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  • 1.  Dracula

    Posted 04-27-2015 13:59

    Has anyone produced the Dietz version of "Dracula"?  If so, did you have to cut any of the bloody scenes?  

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    Ryan Landmann

    Theatre Director
    Desert Hot Springs High School, CA
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  • 2.  RE: Dracula

    Posted 04-28-2015 09:28
    The local college did the production last year.  They did not cut anything but they toned down the scene at the end with the baby.

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    William Jacobsen
    Red Deer AB
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  • 3.  RE: Dracula

    Posted 04-28-2015 09:33

    Hello,

     We produced it in 2007.  I flagged the scenes I felt would cause some issues and gave that script to my principal.  He handed it right back and said, "I trust you."  Well, that was and was not the answer I was looking for.  We went ahead and went full-on blood.  The only thing I didn't include was the babies crying sound effect.  The vixens just started to devour a bloody bag.  Audience could fill in the blanks.

    Good Luck.

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    Tom Gillen

    Fargo North Theatre Director

    Fargo ND
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Dracula

    Posted 04-28-2015 11:14

    Ryan, we did the play in 2013. If anything, we tried to make the blood a little over the top. We rigged an air cannon that we set inside the coffin and shot it off when dracula was stabbed. That's part of the fun of the play. This play is a little strange with some communities. in 1997, my wife wrote an adaptation that I directed and the principal objected because there were vampires!

     

    As for the baby scene, our stage is pretty big and I used 6 vixens instead of three so they sort of engulfed the "baby" instead of the audience really seeing much.

     For the transfusion, the student in charge of props kept putting it off, until I finally took a 1/4 pin sound cable and cut it in half with both ends leading to a wooden box. It wasn't possible to see blood, but the audience got the idea.I know there are some productions that rig some really cool transfusions, we just ran out of time.

     

    The bigger challenge to the play is the enormous amount of narration throughout. Without underscoring and decent visuals, it tends to drag.

     

    Really fun play though!Good luck!

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    Ed Como
    Tempe AZ
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Dracula

    Posted 04-29-2015 07:23
    I have never done this production, but i wrote my own adaption two years ago, combining the original text and some cool bits from the Scorcese movie.  Mine had very little blood, really only blood capsules, and the first time one exploded and my Dracula realized how disgusting it was--we cut it.  The show worked great, regardless of no blood.  It was all in the acting.  We put together a great musical score for it, and used projections to help fill in the blanks for scenery--it was a tough production show, lots of scene changes, though we did everything with furniture, no large set pieces.  I spent most of my budget on lush costumes.  Kids loved it, increased my theatre program participation by 25%. 

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    Jennifer Miguel
    Franklin VA
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    Original Message