By Dustin Meyer
Fall is a time of cool weather festivities and long standing traditions, be it reaping the harvest, Halloween or seeing Dracula at Actor's Theater. This year's production (adapted and directed by William McNulty and based on Bram Stoker's novel of the same name) is phenomenally entertaining. If it's gore you're after, Dracula holds the key to your bloody little heart. The tale revolves around a character similar (albeit not referenced) to Vlad the Impaler, Prince of Wallachia and Dracula, son of the Dragon who has lived hundreds of years as a vampire, feeding his immortality on the innocent blood of the unsuspecting. Dracula has developed a mysterious interest in Jonathan's fiancé, Lucy, and has lured her to his lair. With the assistance of Doctor Van Helsing, Jonathan sets out to save Lucy and rid the world of Dracula's evil.
Alex Morfas, playing the eccentric asylum madman, Renfield, brought more charm and satisfaction to his portrayal than did Tom Waits in the Francis Ford Coppola movie adaption (Bram Stoker's Dracula, 1992). Until now, the only dramatization of the novel I had ever seen was that film, and it left an unfortunately cornball impression. Actor's production resurrected my appreciation of Stoker's timeless tale. Rufio Lerma, portraying Count Dracula, gives a charismatic, saucy and suave performance. His intensity draws the audience deep into the dark clutches of McNulty's direction, which is chillingly combined with the toxic decadence of Bram Stoker's story. With no hesitation, I can say that the whole cast gives an arousing and passionate performance, from the oozing of blood to the shrillest screams. Not too shabby for the seventeenth consecutive season of Dracula at Actor's. The production is as fresh as the blood that its haunted antagonist spills.
I
can't
stress
enough
how
important
it
is
to
keep
places
like
Actor's
Theatre
supported,
especially
when
they
go
out
of
their
way
to
create
amazing
shows
year
after
year. Louisville is
fortunate
to
have
such
well
done
theater
in
its
proverbial
living
room.
Actor's
presentation
of
Dracula
certainly
starts
the
Halloween
season
off
on
its
best
foot,
if
not
on
a
downright
thrilling
one.
Once
the
cast
digs
its
teeth
into
the
rich
dialogue,
delivering
heroic
and
curdling
performances
to
Stoker's
masterpiece,
you
can't
help
but
cozy
up
to
the
idea
of
spending
a
cool
October
evening
with
the
delightful
cast
of
Dracula.
It's
when
the
theater
becomes
red-hued
and
dusty
and
you
can
almost
smell
the
adrenaline
sifting
from
heart-palpitating
panic
that
you
remember
why
you
love
to
see
the
tale
unfold
again -and
again.
Your
pulse
quickens.
Your
pupils
dilate.
Before
you
know
it,
the
curtains
close.
You
can't
help
clapping.
My
how
time
flies
when
your
inner
goth
is
having
fun!
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