Play of the Week: Dracula, a chamber musical

In their 1999 season, the Stratford Festival of Canada produced a brand new, 90-minute musical on the subject matter Dracula. The production featured a sweeping score that is both chilling and thrilling. Termed "a chamber musical," the actors were accompanied by a pianist and string quartet giving it a spooky and romantic quality fitting of the Gothic novel.

For the most part, the play does a good job at portraying the novel, minus the addition of a heavy emphasis on a love story between Dracula and his female victims. While it is forgivable that a musical would play up the romantic appeal of Dracula. As a fanatic fan of the novel, I have never understood why Hollywood and Broadway always choose to make this a love story instead of focusing on the pure sexual energy and dominance that is represented in the vampire.

This production was recorded and broadcasted on Canadian television. It is quite a stunning production and ended up winning Juan Chioran, the actor portraying Dracula, a Gemini Award.