Ryan Rogerson as Dr. Jean Van Helsing & Allie MacDonald as Dracula
Just in time for Spooky Season Neptune Theatre is bringing audiences a comedic twist on Bram Stoker’s classic novel with Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen’s Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, which had its Pay What You Choose performance last night, officially opens on October 2nd, 2026, and plays on the Fountain Hall stage until October 25th. I chatted with Allie MacDonald, who plays Dracula, and Ryan Rogerson, who plays Dr. Jean Van Helsing while they were in their costumes during the Media Call yesterday, and we couldn’t help getting the giggles while talking about how much fun they’re having bringing this silly show to life with director Jeremy Webb at the helm.
“This is Dr. Jean Van Helsing,” says Rogerson of his character, in Van Helsing’s accent, “I’m the vampire hunter- the scientist to begin with- with some inklings that something supernatural is happening.” He describes his look as a “Nordic vibe,” channelling Elsa from Disney’s Frozen, with a bit of a Viking feel- he indicates his beard. MacDonald chimes in, “sort of a dominatrix,” alluding to the leather corset. “She’s a very practical, stern, common sense kind of woman,” Rogerson says in agreement, “and with a very big heart. She cares about people.”
MacDonald says that Dracula is “lonely, confident, wanting love, wanting Lucy, [played by Becca Guilderson]. He’s at once wise and dominating, but also kind of insecure and naïve.” Of his costume he says that Dracula is “very sex positive. He’s ready to show off what he’s got at all hours of the day, and he’s very comfortable with who he is. He’s been around a long time. He has nothing to prove. It’s like ‘if you catch me in the middle of a workout then, honey, my shirt’s off, and ready to go!” MacDonald says as Rogerson laughs heartily.
MacDonald says that playing Dracula feels adjacent to playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show here at Neptune back in 2022. “I love Dracula because, you know with Frank I got to really explore the masculine and the feminine in that role, so to lend some of those ideas and ideals to a character so well known [as Dracula], and the script lends itself to that idea, but having someone like me kind of do it, it comes naturally, so nothing’s forced. There’s an androgynous non-binary aspect to the character, which I think is dating back to Dracula’s image- the talons, the sharp features, the long hair… we’re just doing it with a big exclamation point.”
It’s also very fun. “We have a cast who’s so game, and we love each other so much that’s it’s so fun to try to bite them all,” they say. Rogerson and I both laugh.
The show was developed at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Florida, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, New York, and the Segal Centre for Performing Arts in Montréal before heading off Broadway in September of 2023, and then on to London, England. It’s since become one of the top ten most frequently produced plays in the United States. MacDonald says that the play reminds them of Patrick Barlow’s parody play The 39 Steps (1995), which is adapted from the 1935 film of the same name by Alfred Hitchcock. “It’s repurposing a really familiar IP and bringing something new and fresh and quick-witted, and fun, and funny, and scary all kind of in one,” they say. “It’s kind of all the above at once. The camp aspects of Dracula, the horror aspects are definitely in there, and you have to give over to what you’re doing- not question too much,” MacDonald laughs loudly, “because it’s so absurd.”
“It’s fast paced too,” says Rogerson. “You don’t want to think about it too much, you just want to go for it. They were definitely thinking of Mel Brooks [and Young Frankenstein in particular] when they wrote it. The silly aspect of it.”
MacDonald says that this was a hard pivot from playing Roger Davis in Rent here all summer. “Playing someone so vulnerable and so deep in the trenches, to come in [as Dracula] you have to commit and be confident, otherwise the piece doesn’t work. You really have to be there with your people and commit to what it is… There’s a different kind of focus playing something that contained [like Roger], so still being in that mind space I felt so ridiculous… it felt like Roger Davis trying to be Dracula… but giving in to that has been really freeing.” He says it’s almost like coming back to himself.
“Dracula’s confidence is infectious,” says Rogerson. “If Dracula wasn’t trying to kill you, he would be a lot of fun to hang out with.”
Rogerson said that wearing his costume has helped him find Dr. Van Helsing’s posture. “There’s something sort of stoic and straight, and Van Helsing always sort of reminds me of the Leslie Nielsen role in anything- super earnest- if they’re funny, they’re unaware that they’re funny. Then there’s a character that I play that is a little more silly.”
