Lovers of ghoulish folklore and the age-old battle between good and evil, will find Newark High School Drama Club’s presentation of “Dracula” much to their liking.
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It’s being presented at 7 p.m. October 20th and 21st in the Newark High School auditorium by an ambitious cast and crew that amazingly produced the show, replete with great acting and eerie sound effects and lighting, in just over a month’s time.
Emily Howard, who teaches English 11 at NHS, is to be commended for her skillful direction of this challenging play.
She said Club members wanted to tackle a more difficult dramatic script this fall and have more than risen to the occasion.
“Dracula is a huge undertaking,” Howard said. “It is a full-length dramatic retelling of the classic Bram Stoker 1897 novel. It required multiple locations in our set, era-specific costumes, special effects, makeup, and sound/music design. This group of students was ready to tackle this substantial piece of theatre. They have risen to the challenge, and we are excited to have audiences experience it this weekend.”
For those who’ve not read the Stoker’s novel or seen Dracula movies, the dark tale begins with a young English lawyer named Jonathan Harker traveling to Transylvania to finalize a real estate transaction with a man named Count Dracula. On his way, local peasants try to warn him about Dracula, giving him crucifixes to ward off evil as they utter strange words Harker later realized meant “vampire.”
Upon arriving at decrepit Castle Dracula, Harker finds the Count very strange, but hospitable. Dracula curiously wants to become more fluent in English and asks for Harker’s help. But Harker, who is engaged, wants to get his business finalized quickly so he can return home to marry his fiancée, Mina Murray. But the devious Count has other plans . . .
Shockingly, Harker soon realizes he unknowingly has become the ghastly Count’s prisoner, and he is very uneasy because he has realized Dracula possesses evil supernatural powers and ambitions.
While asleep one night, Harker is nearly attacked by three female vampires in the castle. The Count stops them, saying the English visitor belongs to him. Fearing for his life and ill with brain fever, Harker manages to escape with the help of Sister Agatha.
He ends up delirious in a Budapest Hospital where, after receiving care, he was able to return to England where he soon marries Mina Murray.
Meanwhile Dracula steals away to England aboard ship where he hopes to prey on and feast on the blood of innocent villagers in the seaside town of Milby.
One such person who became Dracula’s unwitting victim was Mina’s friend, Lucy Westenra, who has just accepted a marriage proposal from English aristocrat Arthur Holmwood. He was one of three suitors from whom she received proposals including Dr. John Seward who cares for the mentally ill, like Lady Renfield, Dracula’s deranged “familiar” at The Asylum.
One night, as Lucy was walking in Milby cemetery, she was attacked and bitten by the bloodthirsty, evil Count.
Mina found Lucy there after seeing a dark form, with glowing red eyes, bending over her. She was pale and ill and bore two tiny red marks at her throat, for which neither Dr. Seward nor Mina could account. Unable to arrive at a satisfactory diagnosis for Lucy’s acute blood loss, Dr. Seward sent for his respected mentor and Professor Annika Van Helsing. She realizes the awful truth of Lucy’s condition but doesn’t immediately disclose it.
Although Lucy is transfused three times, she steadily grows worse until she is no more. Professor Van Helsing reveals she believes Lucy has become a vampire like Dracula.
After Lucy’s burial, newspapers report the gruesome news that Milby children and others are being stalked in the night by a beautiful lady and Van Helsing deduces it is Lucy.
Van Helsing and a small group go to her tomb, armed with a stake and a crucifix and destroy her. Jonathan Harker and Mina join the campaign against Dracula.
Everyone stays at Dr. Seward's Asylum as the men begin to hunt for him. After Dracula learns of the group's plot against him, he sneaks in the Asylum and attacks Mina three times, drinking her blood. She is cursed to become a vampire after her death unless Dracula is killed.
So now you must go and see the show to find out what happens....
Cast members, their grade level and roles include:
Felicity Brey, 12, as Mina Murray Addison Burgess, 10, As Pavola Izzy Cary, 11, as Lucy Westenra Meadow Della Penna, 11, as the Editorh Anna Eckert, 9, as the Innkeeper Kylie Gravino, 9, as Lady Renfield Bailey Harris, 11, as Agnes Taya Hilfiker, 12, as Vasilja Ryan Hinks, 11, as Jonathan Harker Julianna House, 10, as Gossip Swales Bella Humphrey, 10, as Nurse Vaughn Jadon Kowaleski, 12, as Quincey Morris Zach Ladd, 9, as Mr. Hawkins Mikalya Miller, 11, as Innkeeper Oana Matiece Miller, 9, the Coachman Ian Murphy, 12, as Arthur Holmwood Shy Pilozzi, 11, as Annika Van Helsing Alyvia Poole, 9, as Wykham Delandre Victoria Ridley, 9, as Iacob Kloie Sergeant, 9, as Sister Agatha Braydan Sherman, 10, as Dr. Seward Cole Talbot, 12, as Dracula Leeann Titus, 11, as Costel Camryn Tolleson, 11, as Martha Beatrice Van Riper, 12, as Cneajna Caspian Wunder, 9, as Samuel F. Billington
Crew members include: Brook Arnold, 9, Lightboard Operator Jailyn Burgos, 11, Deck Crew Ave Ellis, 10, Hair and Makeup Brooklyn Graham, 12, Deck Crew Alexa Gravino, 12, Publicity Lori Hobart, 11, Deck Crew Courtney Jadus, 12, Stage Manager Giovanni Modaffari, 10, Sound FX Operator Emma Newark, 11, Deck Crew Kay Norton, 10, Hair and Makeup/ Blood Leonarda Olivera-Plain,10, Deck Crew Leila Osmen, 11, Deck Crew, Naomi Rivera-Romero, 10, Hair and Makeup Armani Sanders, 10, Hair and Makeup Emma Titus, 10, Hair and Makeup Noah Weigand, 11, Deck Crew Rosemary Winkler, 9, Sound (Mics) Operator Tickets for the show, are $5 for students and seniors and $7 for adults are available at the door.