“As we mark the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first authorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s seminal vampire novel, we seek to peel back a century’s worth of imagery and mythology that has built up, layer upon layer, around this iconic character. So much of what we think of when we hear the name ‘Dracula’ comes not from Stoker’s novel but from subsequent plays, films, and television productions,” says script adaptor Chris Iannacone. “Our goal is to approach this story without the baggage of those interpretations, as if it was a newly-discovered text, and in doing so, bring a freshness and vibrancy to this classic tale of horror.”
The story follows a lawyer, Jonathan Harker, as he travels to the Carpathian Mountains to visit Count Dracula in his castle to help him purchase a home near London. While there, Harker observes strange and terrible goings on in the castle. The Count then abandons his home and Harker to travel to England. Upon his arrival, Dracula begins to stalk the land as a bloodsucking vampire, picking off some close to Harker. Included among them is his fiancée, Mina Murray. Jonathan Harker, after much trial and tribulation, returns to England, where he and his comrades begin the hunt for the Count. Their travails take them from London back to Romania and the climactic battle in the shadow of Castle Dracula. Audiences will be on the edge of their seats for this Gothic tale.
“We’re very excited to be working with Chris again. He’s collaborated with us on three scripts now, and we’ve been very pleased with the results each time. He knows how important the original text is to us and our mission, and that’s key to the type of play we produce,” says CTC Executive Artistic Director John Johnston. “I’m so thrilled to bring horror to the CTC stage. And such an iconic character in Count Dracula too. The traditional source material take we are going to have with him will make him feel fresh to our audiences.”
Directed by Blake Weir, who most recently assistant directed The School for Scandal and The War of the Worlds for Classical Theatre Company. He last appeared on the CTC stage when he portrayed Marius/Radius/Primus in R.U.R.