Dracula Hypnotizes at the Ritz Theatre Co.
by Aimee Ferenz
The Halloween spirits are busy at work at the Ritz Theatre in Oaklyn, NJ as they bring Stoker’s Dracula to life, dramatized by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston. This beautiful theater often finds great success in their various performances, and this is no exception. The audience is lured back into early 20th century England to Dr. Seward’s Sanitorium, where his daughter, Lucy, currently resides awaiting treatment for her anemia. Professor Van Helsing is called upon to help with her mysterious case, as it matches that of Mina who recently passed from the same symptoms. Seward and Van Helsing, accompanied by Johnathan Harker to whom Lucy is betrothed, work together to defeat Count Dracula and save their community.
Director Bruce A. Curless does a magnificent job with this production, not only clearly establishing the world that this story thrives in, but in guiding the intensity of this fable through beautifully maintained characters. He is assisted by Lori Aleixo-Howard whose insight shines through in key moments throughout. This vision is furthered by the gorgeous rotating set designed by Will Bryant. Not only is the set highly functional, but it is also painted in a way that is both beautiful and haunting in its aged complexity. The use of large windows not only captivates the stirring darkness of the play, but also acts as a portal for specters, memories, and even Dracula himself. Jen Donsky proves to be a master in her field with lighting design that furthers the story and captures the attention of the audience wonderfully. Brian Gensel furthers this attention to the story with thorough sound design, augmenting the audio in moments where Dracula is hypnotizing his servants. Gensel doubles as Stage Manager and is accompanied by Assistant Stage Manager Gabe Slimm, both of which maintain a crisp control over the performance. The time period and location is kept incredibly consistent throughout thanks to Megan Iafolla (Costume Design), Tracy Jones (Properties), and Mary Martello (Dialect Coach). Together, this production staff has created a visual (and auditory) work of art.
While being titled after Count Dracula, the story more closely follows one Abraham Van Helsing, who is played by Peter Herrick. The performance quality that Herrick brings to the stage is exquisite. His accent consistency is accompanied by the drive with which he commands the stage, a skill of Herrick’s that never wavers. He walks the line between the refined scholar and the desperate man with outstanding grace. His rivalry with Count Dracula, performed by Steven Brandt, is a successful depiction of the cat and the mouse or perhaps more honestly, David and Goliath. Brandt matches Herrick where he stands, bringing forth one of Horror’s most recognizable characters with great success. He leans into the traditional depiction of Dracula, barring sharp fangs and hissing when facing wolfsbane, and brings forth a haunting presence. The two are an excellent example of what a value it can be to truly understand the history of the character that you are playing and how knowing their drive in the story can alter the success of the entire show. I commend both Herrick and Brandt both for their research and for their efforts.
Herrick is often accompanied on stage by Johnathan Harker (Adam Galloway) and Dr. Seward (Doug Suplee), who are Lucy’s fiancé and father respectively. The two share both the stage and their fears as they look after Count Dracula’s latest meal. Galloway is another who exemplifies an excellent understanding of the accent, especially in moments where he experiences a wide range of emotions. Galloway is excellent in this role as both a doting fiancé and as a determined vampire killer. Suplee matches his castmates while bringing a more reserved individual to the stage. Suplee’s timing is well paced, particularly as he is weighing the options of staying in rationality or taking the plunge into the supernatural.
Allie Coeby (Lucy) and Chase Dannelly (Dracula’s assistant R.M. Renfield) bring the chaos of the story to the audience with outstanding integrity. Coeby specifically exemplifies an excellent range in their acting as they must both be a damsel in distress and a creature of the night. The sudden switch between damsel and creature is beautifully dependent on the presence of Dracula, with which Brandt plays with very well. Dannelly meanwhile must maintain the idiosyncrasy of a madman and does so with great success. With Renfield, they are initially introduced as a patient at the sanitarium and only later are revealed as a servant to Dracula. Dannelly masters the emotional mountains that Rensfield climbs throughout the play, showing dexterity beyond their years.
The cast is completed by Laura Marcano, Nathan Quinn, and August Fen Deluca. Marcano plays Miss Wells, a maid who serves Dr. Seward and the other guests at the Sanitarium. This performance is light hearted and charming; a necessary break in the seriousness of the play. The dramatic change between this personality and when she is entranced is very easy to follow thanks to her willingness to lean into the magic. Macano interacts well with Quinn, who plays Mr. Butterworth: the orderly who is often searching for Renfield. Quinn’s accent stuck out to me as particularly well crafted all while he maintained a similar demeanor to Marcano. As Mr. Butterworth is never under the hypnosis of Dracula, Quinn must instead channel the frustrations of a man at risk of losing his job due to his flighty patient. His pacing with this slow, bubbling frustration is excellent while still maintaining the comedy of the moment. DeLuca portrays Mina, originally assumed to be a specter but then revealed to be a vampire that was turned by Dracula. They are very successful throughout this performance as a haunting figure in the distance, looming in the windows at key moments. The cast is brought together by the efforts of each and every individual in the cast, but these three are the glue that holds the plot together beautifully.
Overall, I find this spooky tale to be told with resounding success. Each actor on stage is performing wonderfully, the set is magnificent, and I am successfully lured in through the mysterious portrayal of a well known tale. The cast of Dracula will be performing through November 3rd and tickets can be purchased at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/RitzTheatreCo/6520
