WILMINGTON — A classic vampire tale is getting a fresh dose of humor and horror as Thalian Association Community Theatre brings Steven Dietz’s adaptation of “Dracula” to the Thalian Hall stage.
The play, with director Joshua Zieseniss at the helm, is an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel “Dracula,” following Count Dracula and his interactions with the residents of Victorian England as they try to piece together who this otherworldly being is. They undergo paranoia-induced fear at Dracula’s hand, with both unexpected psychological and physical transformations. Dracula eventually flees to his castle in Transylvania where a group hunts him down to kill him.
Stoker’s story is known for its gothic-horror melodrama and follows a chronological sequence, while Dietz’s play engages in flashbacks and sudden scene shifts to evoke tense drama and heightened suspense. Dietz’s rendition also brings levity to the story, blending humor and horror to paint the picture of the vampire — but that doesn’t mean it’s not without blood. In fact, there is a lot of blood.
Thalian Association’s production has cast Corey Ahlers as Count Dracula, a fan of the story’s many famed adaptations. Ahlers told Port City Daily he appreciates the minimal effects, pacing of the story and how it was able to capture terror in Bela Lugosi’s 1931 movie. In Gary Oldman’s performance as the Count in 1992’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” Ahlers loved how the vampire was — well, a vamped up, more glamorous and elaborate version of Lugosi’s film.
In preparation for the Dietz play, the local actor studied several iterations to take on the persona of someone who isn’t constrained by humanity or morality — but rather is a selfish monster, who seeks power and will do anything to quench his thirst.
“He is blinded from any thoughts of consequence or sympathy,” Ahlers explained, noting he watched films like 1979’s “Salem’s Lot” and its 1987 sequel, “A Return to Salem’s Lot,” plus 1994’s “Interview with the Vampire” and 1984’s “Transylvania 6-5000.”
He also studied many famed Draculas, from 1958’s Christopher Lee to 1979’s Frank Langella to 1974’s Jack Palance.
“The most fun has been finding ways to use the recognizable tropes in an appropriate way for effect and nostalgia,” he said.
This is Ahlers’ first time taking on the centuries-old, blood-thirsty character. But it’s not his first time onstage; he last performed as Larry Murphy in “Dear Evan Hansen” for And Seen Theatrical Productions and PTPT Apprentice Theater in May. Though his last role was much different: a businessman and a father to two high-schoolers.
“Going from a father and husband dealing with grief, loss, and processing emotions to a monster who only wants to devour and control his environment is like day and night,” Ahlers said of the dichotomy.
But his love of the horror genre, encouragement from family and a push from his “Dear Evan Hansen” casemate led him to trying out for the role and embracing it.
“This adaptation is so inventive and it gives the production team a chance to craft a really captivating show with the classic elements we all know,” Ahlers said, praising everything from Ben Fancy’s stylized set design to Andrew Fisher’s dim and dramatic lighting.
The vibe is heightened in sound, too, with spooky effects overseen by Ethan Golden and Neilly Carrol, and an entire original score by local artist Patrick Basquill.
In the play, Dracula’s targeted bride, Mina — the central protagonist — is played by Georgia Cole. Cole loves horror and gothic culture and took inspiration for her character from Winona Ryder’s portrayal of Mina in the 1992 film “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.”
“I think it did a beautiful job with design elements and that was the first time I consumed that story in a way that felt like it honored the complexity of the women, specifically Mina and Lucy,” Cole said.
Mina shifts from a damsel and victim to a key problem-solver in the hunt for Dracula. Lucy, Mina’s best friend, is Dracula’s first target, bitten in London. This compels Mina to organize journals, letters, and observations of a young lawyer, Jonathan Harker — also her fiancé — to piece together how to stop a monster on the loose.
In Cole’s preparation of Mina, she says director Zieseniss and assistant director Sydney Smith-Martin had the actors complete a character analysis to break down their backstories, wants, needs, mannerisms, and relationships to others. They began each rehearsal with a table-talk to dissect and discuss how to approach their performances.
Cole also did personal research on the late 19th century and the history related to Bram Stoker’s original story, to represent what she thought Mina’s actions and reactions would accurately be.
“I feel like I have learned a lot from Mina’s complexity, about the importance of advocating for oneself and paying attention to what matters when the façades of social pressures are stripped away,” Cole said.
Similar to her colleague, Cole has not previously performed in a “Dracula” production — nor has she been on Thalian Hall’s mainstage yet.
While Cole has been involved in local theater, it primarily has been with Cape Fear Shakespeare on the Green since the age of 11, taking on roles like Titania in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet.” She also has performed most recently in Mouths of Babes’ “Scotopia,” Lady MacBeth in “MacBeth” and William Dunn in “Men on Boats.”
In addition to acting, Cole works as an artistic and education associate, assisting in developing new productions, youth outreach and performance education. Cole’s next project will be with Ladyfolk Productions in their new original play “Hysteria,” hosted the first two weekends of November at North Front Theater.
“Dracula” will be staged one final weekend at Thalian Hall on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m. Tickets can be found on Thalian Hall’s website and costs for individual tickets start at $37.
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