Dracula

Spooky, sexy, and suspenseful, the Impossible Players interpretation of Bram Stoker's Dracula does not disappoint. The narrative jumps seamlessly from London to Transylvania, and carries the audience through this tale of ultimate corruption. The dark tone is set in the opening scene where Renfield, played by the scene stealing Johnny Lucero, gives an overture that foreshadows the ghoulish horror to follow. Through the clever use of flashback sequences we learn the origin of the creature that stalks Lexi Catalano's Mina, and Brena Adams as sultry, redheaded bad girl Lucy.
Under the capable direction of David Conley and Lara Craddock-Hays, the plot unfolds at a slow, uneasy pace. The audience squirmed as Dracula's plan fell into place. You can't help but root for Paul Abeyta as Dr. Seward and Cody Griebel as Professor Van Helsing, as they race to discover the plot and protect the innocent girls. These gentlemen brought depth and emotion as two very different heroes. Seward tries to save the woman he loves while Van Helsing is on a mission to destroy an ancient enemy. Jean-Luc Couste was solid as Harker, the poor businessman duped into helping the Count gain access to London and all of its lively citizens. Joe Chainey as Dracula chews up scenery as well as necks, with delivery somewhere between William Shatner and a growling animal. One mustn't forget the vixens, the lovely Leta Langdon, Adelita Fiero, and Marlo Angel-Hartman. Dracula's mischievous servants had the stand-out sequence of the whole show. I won't spoil it, but watch out when the baby-carriage makes an appearance.
In all, Dracula was scary fun. The romance, seduction, and tragedy are well conveyed by the stark, minimalist set, and the creaky, groaning sound design. If I have one complaint, it's that I wanted more. More fog, more screams, and more blood! It's a nice change of pace to see an old-school vampire story again. This isn't True-Blood, and it sure aint Twilight. For that, I thank the Impossible Players.

-John Brown, Reviewer
PPAG