Middle Schoolers Star in 'Pom Pom Zombies' This Week

The Hasbrouck Heights community is in for a real treat this week when the Middle School players take their musical production of "Pom Pom Zombies" to the stage.

This fun and upbeat show is filled with lots of comedy, silly songs and yes, like the title of the show suggests, there definitely will be some zombies too.

The high school's very own Erin Schneeweiss once again produces and directs the show, which she has been doing for both the middle and high school for about 25 years now. She is once again joined by fellow high school teacher Michele Fernades in putting on this production.

Schneeweiss says this is a really fun show which is a silly take on the beach party movies from back in the 1960s that would star Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon.

The story involves groups of teens at the start of the summer who are all getting ready to spend it at their favorite hangout Betty's Beach Club. There's the cool cheerleaders, the nerds, the Beatniks, the jocks, and the tough girl gang Barracudas.

When the head cheerleader Cindy Sue accidently eats radioactive waste instead of pickle relish, she turns into a zombie and the rest of the groups have to work together to stop the zombie attacks.

The show is filled of funny songs like "Don't Touch the Hair" sung by the super cool head football player and the hysterical love song of "I Could Never Bite You" which the head cheerleader who turns into a zombie sings to her boyfriend.

Quite a large cast of 65 middle schoolers are participating in the show, nearly twice as many as last year, Scheeweiss said, with more boys particpating as well.

Cameron Fontano plays head cheerleader Cindy Sue and Nico Sardano plays Roger, the boyfriend of Cindy Sue, said Schneeweiss. Justin Ronaldi plays Zeke the cool football player and Cat Castellanos plays Weenie the nerdish waitress at the beach club.

The main cast also consists of Ariana Sardano who plays Spike the leader of the Barracudas, Lauren Cappadona who plays Ivana Ratnik the head villian who owns the power plant next door to the beach club and Caela Garden plays Wanda the psychic.

Schneeweiss says it's always fun working with the kids especially when it's their first production. She says she really reached out to the kids this year visiting activity periods explaining to them what the show is all about and it got a lot of kids to come out and get involved.

Performances are Wednesday, Dec. 5 and Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kiefer auditorium at the middle school/high school.

'Like' Patch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Did you know you have a chance to win $100,000 for your school district? Enter the Patch Deck the House contest by uploading a photo of your decorated home for a chance to win money for the schools and some money towards your own electric bill. Find out more here.