For a Bloody Good Time, Call Dracula

Need something fun to do on Halloween?  Come to the Farmington Players Barn Theater prior to the Halloween night performance of Dracula!  Ticket-holding patrons to that night’s show may enter the costume contest judged by “Sara” of “The Stoney & Bill Show” on 97.1 FM The Ticket. The winner will receive a Visa Card worth $50.  Contest starts at 7:00 and curtain is at 8:00.

Even if you don’t want to dress up, you’ll still be in for a bloody good time. “Yes, there will be blood!” said technical director Keith Janoch. “We are brewing up blood recipes” for various scenes.” In addition to blood, Janoch said, “we are touching all avenues of effects: Electronics, glowing eyes, plumbing to duct fog around the stage, flame effects, and of course, lighting.”  Janoch’s background as a mechanical engineer prepared him well for the technical challenges posed by Dracula, but he confesses that he got his start with electronics “as a kid doing haunted houses in the basement!”

The Farmington Players' production of Dracula is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers.  The show’s final three performances are October 31, November 1, and November 2. Tickets can be purchased online at www.farmingtonplayers.org or by calling the box office at 248-553-2955. 

Count Dracula May Suck, But This Dracula Certainly Won’t! (Guy Knows Why)

Guy Copland as Professor Abraham Van Helsing
with the madman Renfield (Gary Weinstein, seated)

"Believe in what you cannot. That is the essence of faith. To accept what cannot be proven." So says Professor Abraham Van Helsing, who tries to get others to see the truth, even if it requires them to believe in what they cannot see.  Guy Copland plays Van Helsing in the Farmington Players production of Dracula, which opens this Friday October 2^nd.  Guy describes Van Helsing as a “philosopher and metaphysician who is ahead of his times. The most advanced scientist of his day, he knows more about obscure diseases than anyone in the world. He is noble, worldly, and has studied Count Dracula for many years. And thus, knows of his secret and that vampires do exist.”

Despite this superior knowledge, Van Helsing tries to convey his message in a manner that allows others to find the truth.  As Guy says, “He knows more than anyone else. Yet, he is humble by all means and not arrogant at all. Just a man who can see things not only as they are, but as what they could be, and goes about his business like any other person. Mainly because the world isn't ready for some truths. … He answers a question with a question, or a riddle, in a way to help whomever he is speaking with realize for themselves the obvious answer, which is something that is not usually normally accepted or excepted. As Van Helsing says, ‘I have learned not to belittle anyone's beliefs - no matter how strange - for it is not the ordinary things which close our minds, but the extraordinary things. Those mysteries on the fringe of our thinking.’" 

Guy can relate to the mysteries of Dracula from some extraordinary personal experiences, including “the fact that I did see a UFO not once but twice in the same night over a car factory one October many years ago, and have seen, heard, and felt the presence of ghosts when I worked at The Phoenix Theater back in the early 1980's. … I guess the fact that I have indeed seen, heard, and do believe all my encounters to hold true, is the same as Van Helsing who knows of vampires and their existence, yet doesn't parade around telling people about them. After all, there are a great many people would think us mad for doing so.”

Guy speaks glowingly of his “top drawer” cast mates: “Meredith Deighton (Mina), who is a delight to work with, David Galido (Dr. Seward) who is perfect in his role, and Gary Weinstein who creates an absolutely memorable madman as Renfield.”  Guy is no stranger to professorial roles, having last graced the Barn stage as Professor Horace Gilmer in To Kill A Mockingbird.  Guy is also a talented voice actor (see his website at www.motorcityvoiceover.com).

The Farmington Players' production of Dracula is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers.  The show runs October 11 through November 2. Tickets can be purchased online at www.farmingtonplayers.org or by calling the box office at 248-553-2955.

Meredith Deighton Is a Ray of Light in Delightfully Dark Dracula

Meredith Deighton (Mina) comforts Keith Firstenberg (Harker)

“This Dracula is dark. It's sexy. It's full of mind-blowing effects and I couldn't be more ecstatic to be working on this particular version.”  So says Meredith Deighton, who plays Mina in the Farmington Players production of Dracula.  Meredith had no interest in playing in a “campy” Dracula, saying, “I was hesitant when I saw the audition notice, thinking it would be more along those lines.” But director John Boufford assured her that his Dracula would be very faithful to Bram Stoker’s original, right down to the last bloody detail. 

Boufford also used the image of a duck – calm on the surface, paddling like hell under the water – to describe her character.  As Meredith says, “There is an innate calm about Mina. Even in her darkest hour, she remains steadfast, calm and hopeful. She is referred to as a ‘light’ by several characters in the show. I absolutely agree she is a light. She has this wonderful juxtaposition about her in that she has this ethereal aura, yet I feel is one of the most grounded characters in the show.”

To find the strength she needs to play this role, Meredith recalls a quote by the great actor Meryl Streep, who once said, “acting isn't about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.”  Like Meryl, Meredith “tries to find bits of myself in every role I play. The challenge for me in playing Mina will be tapping into my inner warrior – the fearless, yet grounded part of myself – and put that into my character.”

