KINGSTON — Mention vampires these days and many American teenagers think of brooding, glittery-skinned young people from Forks.
Kingston High School drama teacher Alison Roberts is banking on the public’s interest in that image, while at the same time presenting a more traditional version of the blood-sucking villain.
Beginning Oct. 23, the KHS Drama Club presents Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston’s 1927 rendition of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” at the Kingston High Commons. The production features a cast of eight, plenty of trick props and 90 minutes of campy suspense just in time for Halloween.
“I’m not sure if it was meant to be camp when it first came out, but at this point the vampire is so clichéd,” Roberts said. “It makes it fun to go to the source of all those things that have become so parodied. And of course we’re piggybacking on the whole vampire craze.”
The play will show four times, on Oct. 23, 24, 30 and 31, all at 7 p.m. Audience members are encouraged to wear costumes to the Halloween night performance, and will receive a free set of vampire teeth if they do so.
Although the audience knows Dracula’s secret — that he “vants to suck your blood” — Roberts said the play still has enough suspense and nostalgic value to keep spectators intrigued. And even with a largely dialogue-driven drama, Roberts believes her cast has the talent and experience to captivate the audience for the play’s duration.
“That’s always our job, to keep the audience’s attention,” said Kingston High senior Connor Delaney, who portrays Dracula. “It’s an old play, and back then they had different expectations. We all have to bring our energy to the stage.”
Acting in “Dracula” is a stretch for Delaney, who has played the bad guy before, but not to this extreme.
“I’m not used to playing a character this evil,” he said.
Co-star Jeremy Reed, who plays opposite Delaney as Professor Van Helsing, also challenged himself in “Dracula.” Reed said he is more accustomed to acting in light-hearted musicals.
“To me, the set seems heavy,” Reed said. “I’m used to dancing around and hopping around.”
Reed and Delaney studied various film versions of their characters before going to work on the play. Both said the old interpretations stuck closest to the original writings. Delaney listened carefully to Bela Lugosi’s natural Romanian accent to cultivate and perfect his own Dracula voice. Reed’s Van Helsing is not the action hero of recent film adaptations, but rather is more akin to a slightly snooty Sherlock Holmes, he said.
“He’s kind of like a chess player,” Reed said. “He’s planning his next move, and his move after that, and his move after that.”
Tickets for the KHS Drama Club’s production of “Dracula” are $9 for adults and $7 for students and can be purchased at the door.
