Singing zombies invade city

What can we do when zombies threaten to annihilate civilization as we know it? Sing! Austin, prepare to be "Bitten." Finally, a rock opera encompassing what we mere mortals cannot begin to comprehend: aliens raising the dead to rid the planet of humans.

"Bitten: A Zombie Rock Odyssey," co-written by Ian LeClair and Edie Harrelson and directed by LeClair, tells the story of a civilization going about its daily life, when aliens suddenly invade, bent on global devastation. The aliens resurrect the corpses of the deceased, intent on exterminating all human life, sparking a furor in the local Mormon Church. The congregation is convinced that the rapture is at hand - that is, until they are bitten by the zombies. Our hero is a bashful young man dealing with the realization of true love, counseled by his well-meaning friend.

When asked about the inspiration for the "Odyssey," LeClair responded, "[The Unbearables], of which I'm a member… really wanted to come together and write a lot of songs…together. We looked for a lot of things that inspired us… And one thing the band had always been about is having fun; it was very spur of the moment and fun." He added, "That movie 'Shaun of the Dead' had just come out and we all really liked it."

This will not be your run-of-the-mill after-school musical.

"You know, you have the classic, sort of Broadway tradition of musicals, then you have your 'Euro-big-spectacle things'… but what I've always had more fun with is the smaller, edgier…weirder stuff," LeClair said.

Incidentally, all of the music in the show was written by the Unbearables. The "Odyssey" promises to be great fun for the whole family and if you are into the cult musical scene you don't want to miss it. "Bitten: A Zombie Rock Odyssey, " runs Sept. 29 through Oct. 14 at the Dougherty Arts Center and Nov. 2 through Nov. 11 at Arts on the Real.