While Meredith is making her Barn debut in Dracula, she is certainly no stranger to theater.  Meredith tours the midwest nine months out of the year with the Michigan Shakespeare Festival's productions of Romeo and Juliet (as Juliet) and Macbeth.  She also performs at Performance Network in their Children's Network series show Big Bully (Betty). She has worked professionally in several local and regional theaters, and her film credits include All of My Friends on Barrett Street (Kelsey) and Five Year Engagement (Thanksgiving guest).

The Farmington Players' production of Dracula is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers.  The show runs October 11 through November 2. Tickets can be purchased online at www.farmingtonplayers.org or by calling the box office at 248-553-2955.

Rick Mickley Feels the Burn as Dracula

Jen Beitzel as Lucy is no match for Rick Mickley as Dracula

Rick Mickley is no stranger to pain. As a former athlete, he has had two knee surgeries, a hip replacement, a screwed together shoulder, a triple hernia, ankylosing spondylitis (a painful spinal condition) and various broken bones.  And yet as a track coach at West Bloomfield High School, he has to demonstrate proper technique to his student athletes and overcome his own pain and physical limitations to help them imagine what is possible.

By playing through the pain, Rick has tapped into a source of strength that will serve him well in the title role of Dracula.  As Rick explains, “I have to show my students how to put the shot, throw the discus, and pass the baton. And to teach them that while they are standing still, life is going on and will pass them by, so enjoy each hard-working, sweat-pouring, funny, happy moment, even every minute experience, because life is pressure, and a ‘Dracula’ could come at any second and take it all away. I'm grasping Dracula and encouraging all my athletes to come, because it's about me overcoming my physical obstacles to make it the most enjoyable experience for the audience that I can.”

Rick is no stranger to the Farmington Players stage, having most recently played the admirable Sheriff Heck Tate in To Kill A Mockingbird. But this time he seems to relish playing the bad guy – and being the one inflicting pain – saying, “Dracula is about power and control and good versus evil. Life is about striving to do your best to overcome obstacles and to not let the bad guy get in your way or get you down. Very few people want to be controlled and told what to do. Dracula is like ‘Big Brother’ and is always watching you and knowing what you're doing at all times.”  Plus, there’s the whole immortality thing that’s appealing: “This guy is immortal and he has haunted and preyed upon millions of people for centuries. The challenge is going to be making Dracula my own, after he has been played by some of the greatest actors of all time. Vampires are still huge, and Dracula is the greatest of them all!” 

The Farmington Players' production of Dracula is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers.  The show runs October 11 through November 2. Tickets can be purchased online at www.farmingtonplayers.org or by calling the box office at 248-553-2955.

David Galido Finds His Focal Point: Fear of Loss

David Galido explores the depths of Dr. John Seward

David Galido has travelled all over the world as a logistics officer in the United States Air Force, but the journeys that he finds most intriguing are those inside the human mind.  In the Farmington Players production of Dracula, David plays Dr. John Seward, the head of a lunatic asylum, suitor to Miss Lucy Westenra, and former pupil of Professor Van Helsing.  David astutely analyzes his own character as follows: “Seward is dealing with loss almost from the moment we meet him, and that loss only grows greater as the story unfolds.  It is also fun to examine the question: what kind of a man is it that chooses to work with madmen as his life's ambition.  Seward is playing pretty close to edge of his own humanity as we see in his interactions with Renfield, his pet project in the asylum.  And as the supernatural events of the play continue to grow more fantastical around him, Seward often loses his grip on the mask of control he shows the world.  Playing Seward gives me the chance to explore some intense emotions – anguish, bitterness, depression, rage, jealousy, fear.”

David also likes how Dracula explores the juxtaposition of good and bad within each character: “Even our ‘heroes’ have these secrets within them that they're holding back from each other.  Most of the characters have to deal with some kind of battle between their ‘good’ self – prim and proper behavior, being upstanding citizens with high values and faith in God and what is right – versus their ‘bad’ self – animalistic, desirous, a hunger for power, life, sex, whatever form that might take.”  The very thought that “a creature is out there, draining your life from you, taking your personhood and transforming you into something else – something, I don’t want to say ‘demonic’, but purely animalistic, is a scary thought.  And if you are turned, then you will be the instrument of your loved ones downfall as well.  It’s a fascinating world to play in.”

Even if you are not struggling with your own inner demons, David thinks that there are some universal truths that will resonate with all audience members:  “All of the characters in Dracula are afraid of losing something – their lives, their sanity, their loved ones, their power, their souls, their chance at immortality.  I think that's the theme I relate most strongly to in this play – that of loss – the fear of losing those that you love the most.  I, like most people, have had to deal with the loss of family, friends, other loved ones.  Hopefully, I can channel my personal experiences into my performance.”

Originally from Novi, David majored in Theatre at Albion College, and theater-related pursuits have taken him to Denmark, NYC, Ohio, and Los Angeles.

