Fairfield resident has title role in IHCC?s presentation of ?Dracula?

OTTUMWA ? The fangs are coming out at Indian Hills Community College in the upcoming William McNulty adaptation of Bram Stoker?s classic tale of horror, ?Dracula.?

This action-packed and blood-soaked retelling will run at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21-23 in St. John Auditorium on the college?s Ottumwa campus.

Admission is free, but patrons are encouraged to reserve seats by calling 641-683-5144.

Count Dracula and his Vampire Brides have left Castle Dracula and arrived in England to take up residence at Carfax Abbey. Next door to the abbey is the asylum for the insane run by Dr. Thomas Seward and his assistant, Margaret Sullivan. Upon Dracula?s arrival, the inmates of the asylum grow restless and uncontrollable as inmate Robert Renfield gradually comes under Dracula?s control.

Mysterious deaths and strange disappearances happen as Seward?s fiancé, Mina Grant, dies; Mina?s friend, Lucy Westphal, becomes ill; and Lucy?s fiancé, Jonathan Harker, disappears.

Professor VanHelsing arrives at Seward?s request for help. VanHelsing and his brave comrades must hunt down and destroy the profoundly evil Count Dracula. But the Count is exceedingly resourceful with superhuman strength, psychic powers and the ability to shape change. The play culminates in a wild confrontation between the King of the Vampires and those who would rid the world of him.

?There are no sparkly vampires in this version,? said Jennifer Boyenga, play director. ?There is nothing romantic or campy about this legendary character.?

Co-director Ronnelle Willadsen confirms that while vampires have been ?romanticized in recent years,? this is an adult show in the horror genre.

Dracula is played by Tyler Breeding of Fairfield and Dracula?s shape-changing monster is played by Ethan Goetz of Oskaloosa. Dracula?s Vampire Brides are played by Beth Pickens and Charlotte Anderson, both of Ottumwa, and Holly Woodley of Centerville.

Running the asylum as Dr. Seward and Miss Sullivan are Andrew Milder and Molly Overturf, both of Ottumwa. The zany inmate Robert Renfield, played by Andrew Kecy of Knoxville, is relentlessly pursued by Briggs, the attendant of the asylum, played by Steve Nash of Bloomfield.

Dr. Seward?s love interest is the recently-deceased Mina Grant (Victoriana Wiebe of Numa) and Lucy Westphal is Mina?s best friend (Larissa Mincks of Ottumwa). Lucy?s fiancé is the missing Jonathan Harker, played by Lucas Burtlow of Ollie.

Dr. Abram VanHelsing who leads the vampire hunt is being played by Mason Ferguson of Wayland.

A child on the loose is played by Brittany Derby of Drakesville. The villagers of Carfax and inmates of the asylum include Niccole Giberson of Packwood, Austin Haring, Preston Hawkins, Aaryn Frazier, Nichole Mitchell, Arlina Miller, Hailey Haring, Gabrielle Wells, Colleen Hunkele and Rachel Benson, from various towns in Iowa, Missouri and Minnesota.

The stage managers are Elizabeth Caudill and Jacoby Clingman, both of Ottumwa.

Local magician William Bowman, also known as William the Conjerer, has designed several special pyrotechnic effects.

Makeup designer is Jessica Williams of Eddyville. Costumes have been designed and created by Willadsen.

Trey McIntosh of Des Moines is running the sound system. Along with the cast and crew, Nate Andersen of Boone is helping with set construction.