Students Take a Bite Out of “Dracula” in Fall Play

Ready to sink your teeth into the first upper school theatrical performance of the year? Rehearsals for “Dracula,'' the play adapted from the classic tale by Bram Stoker, are in full swing and everyone involved is having a bloody good time.

“Halloween is a huge deal at Masters, so when I saw that our performance weekend fell on that holiday, I started thinking of shows that would be fun for an audience in a Halloween mood,” explained Meg O’Connor, upper school theater teacher and the play’s director.
 
The chilling drama is the tale of a Transylvanian count who is a vampire seeking victims for their blood. Marbod Faure ’22 stars as Count Dracula and says the character is fun to experiment with, even though he is “a scary and ruthless beast.” Faure compares the role to “driving a big car with an insanely powerful engine.” He has found “a lot goes into the process of deconstructing ‘Marbod’ and building ‘Dracula,’ from the way he talks and walks to what his thinking process is like.”

With more than 35 students working on the play, O’Connor notes the production is all about collaboration. “Students bring ideas, write music, help choreograph the fights, teach each other to pronounce the words in German and Romanian, and learn how to build and paint the sets,” O’Connor said.

Sage Weinstock ’24 plays Lucy Westerna, a young woman with a kind spirit. “I enjoy all the range this play has,” she said. “There are so many emotions and experiences that can be found in it, from romance to murder.” 

Making his Masters stage debut is senior Ollie Peterson, who plays the rich shipping owner Samuel F. Billington. Peterson was drawn to the sense of community and creative risk-taking involved. “I’ve been having an amazing time learning about acting technique, bonding with underclassmen, and strengthening my bonds with other seniors as well as the wonderful Ms. O’Connor,” he said.

Opening night at the Claudia Boettcher Theatre is Thursday, October 28, at 7:00 p.m. with performances also on Friday, October 29, and Saturday, October 30. Marbod says he’s looking forward to a full house. “Bring your family, partner, friends, and enjoy a fun Halloween fright!”

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