I've never read the novel so I'm not very familiar with all of the characters in the story, other than Dracula, but the voiceover tells the story clearly enough to understand the emotions and characters as they express themselves through dance. In Collide's version of the story (adapted by Artistic Director Regina Peluso), Mina (Alison Bartels) is a physician who works with Dr. Van Helsing (Patrick Jeffrey), and is caring for a mentally ill patient named Renfield (Jackson Grove). Jonathan (Peter Hoffman) is her younger brother, who first encounters Dracula (Jarod Boltjes). Mina's best friend Lucy (Olivia Thornton) happily marries her beloved Arthur (Peter Hoffman), until Dracula enters the picture. So all of the original characters are present, if changed around a bit, centering the story on Mina and her relationships with the other characters. She, too, seems to fall under Dracula's allure, but bands together with her friends to eventually defeat the evil.
The story is primarily told through dance numbers choreographed by co-directors Reginal Peluso and Heather Brockman, with additional choreography by some members of the company. The style of dance varies from ballet to jazz to contemporary, and is all so much fun to watch and so expressive of the story and the emotions of the characters. We really feel both the terror of Dracula and the pull on the characters. A fun addition to this dance musical is the use of aerial silks, with Jarod Boltjes as Dracula ascending into the rafters and creating some gorgeous shapes as he eerily soars above the rest. The aerial work is beautifully integrated into the dancing, particularly in the final confrontation between Dracula and Mina.
Luminary is a great space for dance with its exposed brick walls and super high ceilings (especially when aerial work is included). The set consists of two structures on either side of the space, one elevated with a full set of stairs, with a few other pieces (an arch and a cage) rolled on stage when needed. They also manage to incorporate props like food and even blood in a way that doesn't affect the dance area. Use of lighting, sound, and fog effects add to the spooky tone of the show, including the sound of thunder, bugs, and bloodsucking. Completing the look are the costumes, with characters dressed in modern takes on period clothing, that still allows for movement. (Set design by Joseph Stanley, lighting design by Mike Grogan, sound design by Peter Morrow.)
I always say that Collide is my excuse to see dance. I love watching dance (Wicked night on Dancing with the Stars was so fun!), but with my extremely busy theater schedule I rarely am able to make time for it. Collide bridges the gap between dance and theater, telling narrative and very theatrical stories using dance. You don't need to know anything about dance to enjoy a Collide show, and Dracula in particular is very accessible, easy to follow, and effective in telling this classic story in a delightfully spooky way.
