‘Dracula: The Musical’

Kelsey Theatre takes on this adaptation of the novel by Bram Stoker, just in time for Halloween.

By: Stuart Duncan
   It was a big weekend at Kelsey Theatre. The show was Dracula: The Musical and it opened to full houses Friday and Saturday. And then, on Sunday, the show’s composer, Frank Wildhorn, was in the audience and stayed afterward, first to thank the cast for its fine performance and then to conduct a master class for a huge number of hopefuls. Wildhorn wrote Jekyll & Hyde and The Scarlet Pimpernel for Broadway, and it is rare for a man with his credits to spend his time on a college campus.
   But the Kelsey production is in the hands of Nicholas Cheng (the musical director) and Frank Ferrara (the stage director). The former is assistant to Wildhorn and the latter has been directing shows in the area for years, including both Jekyll and Pimpernel.
   Together they have created one of the most exciting productions to hit Kelsey in years. The Dracula legend has been around for generations, and there are many versions and subplots. Here the tale is kept fairly simple: Count Dracula comes to England and immediately begins seducing young ladies for his blood thirst. He acquires a country estate near a sanatorium, perfect for his needs. Two of his victims are prominent — Lucy Westenra (played with great verve by Charlene Angelini) and Mina Murray (18-year-old Michaela Alyse Tomcho, who is destined for stardom if she wants it). Both have lovely voices, both in the ballad range and in rock.
   We, of course, meet the Count himself (David Weitzer, an Equity performer who has performed the title role in four productions of Jekyll & Hyde, as well as Percy in Pimpernel). He adds a solid voice and great presence to the production. James Petro plays Jonathan Harker, a clerk who takes Mina under his wing. Tom Bessellieu, who has been seen on the Kelsey stage frequently, including in the role of Kris Kringle, breaks from type casting and does a terrific job as Abraham Van Helsing, the vampire hunter who arrives to try to save the day. But stealing moments from all of them is Drew Cyburt as Renfield, the sanatorium inmate who enjoys flies and spiders for snacks. His performance of "The Master’s Song" is a high point of the show.
   Wildhorn is eclectic; however, he has created several beautiful ballads, including "Please Don’t Make Me Love You" and "Loving You Keeps Me Alive," and Tomcho and Petro do them full justice. Andy Mahaney’s set design has levels, stairways and plenty of gauze. It serves as a castle, a church, a bedroom, the asylum, a vault, even the Orient Express. Jason Conrad’s lighting is dark and moody, with much good use of following spotlights.
   My hunch is that you should make a reservation immediately for fear of more sold-out performances.
Dracula: The Musical continues at Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, through Oct. 31. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m., Oct. 28, midnight, Oct. 31, 8 p.m. Tickets cost $16, $12 seniors, $10 students. For information, call (609) 570-3333. On the Web: www.kelseytheatre.net