As she did in Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson, Apt 2B, the playwright changed a couple of key characters in the story from men to women. Namely, the vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing and the patient Renfield in the insane asylum. The former allows us to see a woman in a position of power, although she constantly has to fight for the respect she deserves, insisting to be called "Doctor" instead of "Madame," and the latter provides for commentary on the things women gave up in marriage in the past (and to some extent still today), and the way women are treated by doctors and the health care industry. The playwright also gives some of the female characters more agency in this version of the story; Dracula's wives enact revenge on Jonathan Harker, from years of subjugation and broken promises, and Mina Harker is an active participant in bringing the vampires down, and saving her husband, if not her friend. And it is quite satisfying when the women ultimately prevail in this "feminist revenge fantasy."
Erika Sasseville directs this huge cast of almost 20 actors, eight of them embodying the wordless vampire "horde" that follows Dracula around like spirits, with some great physical theater performance. Highlights in the strong cast include Cate Jackson, a strong and relatable Mina; Mary Lofreddo as her BFF Lucy, making her more than just a victim; Jennifer D'Lynn as the inmate Renfield, creeping the audience out pre-show but also showing us the character's humanity; Mavrick M. Miller with a haunting performance as the title character; Richard Nissen as Mina's very British husband, transforming into something else; Derek Dirlam as Lucy's fiance Dr. Seward, who becomes an ally; and last but not least, Maggie Mae Sulentic as Van Helsing, breathing new life into the show upon her entrance, like a "genuine American cowgirl."
The potentially haunted Mounds Theatre is the perfect venue for this play, with most of the action taking place on the stage, but also at times in the aisles and at the back of the theater, creating an immersive experience. Period set pieces (and a cage) help set the scene, and while the scene transitions are for the most part accomplished by the ensemble gracefully and in character, they occasionally slow down the momentum of the storytelling (the total runtime is close to three hours, and could potentially be tightened up to be closer to two and a half). Characters are dressed in period-ish clothing appropriate to their station, with Van Helsing in a great long leather coat. Warning: there will be blood, and when there is, the characters are often dressed in white for maximum effect. The blood effects are quite well done and affecting - be careful if you're sitting in the front row! (Set and lighting design by Alita Robertson, costume design by Krista Weiss, sound design by Laura Temme, prop design by Kyle Dekker, blood design by Robin Gilmer with Shannon Walbran.)