This Halloween season, the Arvada Center aims to breathe new life into Bram Stoker's classic tale of Victorian blood-sucking with “Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really.”
The play by Kate Hamill promises to surprise audiences with humor and unexpected elements.
"I thought it was very contemporary, and very new, and very fresh, really. (And) really funny, which I was not expecting," said Director Carolyn Howarth. "Most Dracula adaptations lean into the horror and sort of the gothic feel. And this has those elements, but really finds a lot of humor."
One twist: key figures have switched genders. Women now play the parts of the vampire hunter Van Helsing and Renfield, Dracula’s faithful, insect-eating servant, bringing a new dynamic to the familiar narrative.
In a show with lots of action and gore, as well as some titillating moments, the production team focused on creating a safe environment for the actors during intense scenes, while at the same time, ensuring the choreography met the story's needs.
The intimate scenes in this adaptation are far from conventional, noted Katrina Stelk, who both has roles in the play and the production's intimacy director.
"There's actually not a ton of romance," Stelk explained. "There's a lot more different kinds of motives in this play, which are really fun to play with. You're trying to get food, you're trying to eat this person. So you're using different tactics to get that."
With its blend of horror, humor and physicality, this version of "Dracula" aims to offer a theater experience unlike any other this Halloween season.
Howarth advises audiences to come with an open mind, ready for a vampire tale designed to defy their expectations.
“Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really” runs in the Arvada Center's black box theater through Nov. 3.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled the playwright's name. It has been updated.
Editor's Note: The Arvada Center is a sponsor of CPR News but has no editorial influence.
