You can't keep an good undead man down.
Even though La Jolla Playhouse has announced that Dracula, Frank Wildhorn's latest foray into musical theatre since his triple crown opened and closed on Broadway, will delay previews until Oct. 11, the count has added an extra week of performances, closing now Nov. 25. This is a bonus for the Broadway-bound musical, reportedly set for the Broadway Theatre, according to the New York Times.
Problems with the scenery in the large-scale production, and delays with receiving materials from New York City in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, caused the cancellations. In a released statement, La Jolla Playhouse managing director Terrence Dwyer said, "We did everything in our power to make up for lost time, but our creative team and major elements of the physical production were delayed in getting to San Diego. Dracula, The Musical is technically complex, and we need these two additional days to fully prepare the show for its first audiences."
2001 Tony nominee Tom Hewitt (The Rocky Horror Show, The Lion King) stars as the blood-thirsty count, backwards aging from a 70 year-old Translyvanian in his castle into a handsome 30-something seducing London's beautiful young women.
That includes the fiance of Dracula's solicitor Jonathan Harker, Mina and her flirtatious friend, Lucy. Harker is played by Tom Stuart with Jenn Morse as Mina and Amy Rutberg (The Civil War on tour) as Lucy. Also in the cast are Joe Cassidy, Chris Hoch and Lee Morgan as Lucy's suitors, Jack Seward, Arthur Holmwood and Quincy Morris. Tom Flynn (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Who's Tommy) is the vampire hunter Van Helsing. William Youmans (Titanic, Big River) is a former solicitor with Harker's company who is driven mad by Dracula. La Jolla Playhouse artistic director Des McAnuff (Tommy, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) directs. Mindy Cooper (Titanic) choreographs.
Christopher Hampton (Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Savages) and Don Black collaborated on the book and lyrics. Black's previous theatrical experience includes several Andrew Lloyd Webber projects—the Tony Award-winning Sunset Boulevard, Aspects of Love and Tell Me on a Sunday, the sung part of Song and Dance. He won an Academy Award for the song "Born Free." He and Hampton both worked together on Sunset.
Dracula makes its world premiere Oct. 11-Nov. 25 with an opening still set for Oct. 21. Atlantic Records has already promised an original cast recording.
Designing Dracula are John Arnone (sets), Catherine Zuber (costumes), Howelll Binkley (lighting), Tom Clark (sound) and Michael Clark (media).
La Jolla Playhouse is located on the corner of La Jolla Village Drive and Torrey Pines Road. For reservations, call (858) 550-1010. La Jolla Playhouse is on the web at http://www.lajollaplayhouse.com.
— By Christine Ehren
