DRACULA:

A COMEDY OF TERRORS

In the treacherous mountains of Transylvania, a meek English real estate agent takes a harrowing journey to meet a new and mysterious client, who also just happens to be the most terrifying and ferocious monster the world has ever known: Count Dracula! As famed female vampire hunter Jean Van Helsing and company chase Drac from Transylvania to the British countryside to London and back, their antics are guaranteed to increase your pulse and cause bloodcurdling screams—of laughter.

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors enjoyed a sold-out run in 2026 and was Lazy Susan Theatre Co.’s first Jeff Recommended production.

Click here to discover the history of sexy vampires in this dramaturgical graphic!

A bloody hilarious night at the theatre…

Two actors performing on stage with stone and wallpaper background. One actor is leaning back in the other's arms, both smiling and looking at each other.

“Perhaps most importantly, while the book contemplated what if evil was seductive and crossed oceans, this play dares to ask “what if evil just wants its cake platter back?”

MISHA DAVENPORT, BROADWAY WORLD

“The young company’s commitment and fearless embrace of over-the-top humor make the experience all the more infectious. It is an evening of high entertainment, placing Lazy Susan Theatre Co. in a well-deserved spotlight and giving audiences plenty to anticipate from the organization’s future work.”

EMILY WERNER, WERNER’S THEATRE REVIEW

“Conner Paulson brings considerable talent to his role as Dracula. He sways. He thrusts. He moves in a dance-like way that exudes his sexual power. He can do things with his eye balls you never thought possible.”

MARK REINECKE, AROUND THE TOWN CHICAGO

“The cast is fantastic, clearly enjoying both the show and each other, and fully committed to every absurdist moment. There were several times when I marveled at the cartoon-like body and facial movements of the cast members, who kept taking it up a notch as the audience responded with hysterics.”

ALLI DOUBEK, ENTERTAINING CHICAGO

Cris King, Valerie Martire, Laura Michele Erle, Jacob Gage (photo by Mollie Menuck)

Laura Michele Erle & Connor Paulsen (photo by Mollie Menuck)

Jacob Gage & Valarie Martire (photo by Mollie Menuck)

Laura Michele Erle & Valarie Martire (photo by Mollie Menuck)

Valarie Martire (photo by Mollie Menuck)

Jacob Gage & Cris King (photo by Mollie Menuck)

Cris King, Jacob Gage, & Laura Michele Erle (photo by Mollie Menuck)

Tiny town created by Pierce Howard (photo by Mollie Menuck)

Connor Paulsen & Jacob Gage (photo by Mollie Menuck)

Four actors on stage, dressed in period costumes, appearing surprised or confused during a theatrical performance.

I have always loved monsters. Not because they are frightening, but because they reveal something so deeply human about us. The scary stories we tell have always been inspired by the world around us, highlighting our anxieties and the things we struggle to understand and control. Monsters are never just monsters.

Since he first appeared on the page, Dracula has embodied a culture panicking about sex, desire, and what the unknown might bring. Naturally, he appeared as a dramatic man in a cape. Bringing this story into the twenty-first century, we discover a hauntingly similar environment as the novel’s first publication. As we look at our world today, we see familiar anxieties resurfacing: fear of the other, obsession with control, and discomfort with bodies, pleasure, and power.

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors meets this moment not with solemnity, but with laughter. Now, it’s time to throw open the crypt doors, turn the melodrama up to eleven, and embrace the capes, the chaos, and the joy of not taking any of it too seriously.

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

CAST & CREATIVE

*- DENOTES A LAZY SUSAN THEATRE CO. COMPANY MEMBER

A young man with short, dark hair. He is wearing a red sweater with blue and black stripes on the shoulders and a white T-shirt underneath, standing against a light beige wall.

A woman with red, curly hair and blue eyes, wearing a green blouse and a gold necklace with a heart-shaped pendant, against a purple background.

Jacob Gage
Jonathan Harker & others

Cris King
Dr. Westfeldt & others

Close-up of a young woman with wavy brown hair, wearing a white dress with red and yellow floral pattern, against a plain background.

Close-up portrait of a smiling woman with long, wavy blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a white top with lace detailing, outdoors with blurred background.

Valerie Martire
Lucy Westfeldt & others

Laura Michele Erle
Mina Westfeldt & others

A young man with dark brown, wavy hair, a light mustache, wearing a beige collared shirt and a black leather jacket, standing in front of a light gray textured background.

A woman with long, curly dark hair and blue eyes wearing gold hoop earrings, a gold pendant necklace, and a maroon sweater, against a dark background.

Conner Paulson
Count Dracula

Markos Carmona
Jonathan & Lucy u/s

A young woman smiling, wearing a pink sweater and denim jacket, with brown hair and hoop earrings.

A portrait of a woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and hoop earrings, wearing a white top, smiling slightly against a dark background.

Hayley Brenner
Mina & Dr. Westfeldt u/s

Hannah Loessberg*
Count Dracula u/s

Steve Rosen
Playwright

Bram Stoker
Source Material

Greta Geiser
Combat & Intimacy Director

Nealie Tinlin*
Asst. Director

Lola Fratto
Dialect Coach

Amina Gilbert*
Lighting Designer

Celine Berger
Asst. Lighting Designer

Jon Yawn*
Scenic Designer

Emily Stipetic
Asst. Stage Manager

Phoebe Westbrooks
Asst. Stage Manager

Maeve Carroll
Production Intern

Gordon Greenberg
Playwright

Matthew Masino*
Director

Michael Van Bodegom Smith*
Composer

Brayden Gibson
Sound Designer

Holly Osborn
Costume Designer

Jacob Sousley
Stage Manager

Chicago skyline viewed from a park with trees in the foreground and a body of water, under a blue sky with some clouds and a flying kite.

support LAZY SUSAN THEATRE CO.

At Lazy Susan Theatre Co., we believe the need to create is a reason to create. We hope you will consider supporting us as we work to make a theatrical home here in Chicago. Click here to discover all the ways you can support us.

DRACULA:

A COMEDY OF TERRORS

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

CAST & CREATIVE

support LAZY SUSAN THEATRE CO.

Lazy Susan theatre co.