Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors Deserves Its Time in the Sun

By Britin Haller

Count Dracula has been frightening people for over a century, but in ArtBuzz Theatrics’ Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, now playing at Empire Stage, the legendary vampire is less interested in “vanting” to suck their blood and more interested in getting them into bed.

Preferably his own.

Written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, and admirably directed by John F. Hernandez, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is a gloriously ludicrous 100 minutes of sexual innuendo and unabashed silliness. Four actors portray thirteen characters, some of them switching identities so quickly it can sometimes feel like watching a ping-pong match. Suffice it to say that this vampire is unlikely to be confused with the sexually repressed Victorian Gothic version you studied in school.

But then again, that’s the point.

Just like Bram Stoker’s classic horror novel Dracula, our story begins in 1897, when Jonathan Harker, a rather earnest English real estate broker, is traveling through the Carpathian Mountains to meet a client in Transylvania. The locals warn him about the castle, but persevere he must as Harker is engaged to be married and must make an honest living. Harker realizes there’s something decidedly peculiar about the enigmatic Dracula, but fails to grasp the gravity of the situation when the Count becomes a little too interested in hearing about Harker’s fiancée, the attractive and highly sought-after Lucy Westfeldt.

The plot, to the extent that anyone should worry too much about plot in a show like this, then follows Dracula from Transylvania to England, where Lucy and her less-attractive (now there’s an understatement!) sister Mina become entangled in his plans. Mina has spent years waiting for life to provide her a man and spends her free time riding horses (think about it). She’s extremely jealous of her fabulous sibling and has accumulated an impressive list of grievances that she’s certainly not shy about sharing.

When Mina’s behavior begins to change, and she takes to her bed gravely ill, her father summons Dr. Van Helsing (not THAT one) to sort out the problem. And thus begins a desperate journey to take down the vampire who can’t see his own reflection, is repelled by garlic, and can be felled only by direct sunlight or a wooden stake through the heart.

Grant Brecheisen plays Jonathan as a sincere, rather trusting fellow who seems hopelessly unprepared for everything awaiting him. Brecheisen is a splendid straight man, never trying to compete with the outrageous characters surrounding him, letting Jonathan react to them instead with just the right mixture of good manners, bewilderment, and mounting panic to result in laughs. Brecheisen’s exchanges with Dracula are especially good, particularly when the Count starts taking an interest in him that goes well beyond real estate.

Sarah Romeo plays Lucy, Jonathan’s intended, a pretty and extremely capable young woman who loves her fiancé despite their differences. Lucy runs toward danger while Jonathan doesn’t merely retreat, he runs away like his very life depends on it, which often it does. As children, Lucy saved him from drowning when he fell through some frozen ice, and their relationship hasn’t altered course since then.

Romeo brings a sparkle and comic precision to Lucy, even if, at times, her voice was too high-pitched for our liking, and some of her words were hard to understand due to the speed at which she delivered her lines. Slowing down and softening her delivery should help considerably, especially since Lucy is supposed to be a woman who isn’t easily rattled. Brecheisen and Romeo have a nice rapport between them and a super cute moment in the back seat of a carriage.

Jill Bellak is entertaining in three roles: a captain who has the unfortunate luck of having Dracula on board his ship; Renfield, the Count’s extremely odd associate who is fascinated by insects, and Dr. Westfeldt, Lucy and Mina’s father who runs a mental asylum out of his home.

Bellak attacks her assignments with wonderful energy, playing Renfield with a nervous intensity that makes even his smallest gestures funny, and Dr. Westfeldt as a man doing his best to maintain some semblance of order, even as his world is falling apart around him. Bellak’s physical comedy and willingness to look completely ridiculous are commendable, especially considering the speed at which she must change characters, voices, attitudes, postures, and costumes.

It’s always a good time when Larry Buzzeo is on stage, and here, he’s done it again in two roles that allow him to totally ham it up. This isn’t Dracula for him, it’s Dragula. These are the kinds of characters Buzzeo was born for.

As Mina, Lucy’s sister with the recessive genes, who’s been overlooked in the romance department for so long that she’s desperate for somebody, anybody, to notice her, Buzzeo manages to make Mina both funny and sympathetic, even while listing off her vast number of resentments. And the Doris Day bit is a must-see.

