By Rick
Abbot Stage
Direction: Bettsy Gauerke Musical
Direction: Robin Coffman Several years ago, the
Footlight Players presented "Play On" by Rick Abbot. If you loved to laugh at
"Play On", then you'll be doubly delighted by Dracula, The Musical?, also by
Rick Abbot. This is a riotous spoof of the original Dracula, complete with music, dancing,
special effects, and awful puns. No doubt Bram Stoker is spinning in his grave like Jeff
Gordon's drive shaft. CLOCKWISE
FROM LEFT: Kathy Reid, Bruce Reid, Shane Pyle, Linda Bookless, Mike Bechtol, Aryton
Gauerke, June Shults, Leah Nairn, Ellen Hardesty, Brad Fuller O CAST OF
CHARACTERS Mike Bechtol
as the lecherous and ever-thirsty "Dracula" Ellen
Hardesty as the increasingly pale "Mina" Brad Fuller
as the insect-eating loony "Boris Renfield" Bruce Reid
as madhouse proprietor "Dr. Sam Seward" Kathy Reid
as Sam's wife and Mina's mom "Sophie Seward" Shane Pyle
as vampire expert "Dr. Van Helsing" June Shults
as the Seward's maid "Nelly" Leah Nairn
as family friend "Bubu Padoop" OO CREW Bettsy
Gauerke - Director Robin Coffman
- Musical Director Linda
Bookless - Musical Accompanist Ayrton
Gauerke - Percussion Jim Gauerke
- Producer Roger Eastman
- Stage Manager, Set Design and Decoration Judy Milligan
- Props Nancy
Porteus, Beth Clark, June Shults - Costumes Hizzoner
- Golf Paraphanalia Tracey Neal,
Jamie Hostetler - Dracula's Castle Background Dianne
Eastman, Glenn Mishler, Nell Fogle, Karen Skuza - Backstage Tom Rockey
- Lighting Design Larry Badgely
- Poster Design Jewel Terry
- Makeup Brenda
Blanford - Reservations Barb McPeek
- Box Office Rami
Hardesty, Beth Clark - House Managers Roger
Eastman, Jim Gauerke, Ron Gordon, Dave Milligan, Paul Hunt... Glenn
Mishler, Denny Blanford, Don Lessig, Helen Scholfield... ...and
Jonathan McCleery - Set Construction O POST-PRODUCTION
NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR There are two people without whom Dracula would
never had happened. Roger Eastman designed the set, came up with the
special effects and worked countless hours. His flying bats are just a small, albeit
hilarious part of his enormous contribution. No one had the foggiest notion of what we laughingly
called "the music" sounded like, but Robin Coffman tracked it
down, and this was no small task! Then he and Linda Bookless (our
miraculous, never tiring accompanist) spent an entire Sunday afternoon making tapes for
each cast member. Robin was a constant source of encouragement and optimism. This cast was one of the hardest working with whom
I've had the privilege of being associated, and considering those with whom I have worked,
that's saying quite a lot! Because of this, they made it look easy, natural and
spontaneous, and best of all, fun. This was, in every sense, an ensemble. Therefore
I don't want to single out any one actor. But I must say what a joy it was to collaborate
with (in alphabetical order): Mike Bechtol, Brad Fuller,
Ellen Hardesty, Leah Nairn, Shane Pyle,
Kathy and Bruce Reid, and June Shults. I would work with
any and all of these people again in a heartbeat and I hope I will. I also hope in a
property worthy of all their talents... By the way... they are all a little bit NUTS!!
At the wrap-up party, my grandson, Wade observed, "It must be great having a
cast you don't have to direct." ...Not exactly a boost to my ego because it was true! Special thanks to Roger Eastman,
again as stage manager, and Judy Milligan, Karen Skuza
and Diane Eastman as the manages. Tracy Neal and Jamie
Hostetler for the wonderful castle backdrop, Tom Rockey's
lighting (e.g. burning castles and sunrises)... as always, great effects... Thanks to Aryton
Gauerke for percussion and joke accents, Larry Badgely for
attempting to impart the concept of choreography. There are two women without whom we would really be
up the proverbial creek: Brenda Blanford, who makes sure the phones are
answered, and Barb McPeek who averts disaster and chaos at the Box
Office, and always with courtesy and a smile... on the outside!............. Oh, yes...
Thanks to my producer......... whose name escapes me. O "DRACULA, THE
MUSICAL?" LINKS: . .
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