COUNT DRACULA Flies Into The Pittsburgh Rep Theatre 10/22-11/1

Just in time for Halloween, the most famous vampire of all invades the Charity Randall Theatre as the University of Pittsburgh Repertory Theatre presents Ted Tiller's comic thriller Count Dracula October 22 through November 1.

Things are more than unusually strange at Dr. Seward's Asylum for the Criminally Insane ever since the arrival of a mysterious nobleman from Transylvania. Mina has fallen ill with a strange malady-with the same symptoms that killed her friend Lucy. And the patient Renfield keeps escaping.
Directed by W. Stephen Coleman, Count Dracula provides just enough laughter to keep the goose bumps at bay.

According to Coleman, "From his lukewarm reception in 1897, to the ongoing mania around all things sanguine, Dracula, and its derivatives, enjoy an ever-increasing popularity-and not to put too fine a point on it but: ‘You've come a long way, baby!'-and we are very pleased to join in the fun!"

Playing the title role of the caped count will be Sam Turich, teaching artist for the Theatre Arts Department. On playing Dracula, Turich says, "As a teaching artist, it's nice to know that if my students think my performance really bites I'm just doing my job." When asked what the hardest part of the part his job is, the actor replied, "The Transylvanian accent-that and turning myself into a bat."
Turich has performed locally with the Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Bricolage, City Theatre, Quantum, and the Playhouse Rep. He also had a recurring role on television's Law & Order and played opposite Joanne Woodward in the CBS movie Blind Spot.

In this adaptation, Count Dracula's nemesis is a woman, Dr. Helga Von Helsing, played by Teaching Artist Elena Alexandratos. Alexandratos appeared at Pitt Rep in the dual role of Hannah/Ethel Rosenberg in last year's production of Angels in America.

Department of Theatre Arts Chair Bruce McConachie has the role of Dr. Seward. Teaching Artist Holly Thuma plays his eccentric sister Sybil.
Rounding out the cast are Ana Noriega as Mina, Eric Prendergast as Johnathan Harker, Andy Ris as Hennessey, Erin O'Malley as Wesley, and Cameron Crowe as mental patient Renfield.

Don't miss an exciting evening of chills, thrills, and spectacular special effects!

Count Dracula runs October 22 through November 1 at the Charity Randall Theatre in the Stephen Foster Memorial, located on Forbes Avenue in Oakland. For tickets, visit www.play.pitt.edu or call 412-624-7529.