CLEVELAND, Ohio –– If rehearsal is a hint of what’s to come, get tickets now to “Dracula” and “Masque of the Red Death” by Cleveland Ballet. It’s “can’t-miss” dance theater drama told through the elegance of classical ballet. Dancers wholly embody the characters as they move through the plot.
The classic horror tales are perfectly timed for the Spooky Season. The show will be at Playhouse Square’s Mimi Ohio Theatre on Friday and Saturday, October 18-19. Cleveland Ballet is hosting “Dracula in Two Bites” parties after both Saturday performances. These include food, deliciously bloody drinks, dancing with a DJ, and more at Hofbräuhaus Cleveland.
While “Dracula” has a narrator – Tony-nominated Broadway actor Alan Campbell – it helps to brush up on the story and characters. Campbell plays Dr. Seward, head of the insane asylum.
You don’t have to read all of Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic horror novel “Dracula” or Edgar Allen Poe’s 1842, gothic tale “The Masque of the Red Death;” a Wikipedia summary will help. The stories roll out like this …
Dracula
English solicitor Jonathan Harker visits Count Dracula at his castle in Transylvania to help the count buy a house near London. When he retreats to his room for the night, Dracula warns Harker to stay put. The young man doesn’t listen and wanders the castle. There he encounters the blood-thirsty Brides of Dracula. Dracula rescues Harker just in time.
Dracula then travels by ship to England. During the journey, crew members disappear until only the captain remains. When the ship lands, he’s found tied to it.
Meanwhile, in England Lucy writes to her best friend Mina about her romances. When Mina and Lucy go on holiday, Dracula stalks the sleepwalking Lucy. Mina leaves to visit her ill fiancé — Jonathan Harker.
Then Lucy becomes ill from blood loss, Professor Abraham Van Helsing knows why, but doesn’t tell. When the garlic is removed Lucy dies and becomes a vampire.
Led by Van Helsing the men begin to hunt Dracula. The vampire secretly attacks Mina and forces her to drink his blood, so she’ll become a vampire after death … UNLESS Dracula is killed. And the story continues …
“Dracula” is performed four times in two days, with dancers Johann Mancebo and Narek Martirosyan taking turns as the vampire. Both men easily inhabited the Dracula character in rehearsal with a sensual energy.
The brides of dracula hungrily pursue solicitor Jonathan Harker, dancer Levian Mondville, during practice for Cleveland Ballet’s ‘Dracula.’
Paris Wolfe
One of the eeriest moments happens with the Brides of Dracula–the three seductive “sister” vampires – who entice Harker until Dracula uses a fresh infant (not real) to lures away the creeping, hissing women.
Dracula is an archetypal story brought to the stage and screen hundreds of times in the past century-plus. This version was first choreographed in 2010 by two-time Tony Award nominated choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett. In addition to creating dance works for myriad top ballets, her choreography can be seen in feature films “Footloose,” “My Blue Heaven,” and “Bewitched.”
Masque of the Red Death
Poe’s horror tale is close to reality in post-pandemic times. The short tale, about 33 minutes on stage, starts with a plague known as the Red Death. Prince Prospero secludes himself into his castle to stay safe.
One night, he entertains hoity-toity guests with a masquerade ball in seven colored room. (Think super spreader event.) The first six rooms are brightly lit, while the last room is black with scarlet light. Guests avoid the eerie seventh room.
At midnight, a dark figure in a blood-spattered robe and the face of a corpse appears. An angry Prospero demands to know his identity then chases him from room to room with dagger drawn. And the story rolls out …
Carolina Ballet’s founding Artistic Director Robert Weiss choreographed “The Masque of the Red Death.” Carolina Ballet’s Ballet Master, Dameon Nagel, set both pieces with Cleveland Ballet’s dancers. “Set” means he was at rehearsals giving direction to dancers to help them refine their work.
Cleveland Ballet has a strong relationship with Carolina Ballet because Cleveland’s artistic director Timour Bourtasenkov was a founding member and original dancer with the company.
Interestingly, Bourtasenkov was born in Moldova, not far from Romania’s Transylvania. He is delighted with the choreography, drama, set, costumes and dancers of the upcoming Cleveland production.
“Dracula” and “The Masque of the Red Death” feature original scores composed by much-awarded American composer J. Mark Scearce. The music for all shows will be performed live by members of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra under the baton of Carl Topilow.
To view the cast list and read the performance synopsis, please visit cleveballet.org/dracula.
“Dracula in Two Bites” is a two-part party and fundraiser following the matinee and evening performances. The Saturday afternoon party begins at 3 p.m. and is focused on families and folks who want to attend before the evening performance. The evening Saturday party, “Dracula After Dark,” begins at 9 p.m. and is an adult-only event with drinking, eating, and dancing into the night.
To purchase tickets to the show or parties, visit: cleveballet.org/dracula or call Cleveland Ballet ticketing at 216.320.9000 ext. 107. Ticket pricing begins at $30.
Send dining, drinking and culture story ideas to Paris Wolfe at [email protected]. Review her previous stories here. Follow Paris Wolfe on Instagram @pariswolfe.
