Students in the makeup and costume department prepare to bring their horrifically fantastic ideas and creations to life for everyone to see at this semester’s theater production of “Night of the Living Dead.”

The Moorpark College theater department will be putting on the 1960’s classic this coming October and anticipation on campus has been mounting since the beginning of the semester.

With such a grand production, a big part of preparing for this show is perfecting the horrific zombie faces and Haleh Risdana, faculty head of the makeup and costume department, is ecstatic to be working in every part of the field for the show.

“I think [the students for both departments] are doing such an amazing job,” said Risdana. “Seeing their passion and hard work being put into the show really amazes me. They’re growing not just as students, but also into their own person.”

The students are full of excitement as opening night gets closer and with such an elaborate show, these fantastic actors, actresses, and amazing crew members are working hard to help put everything together.

Jordan Oss, 19-year-old theatre arts major, says she can’t wait to have all her hard work pay off for the play.

“Being able to work with clay and create our own molding for certain parts of the areas to be placed on the face is very exciting,” says Oss. “It’s definitely something that challenges my ability for the detailing, but to be able to work on this production is so much fun.”

Oss’s expressions were very lively while working on her pieces, trying not to lose the formation of the clay being put and held together.

For Paola Soliz, 18-year-old history major, who is also minoring in costume design, being a part of the department and helping out with the makeup and costumes is like having the best of both worlds.

“I like to have a bit of everything,” says Soliz. “My main focus is working with costumes and makeup so it can help me strengthen my skills in both areas. I love to experiment with the clothes of all the different styles they provide for us, and with the makeup too.”

For Soliz, it allows her to not only work on her craftsmanship and improve her skills in makeup and costume design, but also help her land great job opportunities from her experiences that she’s gaining through this process.

Friends and family will be able to show their moral support for all the hard work that is being conducted for this production as well as be in awe of the cosmetic work in October when the “Night of the Living Dead” truly comes alive.

The Moorpark College theatre department will be putting on the 1960’s classic from Oct. 13-15 and Oct. 20-23, including two matinee performances on Oct. 16 and 23.