Kentucky audiences' thirst for blood will be slaked for the sixth year when Actors Theatre of Louisville's popular adaptation of Dracula returns to the 318-seat Bingham Theatre Oct. 4-Nov. 4.

William McNulty directs the horror yarn about vampire Count Dracula and his encounter with noted undead authority Dr. Van Helsing. James Horan is the title character, as he was in 1995. Brent Langdon plays Jonathan Harker. The 1927 adaptation is by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, drawing from Bram Stoker's Victorian gothic classic about a vampire's visit to England.

The play is an annual ATL audience favorite during the month of Halloween. The cast at the Tony Award-honored regional theatre includes Adale O'Brien as Dr. Van Helsing (the gender of the character has been changed from tradition), Mark Sawyer Dailey as Dr. Seward, whose daughter Lucy (played by Krista Lally) is at risk, with Kate Umstatter, Brad Light (as Renfield), Alan Malone, Melanie Rademaker, Tom Wooldridge and Jenna Underhill.

Designers are Paul Owen (set), Laura Patterson (costumes), Tony Penna (lighting), Vincent Olivieri (sound) and Doc Manning (properties).

Tickets are $24-$26. ATL, which has three theatres including the arena-style Bingham, is at 316 W. Main Street, in downtown Louisville. For information, call (502) 584-1205 or visit www.actorstheatre.org. *

A new musical version of Dracula by Frank Wildhorn, Christopher Hampton and Don Black, is playing the La Jolla Playhouse in Southern California, Oct. 9-Nov. 18. Des McAnuff directs.

— By Kenneth Jones