Renaissance Players delve into horror with community production of Dracula for Halloween

Release Date: 9/19/2006. Expired: 10/29/2006

The Renaissance Players make their first foray into horror when they present a community production of Dracula Oct. 13-29 at The Renaissance Center in Dickson.

Performances of Dracula are 7 p.m. Oct. 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 and 2 p.m. Oct. 15, 22 and 29. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $7 for children under 13. There will be a special Dinner with Dracula at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, with $17 tickets including a buffet dinner and that night’s performance.

“This is our first attempt at the dramatic horror genre,” said Renaissance Players Managing Director Amy Scott, who will be directing Dracula. “Our production will be dark, mixing old with the new. It will be mostly period with a modern feel and plenty of the gore associated with the traditional vampire story. It probably won’t be appropriate for small children or the faint of heart, but it will be a great way to get into the Halloween spirit.”

The Renaissance Players will be presenting an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s original vampire story written by John Mattera, which is closely based on the original story that made Dracula a horror classic.

The mysterious Count Dracula (played by Tommy J. Parris) moves from his homeland to England where he lives on a large estate next to an insane asylum operated by the incredibly naïve Dr. Peter Seward (Harold Fann).

The count is drawn to the beautiful Lucy Westenra (Keli Woodard), who bears an uncanny resemblance to a woman he loved more than 100 years ago, but Lucy is betrothed to attorney Jonathan Harker (Matt Romine)

Professor Abraham van Helsing (Mike Lyttle) is called in by old friend Seward when Lucy and her friend Mina Murray (Kayleigh Gregg) exhibit signs of a strange affliction that includes puncture wounds on their necks and a loss of blood.

The plot develops with all the excitement and suspense of the original story, only to jolt the audience with a startling double twist in the end.

The cast of Dracula includes Lucy’s parents, Henry (Carey Thompson) and Martha (Tina Romine), Mina’s fiancé Arthur Holmwood (Daniel Bissell), the count’s lunatic assistant Renfield (Ryan Hunt), the Westenra family butler Charles (Tom Whiting), a servant in the asylum (Jamie Cunliffe) and three bloodthirsty vampire women (Kelli Michelle Heath, Autumn Massiello and Emily Steward).

Mattera’s adaptation of Dracula is one of the most widely produced in North America. He also wrote an adaptation of Time After Time, based on Karl Alexander’s novel in which H.G. Wells pursues Jack the Ripper through time itself into modern-day America. He has written several one-act plays, including an adaptation of Frankenstein, and numerous short stories.

He resides in Connecticut where he has worked with emotionally disturbed adolescents for most of his adult life and currently works for the state to ensure that children without parents receive an appropriate education.

Scott is directing her ninth production at The Renaissance Center, including previous community productions of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Faith County, and the Gaslight Dinner Theatre productions of Run for Your Wife and The Foreigner.

A Lenoir City native who now lives in Dickson, Parris is appearing in his first major role with the Renaissance Players, having previously had parts in Guys and Dolls, Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, Fiddler on the Roof and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Dickson resident Fann won the Renaissance Players Rising Star Award in 2006 after making his debut in Guys and Dolls.

An English teacher at Creek Wood High School and former standout soccer player for Dickson County High School and the University of Alabama-Huntsville, Woodard appeared in her first theatre production with the Renaissance Players Guys and Dolls.

Matt Romine won a Jimmy Award in 2005 for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for playing Lumiere in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and has appeared in eight other Renaissance Players productions, including Guys and Dolls, Little Shop of Horrors, Annie Get Your Gun and Fiddler on the Roof.

Dickson resident Lyttle is appearing in his first Renaissance Players production, having previously had roles in productions with Act I, Cheatham County Players and Patchwork Players.

Gregg, a classically trained dancer who lives in Dickson, has appeared in 10 previous productions at The Renaissance Center, including community shows of Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Fiddler on the Roof.

An assistant district attorney for the 23rd Judicial District, Thompson is appearing in his 14th Renaissance Players production and was named Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Guys and Dolls at the 2006 Jimmy Awards.

A teacher at Creek Wood High School, Tina Romine has appeared in seven previous Renaissance Players productions and picked up two medals at the recent Jimmy Awards: Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Guys and Dolls and The Mel Scene Stealer Award, named for the late Mel Romine.

Bissell is a three-time Jimmy Award-winner, most recently picking up Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for playing Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls.

A member of the Renaissance Repertory Theatre Company, Indiana native Hunt played Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar and directed and appeared in the Renaissance Players production of The Miracle Worker.

Charlotte resident Whiting recently picked up his fourth Jimmy Award for Best Actor in a Play in recognition of his portrayal of Bubba Bedford in An Evening of Culture: Faith County II. He has previously won awards for roles in The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music and Faith County and is appearing in his 15th Renaissance Players production.

Slayden resident Cunliffe has previously appeared in Renaissance Players productions of Fiddler on the Roof and Guys and Dolls.

Heath is appearing in her first Renaissance Players production, but has appeared on stage in Annie at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and has been a competitive dancer for 12 years.

Massiello recently moved to Nashville and is making her Renaissance Players debut. She has previously appeared in productions of The Crucible and Cotton Girls.

Steward appeared in Renaissance Players productions of The Sound of Music, Grease, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and recently returned to the stage in Guys and Dolls.

Trudy Whiting, a three-time Jimmy winner including Outstanding Technical Crew Member in 2003, will serve as stage manager for Dracula.

“This will be a new experience for regular patrons of the Renaissance Players as we delve into a darker play,” said Scott.

Tickets for Dracula are on sale now. For more information on the production, call (615)740-5600. To purchase tickets, call (615)740-5570.

The Renaissance Center is a fine arts education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson, just 35 miles west of Nashville on Interstate 40 at exit 172.

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