Looking like the Swiss Miss girl, he also appears as Dr. Van Helsing who’s summoned by Mina’s dad, Dr. Westfeldt, when she takes to her almost deathbed. Arriving with a German accent, and an outfit that deserves appreciation all on its own, Buzzeo makes the most of every Van Helsing entrance, almost pausing to say to the audience, “Well, here I am.” As Van Helsing begins to suspect the obvious, and the chemistry between the two doctors starts growing, the sweet scenes between Buzzeo and Bellak become among our favorites.

Steven Fuentes, meanwhile, gets to concentrate on one character, Dracula, and makes the most of it, committing to every absurdity or “bleh” whether he’s making a dramatic entrance with his own personal can of fog, trying to seduce someone while wearing sexy leather attire or a long, flowing cape with purple lining, or behaving like the world’s most self-involved houseguest who just wants his cake plate back. Think of a cross between Frank Langella in the 1979 film adaptation of the novel and George Hamilton in that same year’s Love at First Bite, and you’ll have Fuentes’ fanged Dracula.

Fuentes has the Count’s outrageous ego down so perfectly his biggest regret is likely that he can’t see himself in a mirror. He knows he’s attractive and assumes everyone else knows it, too. And he sees no reason why a little matter like someone else’s engagement should interfere with his romantic ambitions.

Director Hernandez keeps the action brisk, but not confusing, which is no small accomplishment when the same performer may have to exit as one character and return seconds later as another. Campy farce, perhaps more than any other stage genre, requires tremendous discipline because the entrances, exits, revelations, costume changes and physical business must happen at exactly the right instance, or the jokes collapse. It’s an impressive bit of coordination masquerading as total chaos, and Empire Stage’s intimate setting makes the antics even more enjoyable. You can almost hear the ba dum tss drum sting after some of these jokes.

The actors have to deal with a lot of “stage business” and props that are vital to the gags, like a flying bat, a blow-up doll, and our favorite, a horse-riding bit that deserves special mention and conjures up happy childhood memories.

Preston Bircher’s lighting, David Hart’s sound design, and Larry Buzzeo’s production design supply the appropriate spooky atmosphere, while Empire Stage’s in-house technical pinball wizard Patrick S. Vida (who also acts as stage manager), works the board from a corner of the audience. Just for example, this show has 142 crucial sound cues, and probably an equal amount of lighting ones, and Vida handled it with his usual cool composure.

Most of the costumes are designed by Hernandez, who captures the look and mood of the Victorian period, while Fuentes did his own for Dracula, including a lovely pair of red silk pajamas and a long black jacket with decorative purple stitching that drew gasps.

Brecheisen had a slight problem with his fake gravedigger’s beard that resulted in some unintended laughs (even from him), but that only added to the overall playfulness since this is the kind of show where when something goes wrong, playing to it is always the right answer.

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors was originally produced by the Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director/Chief Executive Andrew Kato, who tells us, “It began as an idea I had, and it’s been thrilling to watch it grow from a spark into a hit. The Maltz commissioned the piece and nurtured it every step of the way: readings, a workshop, a New York reading, and finally a full production on our stage. Seeing it go on to a successful Off-Broadway run, and now to theatres across the country, and around the world, has been one of the great joys of my career. This is exactly what a regional theatre can do when it invests in new work, and it helped put the Maltz Jupiter Theatre on the national map.”

So, if you’re looking for a serious encounter with the undead this Halloween season, try another production because Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors isn’t for anyone who believes Bram Stoker’s classic should be treated with reverence. But if you enjoy actors making a complete spectacle of themselves before racing to a thoroughly preposterous conclusion, this is a great way to spend your evening. Get there early and enjoy some eerie music sure to get you in the mood.

Dracula really vants you to go.

Kudos: A clever pre-show announcement by Fuentes as the Count welcomes guests and reminds them of basic theater etiquette like no cell phones or else.

Warning: Includes a brief strobe light effect.

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors from ArtBuzz Theatrics plays through Sunday, November 1 at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive, Ft. Lauderdale (two blocks north of Sunrise, east of the railroad tracks); Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 5pm. Some performances are already sold out. Running time approximately 100 minutes with no intermission. General admission tickets are $40. Call 954-678-1496, or visit empirestage.com.

Britin Haller is a journalist, editor, and author who serves on the board of directors for the Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter. As a celebrity wrangler, Brit regularly rubbed elbows with movie, sports, and rock stars, and as a media escort, she toured with NY Times bestselling authors. After appearing in local musicals and all-state choir, Britin studied theatre at Indiana University (Big Ten) and the University of Evansville (Rami Malek’s alma mater).