The University of Wisconsin-Superior Theatre Department will present Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy Really. Performances, directed by UW-Superior assistant professor of theatre Sean Naughton, will take place at 7 p.m. on October 31, November 1, 6 and 7, and at 2 p.m. November 2 and 8 in Manion Theater.

Written by Kate Hamill, Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy Really, is an imaginative, gender-bending “feminist revenge fantasy” like no other Dracula story. Both terrifying and riotous, the play explores the nature of predators and reinvents the story as a smart, disquieting, darkly comic drama. Hamill’s signature style and postmodern wit upends this familiar tale of Victorian vampires – driving a stake through the heart of toxic masculinity.

“I think that the audience is going to love this updated, contemporary retelling of a classic horror story,” said Naughton. “Kate Hamill, the playwright, has done a terrific job re-imaging a bunch of recognizable literary works for the stage – Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Dracula – and has done a terrific job teasing out the themes of power, patriarchy, class and gender roles in Dracula while turning the story and the characters on their ear a bit. Doing all that without losing any of the bloody, gory, stake-in-the-heart goodness of the source material.”

The production of Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy Really also serves as a reunion with Rick Sordelet, who most recently returned to UW-Superior to stage the fights for its 2023 production of She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen.

“We are fortunate to be welcoming back our distinguished alumni Rick Sordelet as fight coordinator for this production,” said Naughton. “Rick is a graduate of UWS who has gone on to work at the very highest level in the field recently winning a Drama Desk Award for his work on the Broadway production of Pirates! The Penzance Musical starring David Hyde Pierce and Ramin Karimloo.

“Rick is a huge supporter of UWS theatre and has been so generous in helping to grow this program the last two years. We’re so lucky to have him back.”

The cast is looking forward to the opening night performance on Halloween.

“We are so excited that we get to spook everyone out on the spookiest of holidays by opening this classic horror story on Halloween,” said Naughton. “There’s no better way to kick off the Halloween weekend.”

Tickets for Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy Really are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students and $5 for students with a valid UW-Superior ID. Tickets may be purchased online and at the box office in the Holden Fine Arts Center. Reservations can be made at (715) 394-8369. Manion Theater is in the Holden Fine Arts Center at 1805 Catlin Ave. in Superior.