Review: DRACULA: A COMEDY OF TERRORS is Laugh at First Bite at B St. Theatre

The beginning of August means the start of spooky season, and what better way to celebrate than with the most famous undead of all? Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen’s campy delight, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, is playing now at the B St. Theatre. You need to hurry to get tickets to this Monty Python-esque nod to Bram Stoker’s classic Dracula, because the word is getting out -- this cast is bitingly good.

Tara Sissom-Pittaro masterfully directs a cohesive company of bloody hilarious actors. John Lamb plays Jonathan, a bumbling realtor who unwittingly takes on the task of representing Count Dracula. While Jonathan sees dollar signs from a hefty commission, Dracula only has eyes for Stephanie Altholz’s Lucy, Jonathan’s fiancée. Kevin Kantor’s Dracula is pretty confident that he can swoop in and win Lucy over; after all, he’s buff, he’s handsome, he’s rich, and he’s immortal. What more could a girl want? Her sister Mina, played by the always hilarious Amy Kelly, isn’t picky; she’ll take any man, even if she has to die for him. She would also like to kill him, doing double duty as Dracula’s enemy, Dr. Van Helsing. Greg Alexander plays their father, Dr. Westfeldt, as well as the insect-eating mental patient, Renfield.

The cast goes on a zany journey, pawing through coffins and navigating crazy scenarios that will leave you breathless with laughter. Vampiric BDSM in a Twilight meets Fifty Shades of Grey meets Spamalot mashup is just what you didn’t know you needed. Did I mention the actors are impeccable? Altholz is perfect as Lucy: caring, cerebral, beautiful, and way too good for either of the men pursuing her. Kelly’s Mina is also great: desperate, hungry, and determined to finally peek out from the shadow of her sister. Alexander’s Dr. Westfeldt and Renfield are polar opposites that are portrayed so convincingly, we wince when he plucks his coveted insects from their hosts. Jonathan is a cowardly character; we wonder how he attracted someone as strong as Lucy. Lamb plays a side-splitting version – he’s a whiner, makes excuses, and is as uptight and frigid as one can get. That makes his transformation that much more incredible, and he truly deserves to strut his stuff. The undead of the hour, though, is Kantor in the titular role…what can I say? They are something that you have to witness yourself. They ooze charisma, charm, and an impressive ability to walk in heels. Their Dracula is mesmerizing, laugh-out-loud funny, and endearing. It’s a fang-tastic story that you will fall in laugh at first bite with!

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors plays at the B St. Theatre through August 31st. Tickets may be purchased online at BStreetTheatre.org, at the Box Office at 2700 Capitol Avenue, or by telephone at (916) 443-5300.

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