The rest of the cast includes Stephanie MacDonald, who plays Dr. Westfield, Renfield, and the Sea Captain. “Stephanie is the indie Queen of Halifax and [she] has done some very emotional turns, so to see her in such a fun track is amazing,” says MacDonald through laughter. Becca Guilderson plays Lucy and Kitty, the housemaid. “She’s incredible, she brings such poise and humour,” MacDonald continues to laugh delightedly. “She’s just perfect.” Hugh Ritchie plays Jonathan Harker. “Super earnest, Jonathan,” adds Rogerson. “He’s so sweet,” agrees MacDonald. “He’s perfect.” Ritchie also plays the Gravedigger and the Bosun. “Jonathan’s such a sweet counterpoint to Dracula because he’s so innocent, and earnest and ambitious in his own way,” says MacDonald. “And also strangely fixed in his own habits as well,” says Rogerson, “sort of a little unbendable in the beginning, unyielding to his own personality… he’s got a good journey. There’s a lot of surprises for every character in this show. It’s sort of like a sweet little play, because I think every character has this interesting learning curve; they sort of do grow.” “They do,” agrees MacDonald.
Jeremy Webb is both the director and the sound designer of this show. “Seeing him work as both the sound designer and director, and seeing one inform the other, and it kind of informing all of us in the piece has been pretty amazing to watch,” says MacDonald. “It supports the journey and the acting too,” says Rogerson, “to have a soundtrack behind you can make you sort of drop in much quicker.” MacDonald also says that in addition to being very funny himself Webb “loves grit and darkness, so blending all that for him, he’s kind of the perfect person.” “He’s also great to let me try a million different things,” says Rogerson with a twinkle in his eye. “Not that it all sticks,” he says, “some of it is weird. A lot of physical weirdness in this show, which is fun.”
“I think people are going to have a blast,” says MacDonald. “I think so too,” agrees Rogerson. “It certainly was a pleasant way to spend the last three weeks just kind of making each other laugh. You’re sort of showcasing trying to make your cast members laugh, trying to make them laugh on stage, maybe sometimes during the dress rehearsal.”
“Making Stephanie MacDonald laugh until she cries is a special badge of honour,” says MacDonald.
“And it’s a vulnerable play,” says Rogerson. “Doing a comedy is different. Doing a drama you don’t know in the same way whether it’s working or not, but in comedy you know right away if it’s working… that’s sort of the missing thing in this- what does the audience add? Because they are definitely a character in comedy. What’s going to land? What doesn’t? Just the physicality of holding for laughs, if there are any, that informs the pace of it.”
“We’re waiting on the edge of our seat for people,” agrees MacDonald. Sounds like there’s lots for folks to look forward to sinking their teeth into.
Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen’s Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors plays at Neptune Theatre’s Fountain Hall Stage (1593 Argyle Street, Halifax) until October 25th, 2025. Performances run Wednesday to Saturday at 7:30pm with 2:00pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. Tuesday October 6th is Industry Night. Tickets range in price from $35.00 to $70.00 based on seating. They are available to purchase online here, by calling the Box Office at 902.429.7070, or in person at the Box Office at 1593 Argyle Street.
Industry Night
Tuesday, October 6 – 7:30pm
Masked Performance
Sunday, October 11 – 2:00pm
Talkback
Thursday, October 15 – 7:30pm
Audio Described Performance
Saturday, October 24 – 7:30pm
Run Time: This performance is approximately 95 minutes (with no intermission)
Content Advisory: This production contains fog and haze, frequent flashing lights, loud noises and music, mature themes, occasional strong language, sexual innuendo, fangs, dodgy British accents, and, somehow, even more fog. This show may not be suitable for individuals with Chiroptophobia.
Neptune Theatre has a range of Accessibility Options for folks (Both Fountain Hall and the Scotiabank Stage are accessible for wheelchairs. Patrons can now purchase wheelchair seats for individual shows online with the promo code WHEELCHAIR. For more information, please contact the Box Office.). Click here for more thorough information.
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