Dracula is coming to Charleston this October — but this is definitely not your great-grandfather's Dracula.
The Footlight Players sinks its teeth into Halloween with the regional premiere of "Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors," opening Oct. 9 at the historic Queen Street Playhouse and running through Halloween, Oct. 31.
Fast, sexy, outrageous and completely over-the-top, "Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors" takes Bram Stoker's legendary vampire tale and gleefully turns it inside out. Five actors take on dozens of characters in a lightning-fast, 90-minute comedy packed with quick changes, physical comedy, ridiculous characters, romance, horror and, of course, plenty of blood.
Written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, the comedy arrived off-Broadway at New World Stages in New York City in September 2023. Performances began Sept. 4, with an official opening Sept. 18, for a limited engagement that ran through Jan. 7, 2024.
Now, Charleston audiences get their chance to experience the bloodthirsty madness.
Footlight's five-person cast includes several familiar faces, including Tommy Hettrick and Aaron Hancock, who recently appeared as Kenickie and Danny in Footlight's hit production of "Grease." Longtime Footlight favorite Giulia Dalbec, known to audiences for her memorable turn in "Who's Holiday!," returns to take on multiple roles in the production.
At the helm is Footlight Artistic Director Kyle Barnette, whose recent directing credits include "Grease," "Jekyll & Hyde" and "Cabaret." Barnette brings an inventive, highly theatrical approach to the production, embracing the play's breakneck pace, quick-change comedy, gender-bending characters and unapologetically campy take on one of literature's most famous monsters.
And this Halloween, the show is only part of the experience. For the run of "Dracula," Queen Street Playhouse's lobby will be transformed into a full-out Dracula Halloween experience, beginning the moment audiences walk through the doors. Guests can climb inside a coffin for the ultimate Halloween photo op, enjoy specialty themed cocktails — including drinks served in IV-style blood bags — and encounter other bloody surprises throughout the theater.
It all adds up to a decidedly different kind of Halloween night in downtown Charleston: five actors, dozens of characters and one wildly funny, bloodthirsty night at the theater.
"Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors" opens Friday, Oct. 9, and runs through Saturday, Oct. 31, at Queen Street Playhouse, 20 Queen St. in downtown Charleston.
Tickets and more information are available at FootlightPlayers.net or 843-722-4487.