FCT starts its 64th season with a musical spoof, “Dracula: The Musical?” directed by Tracy Armentrout who is making her directorial debut. Just as the question mark implies, audiences will be a bit perplexed at seeing a musical comedy version of a Dracula story however this delightful spoof of the classic horror tale is an unparalleled romp from start to finish.
Set in the 1800’s in London, the action takes place in the Seward’s family home and business, which happens to be a madhouse or aka a “looney bin.” Daughter Mina laments over the disappearance of her fiancée Johnathon who has not returned from his meeting with Count Dracula in Transylvania. Johnathon was sent there to try to sell the Count the lovely castle across the swamp from the Steward Madhouse.
The seductive Count soon arrives after being invited for dinner by Mina’s parents, the jovial, but stuffy, Dr. Sam Steward and his fluttery wife Sophia, where the dinner party also includes unmarried New Jersey family friend Bubu Padoop & residential looney, and Gypsy bug eater, Boris Renfield. When left alone with Mina Dracula clearly starts to work his magic to make the naive Mina his for all eternity but is stopped short when Nelly the Maid enters to announce dinner. Dr. Van Helsing, the self-righteous German Dr. who has been searching for Dracula to exterminate him, soon pays a visit & tries desperately to convince the others of Dracula’s evil and what will happen to Mina if they don’t act.
Will Mina succumb to the suave and seductive Count? Will Bubu find out why Boris’ travelogues get everyone in a frenzy? Will Van once and for all force the demise of Count Dracula? Will Johnathon ever be found again? Come to FCT to find out where “Dracula: The Musical?” will be playing the two weekends prior to Halloween, i.e. October 18 – 20 & 25 – 27.