Mains Street Productions stages “Dracula” Oct. 7-17
By STU CLAMPITT
Dracula.
What images does that name conjure? Bella Lugosi? Bats and wolves and the terrible cost of immortality? Blood, of course, is right there at the top.
Main Street Productions (MSP) is staging Dracula this month and is holding a blood drive to offer the community both some chilling Halloween entertainment and a chance to help alleviate the ongoing blood shortage.
See Robert Webster Jr. and Shannon Clancy in Dracula this month at Westfield Playhouse. (Photo provided by Main Street Productions)
This version of Dracula’s story is a play written by Steven Dietz in 1996 which follows the original Stoker novel more closely than most of Hollywood’s versions have. While the book tells the story in the form of letters moving in chronological order, the play tells some of the early parts of the story in flashbacks.
“There are a lot of moments from the original Bram Stoker’s Dracula, but it moves really fast,” MSP Director Brandi Davis told The Reporter. “We jump back and forth. I think there are 43 scene changes across 17 locations, so it moves quick.”
Davis spoke highly of her cast, especially the actor portraying Dracula himself.
“The cast is amazing,” Davis said. “Robert Webster Jr. plays Dracula. He is an Indy favorite. He’s amazingly talented and I’m very fortunate to have him in this show.”
Davis did note that due to the nature of the show, it is not appropriate for all ages and parents should use caution when choosing whether or not to bring children.
“There is a still a lot of blood and a it is very dark, so some kids may be scared,” Davis said. “There is not anything inappropriate necessarily, but vampires can be scary.”
Davis said she is a huge fan of the Halloween season and was excited at the opportunity to direct a play she has long enjoyed.
“Oh, I love vampires!” Davis said. “I love Halloween. I love fall. I love everything spooky. And I have been in love with this version of this script for years and years.”
Davis said she has not read the original Stoker novel and while she has spent a long time with the script, she has not seen this version on stage, which allows her to put her own spin on the show.
The show stages Thursday through Sunday for two weeks. Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and both Sunday matinees start at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at westfieldplayhouse.org or by calling (317) 402-3341.
And since this is Dracula staging in the weeks leading up to Halloween, it was a perfect opportunity to hold a blood drive.
As the pandemic wears slowly on, blood supplies have been at dangerous and historic lows this summer. MSP is partnering with Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, formerly Indiana Blood Center, for a one-day blood drive in the parking lot of Westfield Playhouse, 220 N. Union St., Westfield.
“We are doing a blood drive in conjunction with the show on Oct. 13,” Davis told The Reporter. “If you give blood during that blood drive you get one ticket to any show this season.”
You could use that ticket for the second weekend of Dracula, or you could hold onto it all the way through the final show of the season in June 2022.
Walk-ins are welcome when the bloodmobile parks at Westfield Playhouse, but appointments are preferred. Learn at westfieldplayhouse.org/special-events.