MEDIA RELEASE
Contact:
Andrew Lloyd Baughman, Producing Artistic Director
andrew.baughman@landlesstheatrecompany.com
(301) 613-7133
Fringe Festival Publicist: Laura Gross,
202-558-7240, c: 202-255-2054,
laura@capfringe.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2008
Landless Theatre Company revives its World Premiere Production of Richard Hartley’s Rock Musical,
'Diamond Dead'
***Underground Zombie Rock Musical Resurrected for 2008 Capital Fringe Festival***
WASHINGTON, DC The Landless Theatre Company returns to the Capital Fringe with a new production
of 'Diamond Dead', a rock musical by Richard Hartley (Emmy Winning composer of 'The Rocky Horror
Picture Show’). The original screenplay by Brian Cooper ('Nymph') has been adapted for the stage by
Landless’ Artistic Director, Andrew Lloyd Baughman. The production is directed by Melissa Baughman
(LTC’s 'Night of the Living Dead' and ‘Batboy’). Performances will be held at the Warehouse Theatre
Mainstage.
“Horror fans still eagerly await developments in production of the George A. Romero film,” said
Baughman. “But the stage play lives on in DC! Most of our original cast is still with us, and the band has
been honing the music in underground venues for the past four years. We are thrilled to be given another
opportunity to bring “zombie-rock” to DC, and the Fringe attracts the perfect audience.”
The internationally based creative team includes Hartley, Cooper, Romero and Andrew Gaty, the Los
Angeles-based film producer of 'Diamond Dead'.
“Ordinarily we would have never looked at Washington as an outlet for this experiment,” said Gaty. “But
when Landless Theatre approached us with their ideas, we all thought ‘Why not?’ If this works, we will
continue to develop the stage version of 'Diamond Dead'. It has the potential to be as original and unique
and different as 'Rocky Horror' was in its day.”
‘Diamond Dead’ centers around a garage rock band that dies in a “tragic subwoofer accident,” only to be
brought back to life as cannibal zombies through a special arrangement with Death. Preying on the
public's thirst for the unusual and unknown, the band uses their “undead” status to achieve rock
superstardom (and a few meals along the way).
The original Landless production was presented at DCAC in 2004, where it developed a local cult
following. Surrounded by controversy involving depiction of a “pot smoking Jesus,” ‘Diamond Dead’ also
spurred an online petition to ban the play by UK Christian Activist Scott Morrison, and an online debate
between Morrison and Baughman.
The 2008 Fringe revival is directed by Landless resident director Melissa Baughman. It also features a
new scenic design by resident designer Jared Davis (Lobsterboy), and the principal cast includes Rachel
Anne Warren of ‘Gunwife Gone’ (one of Baltimore’s five top drawing bands).
“Fans of our original production won’t be disappointed,” said Melissa Baughman, “Just be prepared for
more set, more rock and more blood and gore than you have seen, yet!”
Diamond Dead runs July 12-26, 2008, at the Warehouse Theatre Mainstage located at 1021 7th St. NW.
Performances are:
• Saturday, July 12 at 4:30 PM
• Friday, July 18 at 9:30 PM
• Thursday, July 24 at 6:00 PM
• Friday, July 25 at 10:00 PM
• Saturday, July 26 at 12:00 PM
Tickets cost $15 and are available through the Capital Fringe website: www.capfringe.org.
Visit www.landlesstheatrecompany.org for more information or to view the Diamond Dead Promo video.
About Landless Theatre Company: The Landless Theatre Company is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
dedicated to infusing vitality into the local arts by producing exciting and accessible alternative theatre to
generate new and diverse audiences. More information and production history online at
www.landlesstheatrecompany.org
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