If there is one off-Broadway show to see this Halloween holiday season, you must make it “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors,” playing at New World Stages. This play is the hilarious work of Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, who have taken the story of Dracula and given it a sexy, bisexual, gender-bending bite that you will find delicious.
From start to finish, this show is non-stop laughs with its absolutely wild and zany script, and is some of the most fun you will have at the theater. If you thought you knew the story of Dracula, you are so wrong. You will want to sink your teeth into this version and drink up all the laughs, as much as you can tolerate, and be prepared to go on a journey that will have you in stitches.
In this play, Lucy’s father is a doctor who not only runs the asylum, but allows his patients the run of his home and his daughters to live among them. Sounds a little too crazy? You can’t imagine the creativity of this storyline.
This is truly an ensemble piece, since four of the five actors juggle multiple roles and do so with flair and great fun. James Daly has got to be one of the sexiest Draculas you will ever meet. (You may even want him to take a bite!) Jordan Boatman is absolutely hilarious as Lucy (and other characters), who is lustful and loves danger and adventure.
Ellen Harvey is without a doubt one of the fastest changing artists I’ve ever seen and she makes it all so funny! Her characters are gender-bending because she plays only men. What she does with putting on and taking off a wig and being a crazy man one moment and a devoted, eccentric father the next is astounding and hilarious.
Arnie Burton delivers one of the most wildly engaging performances you will see in the theater as Mina, Lucy’s homely sister, desperate for a man, who gestures suggestively at any man, only to find that she can’t even get Lucy’s rejects.
Burton also plays Ms. Van Helsing, in a gender-bending twist on the famous doctor. Once again, nontraditional casting is thriving in this production and you will love it. Andrew Keenan Bolger is delightfully adorable as Jonathan. (He’s even more adorable when he comes out in all leather, but I digress…)
Get ready to laugh your a– off when watching this production. Believe me, you will!
Every aspect of this show is dripping with laughter, quick changes, quick wits, and fun. It is stunningly directed by Greenberg. This is a play that the whole family can see and believe me, you will laugh until your head hurts as my family and I did.
The technical aspects of this production lend themselves quite well to setting the scene and the mood. Scenic and puppet design (yes, there are puppets) are by Tijana Bjelajac, costume design is by Tristan Raines, lighting design by Rob Denton, and original music and sound design are by Victoria Deiorio.
This play is so hilarious that you can see it before, during, and after Halloween. Get ready to let it take a bite out of your life!
For more info and for tickets, visit www.draculacomedy.com.
