Halloween has a fun side and an eerie, spooky side. For those who lean toward the eerie side, the Kansas Wesleyan Theatre Department is presenting the dramatic version of “Dracula” during Homecoming and the week after.
Play times and dates are 7 p.m. Oct. 23, 24 and 31, and 2 p.m. Oct. 26 and Nov. 1 in Fitzpatrick Auditorium on the KWU campus.
“Dracula” is a classic story of horror, the quintessential exploration of good vs. evil that has inspired numerous filmmakers and theatre lovers to adapt the novel into screenplays and scripts, said Karen Babcock Brassea, director and KWU associate professor of Theatre Arts. This new adaptation by Steven Dietz restores the suspense and seduction of Bram Stoker’s classic novel of the same name to the stage.
The suspense and seduction of the story is one reason Brassea chose the play, despite avoiding the horror genre in general. This version will have blood and gore, she said.
“Perhaps it boils down to fascination and a challenge to express something outside my comfort zone,” Brassea said of her choice.
Admission to “Dracula” is free of charge, courtesy of EyeCare Associates, and tickets can be reserved via a link at each showing on KWU’s events page, www.kwu.edu/events.
