Vampires come to Superior

Last week, audiences in Superior were treated to a night of suspense and hilarious madness when the Superior High School Drama Department presented Tim Kelly’s Dracula: The Twilight Years. The play was presented on two nights last week, April 12 and 13.

The synopsis of the play is quite comical and fun. There was no shortage of humor in the whimsical spoof based on the current vampire novel and movie craze and as such, the audiences left with smiles on their faces.

The play begins with a group of students named Rachel, played by Kelsey Stenberg; Heather, played by Cary Chamberlain; Mindy, played by Kalyn Plouffe;  Jane, played by Tiphanie Erickson; and Lily, played by Liz LaPierre, trekking through Europe with their guide and chaperone Joan, played by Michele Reinelt. 

The students soon find themselves lost, a full moon in the sky. Soon, they stumble upon a castle. Not knowing that it is the castle of Count Dracula, they meet Bill, played by Kenley Zylawy, the vampire’s bankrupt and seemingly normal descendent and his creepy house keeper Moana, played by Sarah Wuebkes.

With the stormy night upon them, the students are happy to pay for lodging. Bill sees this as an opportunity. The castle is struggling financially and by allowing the students to stay, Bill finds hope. He asks his uncle to leave the guests alone, but Dracula, played by Josh Wright, decides not to abide by his nephew’s wishes.

The truth, though, is that the centuries have taken their toll, and Dracula isn’t what he used to be. 

With his uncle trying to scare the guests, Bill is kept busy trying to stave off creditors while supporting the Gypsies in the village, like Sybil, played by Ashley Blaylock. 

But things take a downward turn when Herr Wienerschnitzel, played by Roman Zylawy, arrives from the bank to foreclose on the castle and turn it into a pickle factory.

Just when things get desperate it dawns on the students that Bill could turn the castle into Dracula Land, an amusement park that provides its guests with scary thrills and hence, the castle wouldn’t have to be shut down.

Carol Sullivan, the play’s director, said that the students started working on the play the last day of February. Prior to opening night, they got to perform for the elementary, which gave them a chance to run a dress rehearsal with a live audience rather than empty chairs.

Blaylock said that she enjoys being a part of the play to delight the audience and see their reactions.

“You can also add what you want to your character,” Stenberg added.

Roman noted that he got to “be German” in the play through his character. Wright said that he had fun playing Dracula because he got to create “suspense” and bring a “thrill” to the play.

The students agreed that they definitely fed off of each other’s performances and helped each other out when needed.

Sullivan said that the small cast of 11 students was fun to work with. She said that they are always a bit nervous before opening night.

“We will be going through dress rehearsal and they’ll stop and be like can we run through that again, but I tell them ‘no.’ They have to be able to keep going even though they messed up because you can’t stop during the real thing.”

Art students helped to design the set and Jamie Toivonen’s technology students were responsible for the posters that advertised the play. Trevor Bailed designed the programs and Blaylock also helped out as a stage technician and line assistant.