director, actor, and drummer with a Bachelor’s degree in Theater and Performance Studies from UC Berkeley and a Master’s degree in Theology and Film Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. Be sure to check out Sound Design for Theatre and Film with Matthew Cowell on Facebook! We hope to see you there!