In two weeks, on Oct. 5, the Colorado Mesa University’s (CMU) Department of Theatre Arts is opening its first main stage show of the year, “Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy,” which promises to be a bloody and good watch.
After going through casting at the end of last semester, the cast of the show started working on line memorization over the summer and came into the new year ready to get to work on the show, which promises to feature some intensive fight choreography.
“It’s pretty fun to do some fight choreography for “Dracula.” It’s not too terrible, but it’s something to get used to.” Sophomore Acting and Directing major Kehan Denny said. “It’s also fun to work with everyone else and try to refine the choreography the best we can.”
This particular version of “Dracula” was chosen after many of the students within the department pointed out that the choice in shows for the last couple of years was lacking in character lists that boasted many, or more involved female roles.
Kate Hamill’s “Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy” flipped and bent many of the characters that originated as men in Stoker’s novel, and turned them into more interesting characters, while simultaneously making the women more well-rounded and involved.
“Van Helsing as a woman just carries so much power. Especially in the dichotomy between Van Helsing and Dracula [and] I love it. I love the idea of playing on power structures that we’re so familiar with and pairing them with supernatural power structures. It’s so good, and it makes it a little more real in a way that makes it a little uncomfy sometimes,” Sophomore Acting & Directing and Design & Tech major Hannah Feeney said.
Feeney was cast last spring as Renfield, a character that many people in the film and theatre world would love to play due to how interesting and involved Renfield is within the lore and story of Dracula.
As well as having a much more substantial roster of female characters, it was chosen because of Reigel’s experience as a fight choreographer, and his desire to have a show that has more physical and involved choreography beyond the dancing that is featured in musicals.
“[It’s] a great cast, great designers. I’m loving every single piece of it.” Feeney said. “The actor in me is having such a great time. It’s a wonderful environment. I love the CMU Theatre Department in general, but also this show is just so fun and funky, and I love just being able to be insane.”
Leading into “Dracula,” the Department of Theatre Arts is running a fake blood drive in order to raise money to make the show as bloody and fun for audiences as possible.
Students or community members who donate at least five dollars to the drive are entered to win two free tickets to the show or two free specialty drinks at Betty’s Gourmet Coffee (called the Bloody Mocha in honor of “Dracula”)
Regular tickets are currently on sale at $24 for the general public, $18 for senior citizens, faculty, and staff and $8 for children. CMU students can get a free ticket through the ticketing site, or at the box office outside of the theatre.
The show does have a split schedule, which is a little unusual, but because the show is placed around the Friday of fall break, half of its performances are the first weekend in October, and the last weekend begins on Oct. 19
“Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy” opens on Oct. 5, and runs for eight shows through Oct. 21. Doors to the theatre open at 6:00 PM, and the show starts at 7:30 PM. There are two matinees scheduled, one on Oct. 8 at 2:00 PM, and again on Oct. 21 at 2:00 PM.
