PRESS:
Women fight back in Alchemist's 'Dracula'
"Even as he acknowledges his debt to Bram Stoker, Kopec is making clear he won't always play by the book."
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE
Alchemist’s “Dracula,” creative theater with bite
REVIEW by Danielle McClune, THIRD COAST DIGEST
"Blood, screaming, knives, ropes, stakes and sex. Alchemist Theatre’s Dracula has it all, and it’s awesome."
"Of course, this is Dracula, and Kopec certainly didn’t skimp on thrills. The lighting and sound design create a consistently creepy tone. Witzlsteiner darkened the tale when before things turned too goofy. Kopec has balanced the laughs and horror to make a lively story for fans of the undead."
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE
Knowing the Cast and Knowing the Audience: Aaron Kopec's Dracula
REVIEW by Russ Bickerstaff, EXPRESS MILWAUKEE
"From the script on out, Kopec's Dracula is balanced. And it's a really good balance. It's balanced by virtue of the fact that he knows exactly what he's working with. He knows what audiences want from a Dracula production. He knows what his intimate studio space is capable of. And he knows the cast with which he is working. As such, he is able to construct a production of near-perfect balance."
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE
Hats off to the trio of sexy vampire brides.
REVIEW by Anne Siegel TOTAL THEATER
"Much of the dialogue is delivered as seriously as Shakespeare. But there are some exceptionally funny lines inserted into the script. Many of them are uttered by Beth Lewinski as Dr. Van Helsing."
"The theater’s mighty surround sound is used to full effect, as the audience hears wolf howls, thunder or a rumbling train on its way to Transylvania. This is accompanied by impressive lighting effects, too."
Vampire Burlesque. Alchemist Theatre's campy Dracula
REVIEW by Jeff Grygny MILWAUKEE ARTS EXAMINER
"Kopec gives us a feminist Django Unchained: both exploitive and empowering."
"Though opportunities abound for the nubile actresses to writhe, moan, and hiss in various skimpy outfits, women are not helpless victims; even the normally-inarticulate brides have a chance to express their identities."
DESCRIPTION:
No other tale has done more for the mythos and canon of the vampire than Bram Stoker's Dracula.
All of the rules which we follow to identify, ward off and kill nosferatu either originated or were made wildly popular by Stoker's novel.
This Alchemist Production draws inspiration from Stoker's book while cutting to the heart of the tale.
Dracula continues to be an international best-seller for reasons beyond simple horror, blood and guts. Vampirism speaks of all the darkness of humanity and the society that frames it.
This is the fourth time Aaron Kopec has taken a stab at the dark lord. The first was in an epic scale production in Bangkok, Thailand where he provided video effects and a larger-than-life puppet creature for the final intense moments of the play.
Kopec's second journey into the world of Dracula was at Dale Gutzman's Off-The-Wall Theatre where he portrayed Jonathon Harker.
In 2009, Kopec re-adapted Gutzman's version and reworked scenes to better fit on The Alchemist stage.
This fourth time around, Kopec has stripped the story down to the core. Do we need to meet all of Lucy's suitors? Likely not.
This version focuses on humanity's greed and demonstrates the slippery slopes that we all sometimes accidently trip into - other times diving head-first.
This is not a strictly "dark" production. While The Alchemist is approaching the classic story with dignity and respect, this production allows the humor inherent in the characters to shine through.
NOTES ABOUT PRODUCTION:
The Alchemist Theatre has a powerful surround-sound system that WILL be utilized to its full potential during this show. There will be startling sound effects.
Strobes will be used during this production.
Fog will be used during this production.
Some adult language. Self-rated roughly PG-13
QUESTIONS? THE.ALCHEMIST.THEATRE@GMAIL.COM
FEATURING:
Kurtis Witzlsteiner as DRACULA
Anna Figlesthaler as MINA
Randall T. Anderson as JONATHON
Liz Whitford as LUCY
Sharon Nieman-Koebert as DR. SEWARD
Beth Lewinski as DR. VANHELSING
Harold Loeffler-Bell as RENFIELD
Sammich Dittloff as SISTER LAVERNE
Libby Amato as SISTER PATTY
Sarah Dill as SISTER MAXENE
Drake Dorfner as MIDSHIPMAN
Sydonia Lucchesi (tech / stage manager)
Aaron Kopec (playwright / director / set / lights / sound)
