Dracula's seven cast members have terrific singing voices and make the rather mundane dialogue -- maintained from Bram Stoker's 19th century, melodramatic classic -- sound impressive. This, despite most playgoers over 40 being so familiar with Count Dracula's now-cliched lines, and with the campy bleatings of the other characters. It's made clear that the sexual fiend welcomes erotic feedings from either gender. He is determined to buy property neighboring Mina and her best friend, Lucy, two delicious females seen in a photograph shown by real estate agent Jonathan Harker, Mina's betrothed and longtime friend of John Seward, Lucy's beau although the Machiavellian also fancies handsome Jonathan, he keeps the latter captive in his Transylvania castle until he makes the virginal beauties his forever in the after-life of the "Undead." The buddies and Dr. Van Helsing, vampire specialist, set out on a Good vs. Evil mission, carrying the pre-requisite wooden stake and mallet and protected by their trusty crucifixes.
As much as the score and the physical production sound and look right, Dracula, through size and treatment can never be a "mega musical" like its similar-themed Phantom of The Opera. Andrew Lloyd Webber's masterpiece has a more diverse book, using material not only from the novel but exciting original dialogue, with a melodic score featuring distinctive melodies. Dracula composer Marek Norman allows similar-sounding solos and duets to end on passionate dramatic high notes to elicit enthusiastic audience responses. The show opener, "Journey to the Castle," "Nothing Left But Time" and "Dreams of Darkness" are among the merited numbers given the big approach by enthralling leading man Juan Chioran. Tall and slender, Chioran delivers a compelling star turn.
While the other players provide strong support, Benedict Campbell's Renfield -- the cruel count's crazed, insect-eating slave (suggesting homoerotic S&M elements) -- expectantly steals his scenes, "The Spider and The Fly" being a memorable highlight.
