A film George A. Romero made before he ever conjured a ghoul has been found, restored, and booked for its public premiere. Expostulations, Romero’s 1962 debut short, was long believed lost after its elements were reportedly destroyed in a basement flood. Surviving 16mm footage has now been unearthed and restored by the George A. Romero Foundation (GARF), which describes it as a remarkable time capsule of colour footage shot in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District, featuring a cast made up largely of local Black actors.
Expostulations will have its world premiere as the centrepiece of A Night at the Symphony, a one-night-only event celebrating Romero’s career, on March 26, 2027, at 7:30 p.m. at the Byham Theater in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. The venue carries its own eerie resonance for Romero devotees: under its former name, the Fulton, it hosted the 1968 premiere of Night of the Living Dead.
The screening will be accompanied by a new score composed by Christian Kriegeskotte, commissioned by GARF and performed live to picture by the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh. The programme also includes an opening overture titled Beyond the Living Dead and reimagined music drawn from Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Martin and Knightriders, along with what organizers are billing only as “a host of surprise guests.” The event is presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.
Tickets are on sale now through TrustArts.org, by phone, or in person at the Theater Square Box Office. VIP packages adding a post-concert meet and greet, a T-shirt, a signed poster and a signed copy of the Amusement Park graphic novel are also available; the Foundation has not published pricing for general admission or the VIP tiers.
