Experience a world where people fly like bats at night and, at any moment, someone could be turned into a creature of the undead during the theatrical production of Bram Stoker’s gothic horror classic “Dracula” by L.A. Theatre Works at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30.

The performance is presented by the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech and will be held in the Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, located within the Moss Arts Center’s Street and Davis Performance Hall at 190 Alumni Mall. 

The tale of “Dracula” has spawned hundreds of spin-offs in popular culture, from the books and movies of the “Twilight” saga to the television series “True Blood.” In this acclaimed adaption by Charles Morey, Count Dracula is driven by loneliness and hunger and travels to Victorian London to lure humans, especially beautiful young women, into the same cursed existence which he has lived for centuries — the life of the undead. The city seems helpless against his frightful power and only one man, the smart and resourceful Dr. Van Helsing, can stop the carnage in this epic confrontation of good vs. evil.

L.A. Theatre Works has been a leading-edge radio theatre company in the U.S. for more than 20 years, known for performances that are immediate, spontaneous, and feature a first-rate cast, live sound effects, and a connection to the audience rarely felt in a traditional theatre setting.

The cast for the production includes several actors with credits in the horror and suspense genre, including the well-known television and film actor Nicholas Hormann, who will play Dr. Van Helsing. Hormann has been seen in dozens of television hits including “The West Wing, “Parks & Recreation,” “Modern Family,” and “Desperate Housewives.” His numerous film credits include “Kramer vs Kramer” and the early Oliver Stone horror film “The Hand.”

Veteran horror film actor Skip Pipo will play the role of Renfield. His long list of film and television credits include B-movie favorites such as “The Janitor,” “Sam Hell,” and “Poker Run,” as well as the television series “The Black Dawn.”

The cast also includes Michael Kirby, who just wrapped the horror film “Hell’s Heart;” Paul Culos, Graham Outerbridge, and Alexis Jacknow, all up and coming television actors; Summer Spiro, star of the new web series “Dabsity;” and Patrick Wenk-Wolff, who has been seen recently on television in “The Last Ship,” “Rizzoli & Isles,” and “Life on Mars.”

Under the leadership of producing director Susan Albert Loewenberg, L.A. Theatre Works plays are broadcast weekly in the U.S. on public radio stations, daily in China on the Radio Beijing Network, streamed online, and aired on additional international outlets. The group has brought recorded dramatic literature into the homes of millions and takes its show on the road, delighting audiences with its unique live radio theatre style performances. Today, L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collection includes more than 500 classic and contemporary titles — the largest library of its kind in the world.

This performance is recommended for ages 13 and older.

Immediately before the performance on Oct. 30, Peter W. Graham, Virginia Tech English professor, will discuss “Dracula and the English Gothic Tradition” at 6:30 p.m. in the Moss Arts Center’s Cube. This lecture examines some of the early 19th-century Gothic tropes that Stoker’s classic novel perpetuates and updates.

The Center for the Arts is also hosting engagement activities with the cast and crew of the production. L.A. Theatre Works performers will coach undergraduate theatre students from Virginia Tech’s School of Performing Arts in the performance of monologues. In a separate engagement event, students and faculty from the School of Performing Arts will meet with cast members for an intimate conversation on the realities of contemporary performance, touring, and production.

Tickets

Tickets are $20-45 for general public and $10 for students and youth 18 years old and under. Tickets can be purchased online; at the Moss Arts Center's box office, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday; or by calling 540-231-5300 during box office hours.

Parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street. Virginia Tech faculty and staff possessing a valid Virginia Tech parking permit can enter and exit the garage free of charge. Limited street parking is also available. Parking on Alumni Mall is free on weekdays after 5 p.m. and on weekends.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Kacy McAllister at 540-231-5300 or email kmcallis@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

 

 

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