Rage of the Stage brings Drac back

“Dracula: Dragon Prince” The Rage of the Stage Players Runs Thursday, Friday and… “Dracula: Dragon Prince” The Rage of the Stage Players Runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday The Brew House, South Side 412-851-0922 Directed by James Michael Shoberg Starring Joseph A. Roots, Chucky Hendershot, Gordon Palagi, Adrienne Fischer, Nicolette Chilton

While retellings of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” abound, this one is unlike any you’ve seen before. The Rage of the Stage Players’ production of “Dracula: Dragon Prince,” written and directed by Pittsburgh playwright James Michael Shoberg, puts a modern twist on the well known mythical tale.

In a telephone interview, Shoberg explained that The Rage of the Stage Players has wanted to bring “Dracula” to the stage for some time but were looking for an original take on the classic story.

“We don’t want to show people the same thing they’ve seen a million times,” said Shoberg, “so we decided to do ‘Dracula’ from a dragon aspect. . . . It’s an amalgamation of a whole bunch of vampire myths. I wanted to take it in a whole different direction, away from bats and wolves and everything.”

“Dracula: Dragon Prince” begins by telling the history behind the vampire myth. For Prince Vlad II Dracula (Joseph A. Roots), naming the next heir to his throne of Wallachia is an easy decision. He chooses his aggressive son, Vlad (Gordon Palagi), over his eldest son, Radu (Chucky Hendershot), whom he dubs “The Handsome.” As the new member of the Order of the Dragon, Vlad (now Prince Vlad III Dracula) endures torturous initiations, transforming him into a powerful, vengeful being.

The story then transports its audience to the present day. Dracula settles into a mansion located near a college campus in Whitby and hosts a party. College roommates Lucy (Adrienne Fischer) and Mina (Nicolette Chilton) attend, but things get out of hand as the night comes to an end.

When Mina falls ill the following day and doctors can’t pinpoint the cause, Prof. Van Helsing (Jim Weldon) diagnoses Mina’s “illness” as the workings of a vampire. The group then embarks on a hunt for the vampire, Dracula, a character whose looming presence, mesmerizing voice and wicked eyes reveal the evil within.

The character Renfield (Sean Michael Gallaher), a patient at a mental institute who claims to be in contact with Dracula, adds humor and a lighter touch to this otherwise dark story. The acting is remarkable as Renfield bursts into extremely obnoxious screaming fits, as well as random songs about bugs.

“Dracula: Dragon Prince” is the company’s 13th show, though they didn’t intend it that way. “We didn’t say ‘Ooh, it’s our 13th show, let’s pick something spooky,’ Shoberg jokes. He did, however, intend to produce a well-researched piece by pulling from a variety of sources, including the class notes of family friend and former Pitt student, Jessica Cippilone.

Cipplione, who works with Shoberg’s wife, took the University of Pittsburgh course “Vampire: Blood and Empire,” instructed by Professor Michelle Kuhn. Shoberg used Cipplione’s notes in the writing of “Dracula: Dragon Prince,” also pulling heavily from online research and Bram Stoker’s novel.

“I tried to make it sort of a marriage of original fantasy, actual history and the novel,” Shoberg said.

The costuming adds a modern touch to The Rage of the Stage Players’ production. Dracula’s three brides are clothed in green and black (the colors of the Order of the Dragon). The women sport bustiers, tiny skirts and leather boots in a departure from the conventional white. In addition, clothing distinguishes good-girl Lucy from her sexually aggressive friend, Mina. Lucy wears capris and modest blouses, while Mina struts her stuff in short skirts and sexy tank tops, commanding attention.

And of course, it wouldn’t be “Dracula” if there weren’t blood – lots of blood. Shoberg describes special effects and costuming as The Rage of the Stage Players’ specialty.

“My company tries to do movie-quality work on stage, because what’s funny is, people will plunk down $10 to go and see a movie that has something to do with fantasy and superheroes and think nothing of it,” Shoberg says. “But people almost want to shy away from [a play], even though it’s right in front of you.”

From the violent battles to Dracula and his blood-thirsty victims, there’s enough gore to go around. The most impressive occurs during the scene where Mina consumes the blood of a baby. When the lights go up, Mina’s back is to the audience, murmuring to herself, as the anticipation grows. When she finally turns around, we see a ghastly pale Mina, blood dripping from her mouth and soaking her nightgown.

Chucky Hendershot, who plays Dracula’s brother, Radu, is also the theater company’s special effects master.

“He spends a lot of man hours to get things absolutely perfect,” said Shoberg of Hendershot, “and we spent a lot of time in the parking lot outside the theater making sure all the illusions were working – things like cutting people, to make sure it looks like it’s actually happening,” Shoberg said. “I can only imagine what passersby thought.”

As Dracula and his victims would say, “The blood is the life,” so drink up. And if that’s too much to ask, just go see “Dracula: Dragon Prince” where you’ll be sure to get a taste of the life.

A’E Editor Meaghan Dorff contributed to this piece.