Ladies and Gentleman,

Welcome to the SSCCTHEATRE production of Steven Dietz’s Dracula, from the novel by Bram Stoker.

I’ve been sitting on this script for over ten years now … waiting for just the right moment. I don’t think I could have found a better moment than this … when vampires are permeating our literature, films, and primetime TV. With over 600 films referencing the title character, I’m sure you’ve come across the story a time or two. There are also many stage adaptations of Bram Stoker’s masterpiece, and I have read a handful. But I always come back to the Dietz version. It has a fantastic mix of mystery, sexuality, terror, and challenging staging.

My first thumbnail sketch for the set design didn’t work out as well as planned; however, adjustments were made, and what you see in front of you came to life. I think it is important for the audience to know that the four primary settings are Lucy’s bedroom, Renfield’s cell, and Dracula’s castle – which doubles as the asylum guest room in Act II. There are other places and times represented … think of the stage as a nebulous area where the characters are able to transcend the boundaries of time and space. This set was designed so that shifting scenery would be bare minimum – the pacing of the show cannot be hindered.

I also think it is important for you to know that we have stylized this production. Our Dracula takes place in the Golden Twenties, a time when London “began to feel less traditional and more modern” (www.20thcenturylondon.org). The war was over, and the Bright Young Things (wanting to cast off those horrors) claimed a new sense of energy … wild and spontaneous. Like our beloved Lucy. However, some of the characters still have very Victorian values … like our dear Mina.

The first stage adaptation of Stoker’s novel was in the 20’s, and so we follow suit.

There has been a great deal written through the years regarding the origin of the character Dracula (son of dragon/devil). Many believe the character to be fictional, possibly based on the infamous Vlad the Impaler. Others disagree, like Leslie Klinger who wrote the newest annotated Dracula. I suppose only the real Jonathon Harker knows… if he did exist. You will have to come to your own conclusions.

Remember … as Renfield so clearly states … “A fear – once rooted in your mind – is yours forever.”

Sweet Dreams,
Rainee Angles, Director

Director’s Note
Cast & Crew
Production Photos
Special Thanks