CWU Theatre’s latest production, “Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really”, is a complete retelling of the classic Dracula story, serving as a feminist revision of the piece. The production, which will have its first showing this coming Friday, provided opportunities for students on both cast and crew to explore new roles and address social commentary in a way they haven’t done before.
Neo Klosterman, who plays the titular vampire, shared what they find important about this retelling. “I think what makes this version different is the fact that the monsters look just like us,” Klosterman said. “Vampirism has always been a metaphor for some social taboo or commentary. Over the years it has been used to discuss sexuality, sexual expression, racism, anti-semitism, among other things. Kate Hamill’s version takes the opportunity to discuss toxic masculinity and misogyny, which is, unfortunately, something we are currently seeing on the rise again. This story is about empowerment and asking us to challenge the structures that we are born into.”
Ryan Afuma, who is both ensemble and the Dr. Seward understudy, shared a similar sentiment about the importance of the piece. “I think one of the most significant parts of this story is the emphasis on how the vampires blend in and coexist with humans. In Kate Hamill’s world, the vampires do not have fangs, they can walk in broad daylight, and they look exactly like us,” Afuma said. “Dracula is really connected to this idea of toxic masculinity and control. When you consider that the only thing separating him from the humans in this story is his own monstrous nature, you start to see the message of how monsters can exist in our world too; Fangless, normal, even charming good men.”
Preparing for a play like this doesn’t just require a good script, it also requires a large team of people all working to make the production run smoothly. One member of this team, Alana Fitzgerald, shared their experience working as the production’s sound designer. “Preparing for the role of the Sound Designer for ‘Dracula a Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really’ has been a thrill. Leaning into the world of vampires and the sound design motifs that have been in our media since the original film Dracula, 1931, has been nothing short of a privilege. This show is massive and requires endless work from myself and the rest of the sound team but it’s all worth it when you feel that thunder shudder your bones,” Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald also talked about what putting together this production meant to them, having grown up with vampires as a pivotal part of pop culture. “I was raised on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and seeing a modern script address the same complex societal issue of power we’ve always seen in our vampires brings me immense pride,” Fitzgerald said. “This play is a story that takes the cultural significance of the original Bram Stoker Dracula and its, at the time progressive, portrayal of women’s dreams, shame, and fears into our modern cultural context to highlight the silences that still live in our society. Watching our actors and crew fall deeper in love with the vampire as I had as a child brings endless warmth to my heart.”
Tickets are available online, and more information about when and where to watch the play can be found on CWU Theatre website.