  

The Farmington Players' production of Dracula is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers.  The show runs October 11 through November 2. Tickets can be purchased online at www.farmingtonplayers.org or by calling the box office at 248-553-2955.

Jennifer Beitzel Fears No Evil … and That's Scary!

 

Jennifer Beitzel plays good-girl-gone-bad, Lucy Westenra

Jennifer Beitzel knows more than you might think about the struggle between good and evil.  Not that she’s a “bad girl”, but it’s a bit unnerving to learn that her biggest challenge in playing Lucy Westenra in Dracula “is not so much playing vampire Lucy, as it is playing human Lucy. You'd think it would be easier playing a human, but because - in my own experience - I feel I'm quite a bit more worldly than Lucy, it is a constant challenge to reel myself back to a very naive, almost child-like state of mind.” 

Jennifer is a newcomer to the Farmington Players, but she’s about to make a big entrance as Mina’s friend Lucy.  As Jennifer describes her character, Lucy is “transformed from a young woman with her whole life ahead of her to a bloodthirsty vampire. What I like most about playing Lucy is the dramatic transformation that takes place within her. She is on the losing side of a battle between innocence and malevolence, and being able to play both ends of the spectrum is very exciting!” 

Jennifer was drawn to this production because it is more closely based on Bram Stoker's original novel, which she has loved since she was a teenager.  She also prefers Tod Browning's 1931 film version of Dracula to the newer campier portrayals.  Jennifer thinks audiences will be drawn to this particular version of Dracula because “it pushes the envelope with the audience's - and at times, the actors' - comfort level. There are scenes that, even in these first few rehearsals, are a bit unnerving. It's these lingering, silent moments - when the viewers aren't sure what's going to happen next - that will make your skin crawl and send shivers down your spine. Also, lots of chivalry and blood, which is always fun!” 

In drawing on her own experience while studying for her role, Jennifer can “definitely relate to the battle between salvation and damnation on a more earthly level. I have been witness to some of those closest to me struggling with addiction or personal demons. Because I'm playing Lucy, I have to put myself in their shoes and look at the struggle from a different point of view. Lucy has to experience the fear of the unknown and then being pushed headfirst into it. It's both intriguing and terrifying at the same time!”

Prior to her Barn debut, Jennifer worked with Spotlight Players in Canton as choreographer for Hairspray, Barnum, and My Fair Lady. She is also director of the Luna Dancers in Royal Oak.  Her onstage roles at Schoolcraft College include Romeo & Juliet, Marat/Sade, and Shakespeare in Hollywood. She works on her own local non-profit arts center for disadvantaged youth called the Metropolitan Center for the Arts, Inc.

The Farmington Players' production of Dracula is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers.  The show runs October 11 through November 2. Tickets can be purchased online at www.farmingtonplayers.org or by calling the box office at 248-553-2955.

Face Your Fear: Dracula Auditions Are Near!

Count Dracula is ageless, capable of appearing both old and young.  Like his character, Dracula as art has multiple incarnations, having been adapted for stage and screen since the 1920s.  There are even some campy Dracula musicals!  But when the Farmington Players stage Steven Dietz’s 1996 faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, it will be timeless, dark and terrifying.  And bloody!

Dracula will kick off our 2013-14 season and will also be the first show to be performed on our new stage floor.  The floor’s trap door will contribute to the many special effects that director John Boufford and technical director Keith Janoch have planned for this production, which adds to the intrigue and fear factor.  

Key characters with age range and accents (which are helpful but optional at auditions) include:  

DRACULA (ageless), needs no introduction, but gets to say lines with a Transylvanian accent, such as:  "I want your fear. For your fear, like a current, rushes through your body. Your fear makes your heart pound, it renders your veins rich and full. Your fear hemorrhages deliciously within you."  

LUCY (20’s; British). A hopeless romantic admired by many suitors. Best friends with Mina, and a victim of Dracula’s seduction. 

JONATHAN HARKER (20’s to early 30’s; British). Fiancé of Mina. A young attorney sent to Dracula for a nefarious purpose. 

MINA (20’s; British). The true heroine of the story. Jonathan’s fiancé. 

VAN HELSING (Late 30’s to 50’s; Dutch). A professor well versed in the dark arts. 

JAMES SEWARD (20’s to 30’s; British). One of Lucy’s suitors who attempts to save her life. 

RENFIELD (30’s-50’s). Multiple Accents. Actor must be able to go from raging extremes to intense calm. He is the narrator of the story, and the one who understands every other character although he is deemed the lunatic. 

Those brave enough to face their fears and audition should appear at the Barn Theater on Sunday, August 11th (Registration at 12:30; Auditions start at 1:00.) Mandatory rehearsals are September 29 and October 6, 7, 8, 9.  Show dates are October 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 31 (yes, on Halloween!) and November 1, 2.

For audition sides, go to the website at www.farmingtonplayers.org. Send questions to johnboufford@gmail.com.  Other key members of the production team include assistant director Alisha Gellin and co-producers Kristi Schwartz and Laurel Stroud.