CORRECTION: Due to a reporting error, a previous version of this blog misstated the titles of Jesse McGuire and McKenzie Millican. McGuire is the director of the show. Millican is the producer. The story has been updated to reflect this change. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.
On Friday night, McKenzie Millican, Jesse McGuire and the cast of Company Carolina’s "Dracula" hope to 're-vamp' the time-old classic in an attempt to explore human attraction and repulsion.
Jesse McGuire, director of Dracula, is responsible for bringing Company Carolina the idea for the play.
“I have always had this love of vampires,” McGuire said. “I think that vampires are a very interesting monster because they’re not like ghosts, they’re cool and calm and collected – very menacing.”
Company Carolina’s Dracula is a 1931 adaptation of the 1897 novel of the same name. McKenzie Millican, producer of the show, said this production is significant because it employs a lot of elements and ideas of past productions.
“We definitely draw a lot of inspiration from the 1931 movie with the costuming and the demeanor and our set,” she said. “I think that’s what our show is trying to do — we’re paying homage to the 1931 movie.”
McGuire said it is important to return to the heart of Dracula, not just as a character, but as a monster..
“I really wanted to get back to the heart of vampires,” said McGuire. “Because now vampires aren’t scary. We don’t look at vampires and feel afraid. In the 21st century we don’t buy into the idea of a man running around sucking people’s blood. It’s just not scary. So I really wanted to get back to the horror of Dracula ... We reinvented the idea of the vampire using all that we know about the vampire. So there are bits of everything and it’s really back to the root. We cracked open the tomb on Dracula.”
Both Millican and McGuire agree that much of the play's success and uniqueness comes directly from the talent of the cast.
“We have a very amazing cast,” Millican said. “The fun thing about working with student theater companies is that a lot of the people that are involved are not actually dramatic arts majors. They just take their time and invest it because this is what they love to do even if it’s not what they’re planning on doing for the rest of their lives.”
Dracula is a part of Company Carolina’s horror-themed fall series. McGuire said she produced Dracula with the goal of playing into that theme of horror.
“I want (audiences) to be scared,” she said. “I want the vampire to regain its fear. Because right now when we hear vampire we think of Twilight, we think of the famous Dracula with his cape or even Count Chockula. I want audiences to be afraid of Dracula. This is a horror play.”
Even if audiences have not read or seen Dracula, McGuire said she believes everyone can benefit from seeing Company Carolina's interpretation.
“If (audiences) have never read Dracula or they’ve never seen Dracula, I want them to experience the vampire for the first time,” she said. “And I do hope that they walk away feeling a little chill up their spine.”
arts@dailytarheel.com
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