Sacramento Gets Its Own Singing, Dancing Vegan Zombie Musical

 

Sacramento is getting an unusual addition to its film history: a full-length musical featuring singing, dancing—and vegan zombies.

Multimedia artist Belton Mouras Jr. is bringing his imaginative creation Fingers: The Vegan Zombie Musical to the big screen, expanding his 2024 short film Fingers: The World’s First Vegan Zombie into what is being billed as Sacramento’s first original musical feature.

Shot throughout the Sacramento region, the film combines comedy, music, dance and an eclectic cast of performers. Mouras Jr. wrote the screenplay, composed 12 original songs, is directing the film and stars as the title character, Fingers.

The feature grew out of the success of the original short and two choreographed song-and-dance videos, which have accumulated more than three million views. The new film takes that concept considerably further, creating a musical world where zombies are learning to live—and contribute—to society without eating meat.

The cast reflects the film's anything-goes musical approach. Broadway performer Grace Field joins Sacramento opera vocalists Omari Tau and Vanessa Martucci in an “Opera Rock Hop” number combining opera, rock and hip-hop. Two-time Emmy Award-winning jazz musician Tony Saunders and Billboard-charting flutist Althea René also make cameo appearances.

Another ambitious sequence was filmed in a downtown Sacramento warehouse, bringing together K-pop performer Sean Choi, I-pop artist Lav Raman and their dance teams for a combination dance-off and rap battle. The sequence also incorporates a six-member mariachi folklórico ensemble and a featured vocal performance by co-lead Rachel Williams.

With 12 original songs spanning hip-hop, pop, jazz, rock and country, Mouras Jr. is using the film as a showcase for multiple musical styles while expanding the Fingers story into a larger cinematic world.

For Mouras Jr., the project is also a distinctly Sacramento production. Locations including Auburn, Gibson Ranch and the Apple Hill region provided settings for the film, continuing the local connection established by the original short.

“I’ve been grateful for the incredible opportunity to also play the lead role of Fingers and bring the character to life,” Mouras Jr. said, describing the project as a way of bringing multiple creative platforms together into one cinematic experience.

The film is another chapter in an unusually busy year for the classically trained musician. Mouras Jr. recently released the contemporary jazz instrumental “Dynamo,” featuring nine-time GRAMMY nominee Gerald Albright on saxophone and Saunders on bass. He also released his first country single, “Hold My Hand With Your Heart.”

Meanwhile, the Fingers musical has already begun making its way into the music world. Last year, Mouras Jr. released “What A World (We Live In),” the opening song-and-dance number from the film, accompanied by a video featuring 25 dancers performing in Sacramento.

With its mix of zombies, original music, elaborate choreography and Sacramento locations, Fingers: The Vegan Zombie Musical is shaping up as a decidedly unconventional musical—and a project with a distinctly local identity.