Lock up your doors and hide your daughters!
Count Dracula, the infamously seductive and evil vampire of the 1897 Gothic horror novel will come to life once again Oct. 20 and Oct. 21 right here in Fairfield County.
Valley Shakespeare Festival Theater Company will present two scripted reading performances of the Bram Stoker classic just in time for Halloween as part of its popular “Shakespeare in the Bar” series.
The Oct. 20 evening performance will be hosted by Caloroso Eatery and Bar in Shelton and the Oct. 21 performance will be held in Fairfield’s Anna Liffey’s Irish Pub.
Dracula is the sixth work VSF will present in its semi-annual “Shakespeare in the Bar” series.
Fans of the nonprofit theater company will remember its previous productions of Macbeth, Titus Andronicus, Hamlet, The Tempest, and most recently, Moliere's Tartuffe.
VSF will be utilizing the same script and sound effects used in the 1938 Mercury Theater on the Air radio broadcast which starred Orson Welles and Agnes Moorehead.
Welles not only starred in the production, but also wrote the adaptation, and his version is commonly believed to be the most faithful to the original novel with much of the dialogue lifted verbatim. It has been described as both “horrific and transcendent.”*
VSF will employ only five actors and one lighting/sound effects engineer to present its version.
Valley Shakespeare Festival is excited to present this production in its debut at its two new venues.
Caloroso, 100 Center St., Shelton, has been a long-time supporter of VSF, hosting Opening Night Cast Parties for all four of the company’s Shakespeare in the Park productions.
This will be the first time however, it will host a performance.
The company is thrilled to be performing in the restaurant’s recently-completed lower level space. Its romantic fireplace, spacious tables and comfortable bar make it a perfect cabaret-like atmosphere for the production.
Caloroso will offer dinner service before, during and after the performance as well as a full cash bar.
Anna Liffey’s Pub in Fairfield is no stranger to live performance, primarily presenting musical acts, but VSF will provide the venue’s first theatrical performance by a Shakespeare company.
VSF is excited to be that company and looks forward to making appearances regularly at the venue.
As with Caloroso, Anna Liffey’s will offer full food and bar service throughout the evening.
Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door.
Doors open at 6 p.m. performance begins at 7:30 p.m.
Space is limited; advance purchase is recommended.
*Colin Fleming, May 6, 2015
This is a press release from Valley Shakespeare Festival, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater company dedicated to bringing free and reduced cost theater to Connecticut communities.
