John Heimbuch
Writer, Actor, Director

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PLAYS

William Shakespeare's Land of the Dead

A True and Accurate Account of the Elizabethan Zombie Plague

London, 1599.  After the Globe's inaugural performance of Henry V, Shakespeare fends off an embittered Will Kemp, furious about Falstaff's removal, and Francis Bacon, who has arrived with an idea to pitch.  But when the company's costumer is bitten by a plague-ridden madman and the Queen and her men arrive seeking safety, life in the playhouse takes a turn for the worse.  As Affliction spreads through London, the Globe is quarantined and the survivors within must fight for their lives ... and for their art.  A comedic homage to zombie films and a carefully researched drama about Shakespeare and his authorship. CAST 9 men, 2 women, various extras (zombies, soldiers, players, etc). RUNTIME About 80 minutes. SELECTED REVIEWS "If there's one show that deserves to be resurrected after the Fringe, it's John Heimbuch's brilliant and hilarious zombies-meet-Shakespeare epic ... If you know Shakespeare, you'll be roaring as the show lampoons everything about the Bard and ludicrously reuses famous lines while the heroes battle invading zombies ... MUST SEE." - Renee Valois, Saint Paul Pioneer Press "John Heimbuch's script is witty, clever, peppered with self-referential humor and wonderful wordplay on some of the Bard's best lines. Every performance in the large cast is a standout. Do not miss this show!" - Brian Leehan, Minneapolis Star Tribune "Both Shakespeare and horror nerds will enjoy this brilliant Elizabethan production of bloody proportions, taking zombies into new and exciting terrain." - Ben Smith, Fangoria Magazine "If anything, the results are even better than they sound. Heimbuch's script is unerringly witty and unapologetically referential, and the performances are unabashedly crisp and fun. The undead are rarely so enjoyable." - Quinton Skinner, City Pages "A wild ride ... Mayhem rages throughout the streets in this well done zombie/Shakespeare mashup ... Walking Shadow manages to balance historic authenticity with zombie horror in a funny and clever manner." - Kate Iverson, The Rake PRODUCTION HISTORY Walking Shadow Theatre Company (MN Fringe Festival), Minneapolis MN, 2008 Plays & Players Theatre, Philadelphia PA, 2009 Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Cleveland OH, 2009 West Valley High School, Fairbanks AK, 2009 Edina High School, Edina MN, 2010   RECOGNITION/AWARDS Best attended show of the 2008 Minnesota Fringe Festival (of 156 productions) Centerpiece of Zombiedelphia Month in Philadelphia (March 2009) Finalist for the 2009-10 Playwrights' Center Jerome Fellowship LINKS Minnesota Fringe Festival (with audience reviews) Walking Shadow Theatre Company, Minneapolis Plays & Players Theatre, Philadelphia Click here to read a 10-page sample