Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors

Audition Dates/Location: Sept 8th 7pm - 9pm, Sept 9th 700pm to 900pm First United Methodist Church of Downers Grove.

Sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054FACAF29A7FECE9-57770721-dracula#/.

Character Descriptions:

Actor 1

(Played by Actor 1 - also plays Cavendish, Worthington, Havemercy, Bosun, and Gravedigger)

Jonathan Harker is a well-meaning, buttoned-up English solicitor who journeys to Transylvania to finalize a real estate deal with the mysterious Count Dracula. Earnest, proper, and increasingly out of his depth, Jonathan serves as the "straight man" amid the growing absurdity. As the plot spirals into chaos, so does Harker-physically, emotionally, and comedically. His descent from calm professionalism into barely-contained hysteria is both hilarious and relatable.

Traits: Charming, sincere, increasingly flustered, physically expressive, strong comic timing.

Vocal/Physical Needs: British accent preferred; requires agility for rapid pacing, slapstick, and dynamic scene shifts.

Casting Note: Actor must also perform several contrasting roles with distinct voices, energy, and mannerisms.

Actor 2

(Played by Actor 2 - also plays Renfield, Captain, and Man-Eating Wolf)

Dr. Westfeldt is a stern, old-school Victorian physician and the head of the Westfeldt household-as well as Lucy and Mina's overbearing father. A man of science and tradition, he's completely outmatched by the madness unfolding around him but tries desperately to retain control. Think: a pompous windbag with a heart buried somewhere under layers of ego and outdated propriety. His self-importance makes him ripe for comedy as the supernatural elements upend his ordered world.

Traits: Blustery, arrogant, short-tempered, hilariously oblivious.

Vocal/Physical Needs: British accent; requires comic authority and the ability to contrast sharply with zanier characters. Actor must also shift rapidly between Dr. Westfeldt's pomposity and Renfield's manic energy.

Casting Note: Must have strong comedic range to handle wild tonal shifts and physicality, particularly when doubling as Renfield and other broad characters.

Actor 3

(Played by Actor 3 - also plays Kitty, Driver, and Man-Eating Wolf)

Lucy Westfeldt is a dazzling, headstrong socialite with a flair for drama and a thirst for attention-especially from mysterious strangers with capes. The younger Westfeldt daughter, Lucy is flirtatious, impulsive, and just a little bit extra. She's convinced she's the heroine in a romantic novel and dives headfirst into Dracula's clutches with theatrical abandon. Her transformation from spirited ingenue to vampiric vixen is played for maximum comic effect.

Traits: Bold, expressive, vain in an endearing way, melodramatic, and dangerously charmed by danger.

Vocal/Physical Needs: British accent; strong physical comedy skills and excellent timing. Must be able to play both innocent and possessed with over-the-top theatricality.

Casting Note: Actor must also take on quick-change roles including the excitable party guest Kitty and other comedic cameos-each requiring distinct voices and characterizations.

Actor 4

(Played by Actor 4 - also plays Professor Van Helsing and Man-Eating Wolf)

Mina Westfeldt is Lucy's older sister-a witty, world-weary woman who's had just about enough of Victorian nonsense. Smart, assertive, and unafraid to speak her mind, Mina serves as both emotional anchor and unlikely action hero as the chaos unfolds. She's not impressed by Dracula's theatrics and, when pushed, rises to the challenge with courage, sarcasm, and a surprising command of vampire-slaying tactics.

Traits: Intelligent, dryly funny, fiercely protective, grounded amidst absurdity.

Vocal/Physical Needs: British accent; confident delivery and grounded presence that contrasts well with the play's zanier characters.

Casting Note: Actor also doubles as the eccentric Professor Van Helsing-a wildly animated vampire hunter with a thick European accent, wild gestures, and a flair for the absurd. Strong contrast between the two roles is essential.

Actor 5

(Played by Actor 5 - the only non-doubling role)

Count Dracula is the infamous, centuries-old vampire-suave, seductive, and spectacularly theatrical. He oozes charisma, menace, and melodrama in equal measure. In this farcical retelling, Dracula is part classic horror villain, part egotistical diva, and part lovesick foreigner struggling to adapt to British manners and modern plumbing. Every entrance is grand, every line delivered with flourish. While he's the central source of chaos, he's also oddly sympathetic-just a misunderstood immortal looking for love... and blood.

Traits: Mysterious, seductive, self-important, commanding, and unintentionally hilarious.

Vocal/Physical Needs: Thick Eastern European accent; strong stage presence, excellent comedic timing, and the ability to shift between menace and farce. Physical agility required for dramatic entrances/exits and comedic confrontations.

Casting Note: Though Dracula does not double, the role demands vocal dexterity, strong pacing, and the ability to anchor the show's absurd tone with a committed, over-the-top performance.