Gabby Rohrer –
This week the Menomonie Theatre Guild will perform the play Dracula written by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston. Directed by Kate Brophy, the play is a story of a young girl obtaining a mysterious illness which is investigated by Van Helsing, her father, and her fiance. They discover that she is one of Count Dracula’s victims, a vampire trying to prolong his life. Their goal then becomes to save the girl and stop Dracula.
“This is the earliest play version of Dracula that I know of and it is probably one of the most well-known. It is a fairly faithful version of the novel,” one of the play’s actors and University of Wisconsin-Stout professor, Dr. Kevin Drzakowski said. “The back of the script refers to Dracula as a sort of ghost. The description was written in a time where vampires weren’t in the public’s consciousness like they are now. Now everyone knows what a vampire is, there’s no need to explain what one is,” Drzakowski said.
The cast has been rehearsing four times a week for about a month. There are eight people in the cast, but over twenty people are involved in the play including those behind the scenes and on the set. “I have been involved in five plays with the Menomonie Theater Guild and they have all been pretty rewarding, and this is my first time playing a title role.” Erik Evensen, UW-Stout professor who plays Dracula said. “Anyone who is looking for some fun Halloween stuff to do for this month, will have a good time if they see this play.”
Dracula is being performed at the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts and opening night is October 12, 7:30 p.m. The show will also have performances at 7:30 p.m. on the 13th, 19th, 20th and matinee performances at 2:00 p.m. on the 14th and 21st. The tickets cost $15 for general adults and $13 for students, seniors and military.