About the Play – “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors”
Dracula is 500 years young and in the market for a new bachelor pad. His Goal: A place surrounded by plenty of natural shade to keep his skin silky smooth and a place that’s far away from other residences so he can host his totally rad ragers in peace. Most of all, he wants an inviting place that will help lure trap beguile charm future flames into sticking around for … a while. After all, immortal beings have needs, too, don’t they?
Luckily for him, he’s got an eager-toplease real estate agent desperate to make a sale. What could possibly go wrong?
From the moment the Count sets his cape on fresh soil, things spiral deliciously out of control. Suitors swoon. Fiancés fume. Parents panic. And, somewhere in the chaos, a mild-mannered young woman discovers that maybe she’s not just the damsel in distress. Maybe she’s got a taste for danger herself.
This is not your brooding, candlelit, slow-burn Dracula. Inspired by the gothic classic but gleefully tossing solemnity out the castle window, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors takes Bram Stoker’s legendary bloodsucker and gives him a comedic makeover.
Expect lightning-fast costume changes, actors wildly playing multiples roles, suspicious accents that travel across continents mid-sentence, and a love letter to live theatre’s beautiful chaos with enough theatrical mayhem to wake the undead.
At its heart, this comedy sinks its teeth into everything we love about vampire lore. The seduction, the superstition, the melodrama. It asks, “But what if … we made it ridiculous?” The result is a farce that’s spooky and snarky (in the best way), blending old-school Transylvanian vibes with modern winks and
nudges.
You’ll meet all the staple characters in their most campy edition yet. Van Helsing, Lucy, Harker, Renfield. And of course, the Count himself: equal parts predator and diva, ancient terror and needy bachelor. He is eternal. He is powerful. He is … extremely high-maintenance.
But beneath the fangs and foolishness, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is also about desire. About the personas we craft to seduce the world. About the thrill of danger and the allure of the unknown. It cheekily explores power dynamics, gender roles, and the intoxicating pull of “bad decisions,” all while
making sure you’re laughing too hard to realize you’re being lectured at.
Born out of the depths of the pandemic slump, creators Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen put together an all-star team of actors to perform the piece as a podcast series. The cast included
Alan Tudyk, Ashley Park, John Stamos, Alex Brightman, and more, who sank their teeth into its heightened language and melodrama. What started as a fresh, irreverent take delivered through headphones quickly proved it had theatrical blood pumping through its veins. Audiences loved the blend of classic text and contemporary wit, and the show evolved into the fast-paced, quick-change stage romp you see today.
So whether you’re a longtime devotee of gothic romance or someone who prefers their horror with a heavy pour of humor, this show promises outrageous fun. It’s campy. It’s chaotic. It’s a little unhinged. And it absolutely does not take itself too seriously.
Just don’t forget: if a charming stranger with impeccable cheekbones invites you in after the show … maybe think twice.