STAGE REVIEW : ‘Dracula’: A Musical Comedy of Terrors

Dracula has taken his knocks in recent years. The old bloodsucker has had to endure some pretty silly movies, from “Love at First Bite” (with George Hamilton as a campy cavalier of a count) to an unpardonable array of lousy teen-ager films hooked to the vampire legend.

The stage has had its share of Transylvania foolishness too. The Broadway version, with Frank Langella as sort of a batty Lothario, may not have been a strict satire, but it was close. And then came the ultimate indignation--musicals. Dracula as crooner? Sorry, count.

One of the spoofiest (and most dreadful) is Rick Abbot’s “Dracula: The Musical?” now at Westminster Community Theatre Abbot, known primarily for a slew of lightweight comedies that find unending life on small stages, has lampooned the Dracula story into coffin dust.

To get the tone of this show, just look at some of the gags: When someone remarks that the vermin-eating Renfield is not an attractive house guest, the reply is: “Just think what we save on fly swatters.” When Dracula makes his big entrance, Renfield does an Ed McMahon “Heeeerrre’s Dracky!” When Van Helsing reminds everybody that their lives are in “jeopardy,” the theme song from the television game show comes blaring through.

Director Gregory Cohen isn’t apologizing for all this nonsense. In the program notes, he says the key to enjoying “Dracula: The Musical?” is to “store your brain in your coat pocket.” Unfortunately, my pockets weren’t deep enough. Still, the audience during a recent performance seemed to enjoy it quite a bit.

As for the music, it’s clear Abbot is not going to give Stephen Sondheim any career anxieties. The tunes are so sparse and uneventful that it’s a wonder this was made into a musical in the first place. They don’t help the punny humor, and more often than not, they get in the way. Some are unintentionally hilarious, like when Dracula softly sings “Don’t Be Afraid!” to the apprehensive Mina. It’s like a “Saturday Night Live” skit.

The cast does what it can with this, opting to play it broad. With his slicked-back hair and an accent that’s more Brooklyn than European, Mark MacDicken’s Dracula is a little like a Bowery Boy who just happens to have a thing for capes and vital body fluids. Laura Sellers’ Mina is wide-eyed and just dim enough to fall for his hypnotic hooey. Bradley Miller’s Renfield is the usual insect-chewing nut. Love those pajamas, though, especially the bug motif.

“DRACULA: THE MUSICAL?”

A Westminster Community Theatre production of Rick Abbot’s comic musical. Directed by Gregory Cohen. With Suzette Coger, Laura Sellers, Joshua Kaye, Nina Gardner, Trish McQuinn, Bradley Miller, Mark MacDicken and Edward Stenek. Choreography and musical direction by Kysa Cobb. Set by Steve Carlock. Lighting and sound by Chris Hyland. Plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. through June 4 at 7272 Maple St., Westminster. Tickets: $5 and $7. (714) 642-3111 or (714) 995-4113.