{"id":2187,"date":"2025-10-13T20:03:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T20:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/2187\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T20:03:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T20:03:20","slug":"city-lights-in-san-jose-goes-for-laughs-not-chills-in-dracula","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/2187\/","title":{"rendered":"City Lights in San Jose goes for laughs, not chills, in ‘Dracula’"},"content":{"rendered":"

You know, come to think of it, maybe Dracula<\/a> has gotten a \u201cbite\u201d of a bad rap.<\/p>\n

I mean, there\u2019s that whole blood-sucking thing and killing people for immortal life<\/a> and a hatred of garlic, but is any of that really disqualifying? Not when the dude is flashing six-pack abs, vein-popping arms and black leather pants \u2014 with \u201cPony\u201d blaring for a little added texture.<\/a> Or maybe I should say sexture?<\/p>\n

City Lights Theater Company<\/a> is leaning deeply into Bram Stoker\u2019s a classic tale, spun in a wildly hilarious way, with Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen\u2019s \u201cDracula: A Comedy of Terrors.\u201d Anyone who\u2019s horror with heapings of camp will certainly vibe with this piece, which shows flashes of Rocky Horror and Monty Python, all presented at a don\u2019t-blink pace led by director Caitlin Lawrence Papp. Gender-bending and sexual liberation farce bears responsibility for a wild and wacky show.<\/p>\n

The real estate agent Harker (Nick Mandracchia) and his botanist fianc\u00e9e Lucy (Maria Marquis) are on their way to meet up with new client Dracula (Eddie Zhang), who is facing an eternal life crisis. That tragic circumstance may have a solution lurking nearby in the timid Lucy.<\/p>\n

This shouldn\u2019t be hard for the Dracster, who radiates steam, which even Harker is having struggles turning away from. As he broods everywhere, looking to gnosh on someone\u2019s savory flesh, Zhang\u2019s approach to Drac\u2019s vapidity is often hilarious, paired well with Mandracchia\u2019s big booming register.<\/p>\n

A cast of six actors take on multiple roles work at a breakneck pace, pulling schtick and pranks out of everything. Doll Piccotto has wonderful period acting sensibilities, while skilled goofball Maria Marquis slays in multiple roles, stealing more scenes than Dracula steals necks. Both turns inside multiple characters display their wide range of comic stylings, offering chortle opportunities throughout the tight 90 minutes of runtime.<\/p>\n

Actors Matt Regan and Javier de Guzman round out the cast nicely, both tasked with delivering wildly funny lines that often make zero sense. Regan\u2019s quick and hilariously ineffective costume changes while de Guzman\u2019s deadpan delivery nails some comic notes and adds in plenty of guffaws. Not only does the cast have the power of physical comedy at their beck and call, other aspects on the technical side of things offer up even more giddiness.<\/p>\n

There is so much schlock in the production, enhanced greatly by some wild clothing, or in the case of Dracula, not much of it. Kristin Lundin\u2019s costuming is wildly varied, with some wacky wigs that go even further to lay down the cheese.<\/p>\n

The goofy cheese does not stop \u2014 something that can\u2019t succeed without good timing and strong source material, and the script itself doing lots of flexing in the hilarity department. Arthur Garcia\u2019s sound design offers up further texture, with effects that dot the nuttiness. A werewolf that doesn\u2019t stop howling serves as a humorous non-sequitur, with characters constantly stopping in their tracks and asking what\u2019s up with this.<\/p>\n

While not every bit works, \u2018Comedy of Terrors\u2019 boasts a very high batting average, with physical comedy and slapstick at the heart of every intention.<\/p>\n

Case in point \u2014 there is a riotous love scene involving a sexy saxophone. To further the point, it is common knowledge that a ton of cartwheels will take that sexual energy to the next level. Then there is Piccotto\u2019s turn as Dr. Van Helsing, which throws everyone off because clearly women can\u2019t be doctors.<\/p>\n

While there is very little out of bounds here, the show is first and foremost about the sultry appeal of Dracula, who is there to do three things \u2014 seduce, seduce and seduce some more. He yanks arms out of bodies, but in a good way (passionate lovemaking is what gives our hero life). This comedy of terrors is all about creating a cackle-worthy world of fast, physical and free-flowing moments, and for the most part, mission accomplished.<\/p>\n

It was that sage of mid-\u201990s poetry Ginuwine who once mused, \u201cI\u2019m just a bachelor, I\u2019m looking for a partner, someone who knows how to ride without even falling off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Safe to say this Dracster has made those lyrics his daily affirmation.<\/p>\n

David John Ch\u00e1vez is chair of the American Theatre Critics\/Journalists Association and a two-time juror for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (\u201822-\u201823); @davidjchavez.bsky.social.<\/p>\n

\u2018DRACULA: A COMEDY OF TERRORS\u2019<\/p>\n

By Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, presented by City Lights Theater Company<\/p>\n

Through: Oct. 19<\/p>\n

Where: City Lights Theater, 529 S. Second St., San Jose<\/p>\n

Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission<\/p>\n

Tickets: $30-$68; cltc.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Originally Published: October 7, 2025 at 2:15 PM PDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You know, come to think of it, maybe Dracula has gotten a \u201cbite\u201d of a bad rap. I…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2188,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[184,7,967,181,88,90,89,198,200,1058,420],"class_list":{"0":"post-2187","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-jose","8":"tag-bay-area","9":"tag-california","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-latest-headlines","12":"tag-san-jose","13":"tag-san-jose-headlines","14":"tag-san-jose-news","15":"tag-santa-clara-county","16":"tag-south-bay","17":"tag-theater","18":"tag-things-to-do"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2187\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}