Auditions

• DOCTOR VAN HELSING: 40s+. American. A female vampire hunter. She takes no nonsense from anybody. She wears dusty beaten clothing and a big cowboy hat. She has a long nasty old scar all up and down the side of her face, as if someone has taken their hand and RIPPED down, long ago. It’s from an encounter she’d rather not talk about. She’s been through it. She’s a bit of a know-it-all. She’s prickly. She’s strong. She’s brilliant. She’s no Lady. She’s on the hunt. She is badass—and 19th century men do not, as a rule, appreciate it.

• MINA HARKER: 20s-30s. Very smart. Caring. Loyal. Wants to do the right thing. Was raised to be a Lady and is thus suppressing an inner fire that emerges throughout the progression of the play. Great emotional depth, good sense of humor. Must face her darkest fears—comes out stronger at the end of it. Secretly an adventurer, and fighter. Is called to be more than she once was.

• LUCY WESTENRA: 20s-30s. Bright, funny, vivacious, playful, and mischievous. Feels trapped and torn by expectations. About to be married, and deeply conscious of how that puts her under a 19th century man’s control. Reflexively flirtatious. Believes she must pretend to be less than she is. Yearns for freedom. Falls desperately ill after being bitten by Dracula… and then becomes a completely different being—an animalistic vampire demon—a naturally manipulative predator. Lucy’s vampire self is deeply unpredictable and frightening.

• MARILLA/MAID: 20s-30s. A vampire. More animal than human. Was lured into vampirehood by Dracula, who then proceeded to exploit her. Enjoys being a predator. Finds pleasure in consuming others. Resents her objectification. Manipulative; vicious; probably sociopathic. Capable of moving very fast—blink, and oh God, she’s right behind you. Sister-wife to Drusilla. Doubles with Maid—an underpaid, resentful servant.

• DRUSILLA/MERCHANT/MILLER: 20s-30s. A vampire. More animal than human. Was lured into vampirehood by Dracula, who then proceeded to exploit her. Enjoys being a predator. Finds pleasure in consuming others. Resents her objectification. Manipulative; vicious; probably sociopathic. Capable of moving very fast—blink, and oh God, she’s right be-hind you. Sister-wife to Marilla. Doubles with Miller—a casually brutal asylum attendant, and Merchant—a merchant looking to make a sale.

• RENFIELD: any age. A madwoman. Worships Dracula. Believes that if she can earn his approval, she will be free. Not a bad soul, really, but capable of extreme brutality or duplicity in service of her religious zealotry. Almost a child, in her way.

• DRACULA: late 30s–late 50s. A physically imposing man. He is…. extremely confident. Strong. Funny. Charming. Sexy. You’d like him, reader – no, really, you would. He makes people lose their heads. Manipulative. Commanding. Capable of being very, very frightening. Unpredictable. Physically strong. Incredible with language. Unimaginably powerful. Brilliant. Casually takes pleasure in cruelty. An equal opportunity sexual sadist. A toxic predator; a wolf in the fold; a very old and clever parasite, capable of adapting and surviving. Fundamentally enjoys himself.

• JONATHAN HARKER: 20s-40s. A nice man. A truly decent man. A lawyer; a man of letters; a slight man; a slightly fussy man. If being unkind, one could say he’s delicate. He’s very, very British. Cares about people. Is maybe a little rule bound. Loves his wife, Mina, deeply. Is bitten by Dracula, and then loses his mind—becoming an easily-confused, raving shambles. After recovering from sickness, he slowly gives in to Dracula’s darkness—becoming an abusive, toxic man. Once he’s under Dracula’s influence, we can’t always tell if he’s telling the truth. Can quickly switch from likable to extremely volatile.

• DOCTOR GEORGE SEWARD: 30s-40s. The head physician of a lunatic asylum, he is a good man but starts out the play as a product of his era—has some trouble listening to women. Believes only in the evidence of his own eyes. Tends to mansplain. Deeply in love with his fiancé Lucy Westenra, of whom he is overprotective. Has a very contentious relationship with Van Helsing. Doesn’t like to not feel in control. Chivalrous. Thinks of himself as a modern man, a man of science. Over the course of the play, he learns to accept female leadership and question his assumptions. A brave man. Likeable.

We look forward to seeing you there!