Fort Knox State Park in Prospect is a spooky place to begin with, with its long, dark passageways, hidden corners, echoing chambers and shadowy rooms inside rooms. When Ten Bucks Theatre Company invades the fort this weekend and next with their production of the theatrical adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” though, it’ll reach peak creepiness.
“It’s this fantastic backdrop that serves as a natural castle,” said Ben Layman, director of “Dracula,” set for Aug. 6-9 and 13-16. “We have a few moving set pieces, but mostly we are creating both London and Transylvania with movement and sound, and with fire… The fort is just really, really cool when it’s lit with fire. It’s the perfect setting for this story.”
Ten Bucks has been known in the area for more than a decade for its outdoor theater productions in the summer. Since 2004, it has performed Shakespeare plays at Indian Trail Park in Brewer and, since 2009, it also has performed them at the fort, directed by either Layman or by Ten Bucks co-founder Julie Lisnet.
This year, the company decided to take a break from the Bard and shift gears. “Dracula,” an adaptation of the horror classic by playwright Steven Dietz, fit the bill.
“Julie didn’t have a particular Shakespeare project she wanted to do, and I had mentioned a while back that I really wanted to Dracula at the fort someday,” said Laymen, who also directed the Dietz play in 2008 for the Grand Theatre in Ellsworth. “When I brought it up at our yearly retreat this year, everybody just jumped at the idea. We’ll go back to Shakespeare next year, but this opens the door for more new things.”
Starring as Dracula himself will be two new-to-the-stage actors, John Danico as the older, Transylvania Dracula, and Matthew McEntee as the young, sexy London Dracula — though ol’ Vlad is not actually one of the larger roles in the play, existing as much as an atmospheric presence as a fully-formed character.
The iconic roles like vampire hunter Van Helsing and insane asylum patient Renfield go to longtime Ten Bucks collaborators Lisnet as the former and Padraic Harrison as the latter. Ten Bucks newcomer Jordan Madeleine LaBlond and recent ensemble member Melissa Burkhart take on the roles of Lucy Westenra and Mina Murray, respectively, and rounding out the cast are actors Patrick Malloy, Jesse McCormick, John Danico, Moira Beale, Brogan Kelley and Jenny Hancock, as well as a nine-person ensemble.
Bangor dance and performance troupe the Haus of Paradigm both perform in the show as Dracula’s vixens, and also are assisting with costume design and choreography. It will be Paradigm’s second collaboration with Ten Bucks Theatre, after 2014’s production of “Julius Caesar.”
“We love to bring new people in, and in particular, Jordan LaBlond has been a great new addition,” said Layman. “Her transformation from a lovable and charming young woman into a vampire is incredible.”
Ten Bucks Theatre Company’s production of “Dracula” is set for 7 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, Aug. 6-9 and 13-16 at Fort Knox State Park in Prospect. All shows are $10 and tickets are available at the gate. The performance is meant for older children, teens and adults; fake blood, fire and stage violence are used throughout the show. Bring chairs, blankets and a picnic.