4 Bisexuals and 2 Guys Named John Kill Dracula
Lady Chamberlain Productions
Bram Stoker's classic vampire novel "Dracula" is one of the most adapted works of all time. This is another one of those adaptations. They're all dating each other in this one.
U of M law student Jonathan Harker, having just passed the bar, is encouraged to take an exciting job opportunity in a remote (and internet-less) Romanian castle by his fiancé, Mina. As a result, Jonathan inadvertently sends an ancient, hungry vampire to Minnesota. Luckily, three mysterious men have recently entered Mina's best friend's life--but do they have what it takes to defeat Count Dracula?
This irreverent adaptation reimagines the horror classic as set in contemporary Minneapolis, centering a cast of queer and trans protagonists.
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Tagged for: Comedy, Horror, Literary Adaptation, LGBTQIA+ Content
Content Warnings: Adult Language, Blood, Abuse/Physical Violence, Crude Humor, Drug Content, Gun/Weapon Usage, Violence
The primary reason I’m recommending this is the playwright Zoe Rose Jennings.
I didn’t put all the pieces together at first, but Jennings, along with co-star Calista Robinson (whose also in Dracula this year), wrote and performed in a video offering for the 2021 virtual Minnesota Fringe Festival entitled “Rosemary Daughter and the Rest of Her Life.” I viewed it online late, toward the end of the festival (mostly because my second day job had just revived itself after being dormant - along with my bank account - during the first year of the pandemic, so I needed to work more than I needed to Fringe). But the show (a recording of a staged reading) was great and I wish I’d seen it earlier so I could have recommended it to more people.
“Rosemary Daughter and the Rest of Her Life” was described as “an irreverent queer musing on what it's like to be personally betrayed by your childhood heroes. Inspired in part, of course, by the-fantasy-property-that-must-not-be-named, but watchable by fans, non-fans, and haters of said property alike.” More specifically it was about a trans girl named Rosemary Daughter with magical wizard powers whose dead name rhymes with Parry Hotter. There is, of course, also an author character based on a novelist whose name rhymes with Kay Jay Growling. She is, unsurprisingly, the villain of the piece. The whole thing is a hoot. It’s quite clever and delightful, while also meditating on a lot of meatier issues in the midst of a magical adventure.
If I’d been paying better attention, I might have noticed that Zoe and Lady Chamberlain Productions had a live, in-person Fringe show last year, Virality. “Part-time gas station attendant Kinsey Allen has a new career--as a true crime youtuber. Thanks in part to her viral video about Helen, an Iowa sorority girl who died during the 1918 pandemic, Kinsey's making bank from her doublewide telling stories about grisly crimes against women. But Kinsey's in over her head when a grad student who's being haunted by Helen's ghost contacts her for advice. Written and directed by Zoë Rose Jennings, Virality is part love letter to, part criticism of the true crime phenomenon.” I’m sorry I missed that one.
Also, recently Zoe joined a playwriting group I’m a part of, so I got to see some early drafts of scenes from this Dracula script. Very amusing stuff.
So I’m trying to get out in front of things this time and just recommending their new show right out of the gate. I’m looking forward to finally seeing a Lady Chamberlain production in person. That's why "4 Bisexuals and 2 Guys Named John Kill Dracula" is at the top of my list. You should check them out, too.
(Update: Shortly after I posted this, Zoe sent me an email with more information on the show: “The conceit of the show, as you may recall, is a retelling of Dracula (based primarily on the original novel), but set in contemporary Minneapolis. It does begin with the original trek to Romania, but everything else takes place on Minnesota soil. The entire cast (sans Dracula) are queer/trans--Mina is bi, Jonathan is a trans guy, Lucy's three boyfriends (whom she is in fact dating all at once) are also in a polycule with each other...and Lucy might discover something about her own sexuality by the end of the show. Tonally, it's very goofy. There may or may not be a scene where people playfight a la rom com with loaves of garlic bread. There are a couple serious moments as well, but overall it's a lot of silliness.”)
UPDATE 8/3: They did a Fringe preview (complete with To Be Continued sign) on Fringe Eve, the night before the festival began:
Here's some handy links to this year's Top 10, and Top 11-20 Lists, plus the full list of all returning favorites at this year's Fringe, plus a link to all the 2023 Minnesota Fringe Festival coverage.
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