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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors Also see Gil's reviews of The Wizard of Oz and Ever After and Over the River and Through the Woods
The plot follows the familiar Dracula story, though with a very tongue-in-cheek approach as well as a few fun updates. Jonathan Harker arrives at Dracula's eerie Transylvanian castle only to encounter increasingly bizarre situations involving the seductive and eccentric Count. When Dracula makes his way to London, he meets a cast of quirky locals and encounters a growing web of romantic entanglements and supernatural chaos. As Dracula sets his sights on new victims, misunderstandings multiply, identities become hilariously tangled, and the plot spirals into a joyful whirlwind of campy horror and comedic mayhem. What makes Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors so much fun is that it perfectly balances parody of the vampire genre with a genuine affection for the source material, similar to how Mel Brooks spoofed Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein" in Young Frankenstein. Sure, the script may poke fun at the melodramatic nature of Stoker's tale and gothic literature, Victorian repression, and the sheer insanity of vampire mythology, but it's never mean-spirited or harmful. Instead, there is an abundance of affection and admiration in Greenberg and Rosen's script. The play also touches upon modern touches of same-sex desire and female empowerment and all of the humorous bits and jokes with modern references are done with a loving wink to the audience. The end result is a comedy that's charming with a contemporary sensibility but also one that feels completely old-fashioned. The cast gleefully ham it up. As Dracula, Christopher James Stevens strikes the perfect balance between seductive menace and over-the-top flamboyance, creating a Count who is as ridiculous as he is charismatic. The rest of the cast juggle multiple roles, accents, and costume changes at an often dizzying pace. James Romney instills Jonathan Harker's increasingly frantic reactions with perfect comic timing, while Paul Vogt is a comic delight in numerous other roles, including the fearless vampire hunter Van Helsing, here not a male but a female character, which adds to the fun, modern touches on the tale. Susana Cordón delivers a beautiful portrayal of Harker's beloved Lucy, and Kelly Bashar is a hoot as Lucy's father and the lunatic Renfield; Bashar has one quick costume change between the two characters that elicits big laughs and applause. Under Greenberg's sure-footed comic direction, the entire cast embrace every opportunity for physical comedy, exaggerated emotion, and scene-stealing hijinks. Greenberg's pacing is delightfully frantic. This keeps the energy moving at exactly the right speed, which never allows the jokes to overstay their welcome but also ensures the biggest comedic moments have plenty of room to land. Greenberg's staging is inventive and playful, making excellent use of the combination of lighting and sound effects along with many quick character and scenic transitions to deliver a lovely sense of theatrical illusion. The use of puppetry for a few fun gags adds to the show's charm. Tijana Bjelajac's scenic elements evoke a lovely blend of the gothic world of Dracula with sleek modern designs to morph the past and the present, which mirrors the script's combination of the two. The beautiful costumes by Tristan Raines highlight the period and both the sensual and comedic nature of the characters, and Rob Denton's lighting further heightens the campy nature and tone of the play. The gorgeous original music and sound design by Victoria Deiorio adds mood and gothic charm throughout, along with an abundance of fun sound effects. Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors at Arizona Theatre Company is an irresistibly fun production that understands exactly what it wants to be. Equal parts horror spoof and affectionate tribute to the Dracula legend, the combination of the fantastic cast, sharp script, and sublime creative elements delivers a laugh-filled evening of theatrical mayhem. Arizona Theatre Company Theatre's Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors runs through June 7, 2026, at the Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe AZ. For tickets and information, please visit http://www.arizonatheatre.org or call 833-282 7328. Written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen Cast: *Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States |
