For more than 125 years, the evil, bloodsucking Count Dracula has been famous well beyond the bounds of his creepy castle in Transylvania. Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic novel, “Dracula,” was loosely inspired by Vlad the Impaler, a ruthless 15th-century warlord. Since then, it’s become a horror classic retold countless times on film and stage.
Last year, Maryville’s Appalachian Ballet Company took a new approach to this fearsome fantasy. ABC Artistic Director Amy Morton Vaughn; her daughters, Kylie Morton Berry and Laura Morton La Russa; and Vaughn’s son-in-law, dancer and choreographer James La Russa, workshopped the idea and wrote their own version of the story for ballet. They found suitably scary music, designed the costumes, created masks and cast the roles.
The first time proved the charm, and this year ABC will reprise the production with four performances Thursday, Oct. 29, through Saturday, Oct. 31 — just in time for Halloween. As before, the ballet will be performed in the round in the Haslam Family Flexible Theatre at the Clayton Center for the Arts. The intimate venue puts the audience close enough to feel part of the action.
Opening night, Thursday, Oct. 29, begins at 7 p.m. The Friday, Oct. 30, performance is preceded by a themed patron party at 6 p.m. with drinks, mocktails and food from Foothills Milling Company; the ballet begins at 7 p.m., with a meet-and-greet with the dancers afterward. On Saturday, Oct. 31, there are two performances, at 2 and 5 p.m., for which the audience is encouraged to come dressed in Halloween finery. Both will be followed by a meet-and-greet with the dancers. As of this week, Thursday’s opening night and the 2 p.m. Saturday performance are sold out.
Principal dancers James La Russa and Laura La Russa will once again dance the lead roles of Dracula and Lucy Westenra, the object of her suitors’ desire before she falls under the count’s spell. Soloist Sarah Ashmore will return in the role of Mina, one of Dracula’s early victims. Joshua Merli portrays Jonathan Harker, the unsuspecting solicitor who is soon imprisoned in Dracula’s castle and desperate to escape. Ian Bailey is the lighting designer.
The choreographers said they’ve made a few changes to this year’s production to heighten the dynamics of the dancing.
All four described it as a family affair. “It has been an exciting creative process working alongside each other,” Kylie Morton Berry said before last year’s premiere. “We have a shared vision for the overall production, but it has allowed all of our choreographic voices to be showcased. We are using movements from each other’s sections to create a cohesive work, providing input in rehearsals, and having regular conversations about our progress. Overall, I feel like this has been a great way to build an all-new production and I am anxious to show what else ABC has to offer our community!”
James La Russa agreed. “Collaborating as a family brings a special energy to the creative process, as each of us brings our unique strengths to the table,” he said. “Together, we’ve woven our ideas into a powerfully haunting work of movement art, and we’re thrilled to share that with the community.”
“It’s always a dream when I get to work closely with my husband, mom, and sister,” Laura Morton La Russa said. “But taking on a full production together has truly been something special. Our choreographic styles are each so unique, yet we always share the same vision, which has made this process incredibly thrilling.”
Tickets for “Dracula” are $35 for general admission; the Friday patron-night ticket is $100 and includes the party. Front-row seats on three sides of the theater are $55, or $120 on patron night.
For more information and to buy tickets, go to appalachianballet.org.
If you go
What: “Dracula,” Appalachian Ballet Company
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 (sold out); 6 p.m. party and 7 p.m. performance Friday, Oct. 30; 2 p.m. (sold out) and 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31
Where: Haslam Family Flexible Theatre, Clayton Center for the Arts, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville
How much: $35 ($55 front row); Friday patron night $100 ($120 front row)
Run time: About an hour
Tickets: appalachianballet.org
