Charlotte audiences may think they know Bram Stoker’s character of Dracula well, but the version now on stage at Booth Playhouse swaps gothic horror for camp, rapid-fire comedy and theatrical transformation.
“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” reimagines Stoker’s classic as a fast-paced, 90-minute comedy built on physical humor, rapid costume changes and an ensemble cast playing multiple roles. Filled with theatrical transformation, cross-gender casting and physical comedy, the production offers a fresh take on the familiar story while grounding its humor in genuine emotional stakes.
For Blumenthal Arts CEO Tom Gabbard, that spirit of reinvention is exactly what made the production worth bringing to Charlotte.
“I love shows that take the classics and put them on their head and give us a way to reinterpret them to find fresh new things,” Gabbard told Qnotes. “Sometimes there are things that our parents or our grandparents didn’t quite see that we have an opportunity to reveal and have fun with.”
Gabbard believes productions like “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” encourage audiences, particularly younger theatergoers, to see classic works as “living, breathing pieces” rather than stories frozen in time.
The production also reflects Blumenthal Arts’ growing role as a producer. Working with theater partners in multiple cities allowed the organization to share creative resources while creating opportunities for local artists.
“This all came from a Zoom call to say, ‘How can we accomplish something together that individually we won’t be able to accomplish?'” Gabbard said. “Then you add to it that opportunity with local hires … and that opens up a creative outlet that we’re very proud of.”
For director and co-author Gordon Greenberg, the idea grew out of another literary adaptation. After Andrew Kato saw “Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big [Your Town Here] Christmas Show!,” a five-actor comedy Greenberg wrote with Steve Rosen, he asked whether the pair could do something similar with Dracula.
“We thought about it for all of 10 seconds and said, ‘absolutely,’” Greenberg recalled. “Anything that takes itself very seriously is easy to send up.”
Greenberg and Rosen rebuilt the story from the ground up, replacing horror with comedy while centering it on relationships, fulfillment and finding meaning in everyday life. Their Dracula is no longer simply a monster, but a character discovering that endless indulgence is no longer fulfilling.
“What he finally realizes at the end of this version is it’s in the mundane, it’s in the daily tiny nuances of everyday life [where] you actually find real nutritious sort of value that will sustain you,” Greenberg said. “I always ask, ‘What is the play underneath the play?'”
Although audiences will see rapid costume changes, physical comedy and theatrical absurdity, Greenberg said the comedy only works because every performer fully commits to the moment.
“It’s only funny when you take it supremely seriously,” he said. “Comedy’s in the crisis.”
That philosophy extends throughout the cast.
Kelly Bashar and Paul Vogt each portray multiple roles, relying on changes in physicality, voice, movement and costume to distinguish one character from the next.
For Bashar, years of improvisation helped prepare her for the challenge.
“A change in physicality, voice, emotion, attitude… that’s sort of in my muscle memory,” she said. “I look at the function this character serves in this play and then make it distinct from this other character who’s going to show up two seconds from now.”
Vogt approaches each role the same way he would any dramatic performance.
“You go to the text and treat it like any play,” he said. “Where am I going? Where am I coming from? What are my needs? What do I want? What’s my arc?”
Despite the show’s breakneck pace, Vogt said the comedy depends on precision.
“Comedy is math,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that add up to get to that point.”
Bashar offered another comparison.
“A musician,” she said. “You hear yourself. You can hear when it’s not hitting right.”
Greenberg said the production’s cross-gender casting also changes how audiences experience the comedy. After seeing a production of the show in Prague that did not use cross-gender casting, he noticed audiences responded differently.
“I felt like the audience was more reluctant to laugh,” Greenberg said.
By contrast, he said casting Bashar as a “ridiculously antiquated archetype” gives audiences permission to laugh at the character’s misogyny because the performance makes its absurdity unmistakable.
Bashar said those roles create a sense of freedom.
“There’s a release in being able to just go for it,” she said.
For Greenberg, every creative choice serves the same purpose: finding “the play underneath the play” while surprising audiences with a fresh take on a familiar story.
“I hope they have a good effing time,” he said. “It’s kind of the greatest party there is.”
For anyone wondering whether they need to know Bram Stoker’s novel before buying a ticket, Bashar offered perhaps the simplest endorsement.
“Whether you know a lot about Dracula or nothing about Dracula,” she said, “you’re going to have fun. I think it’s literally a perfect night out.”
“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” runs through Aug. 9 at Booth Playhouse in the Blumenthal Arts Center. Tickets and performance information are available at https://www.blumenthalarts.org.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
