Orono High School’s rendition of Dracula leaves audience wanting more…blood.

Why did the vampire break up with his girlfriend? She wasn’t his type. Vampires are known for infamous puns, bad jokes and blood-sucking reputations, but what happens when you turn the story of a vampire into a production? Pure success.

Orono High School brought Bram Stoker’s Dracula to life. Stoker published his most famous work, Dracula, in 1897. The novel is a collection of logs, letters and diary entries from various characters including Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray and Dr. Seward. In summary, the novel plays out like this: Jonathan Harker leaves his fiance, Mina, to attend to business, which happens to transpire at Count Dracula’s castle.

Meanwhile, Mina busies herself with caring for her dear friend Lucy, whose health is declining. Lucy’s symptoms include nightmares that she can barely remember and what little energy she has is decreasing. As the story unfolds, we learn that Lucy is Count Dracula’s latest victim.

On Feb. 24, 25 and 26, the OHS Drama Department performed Dracula for peers, family, teachers, friends and staff of the Orono School District. The winter play was a popular one. Many enjoyed the retelling of Stoker’s novel. The play followed closely to the book, making it easy to follow with prior reading of the book.

The cast, including Renfield (Jack Witcher), Mina (Hanna Mahan), Lucy (Sidney Fairbrother), Harker (Jack Pendelton), Seward (Jake Praus), the Vixens (Sarah Bezenar, Eleanor Fossen, Mallory Dudra), Van Helsing (Paul Newswanger), the Attendants (Parker Roth, Thomas Burgett), the Maid (Ellie Maddock) and Dracula himself (played by Elliott Heerman), spent numerous hours rehearsing and memorizing lines for the shows. By the time of the performances, the cast knew their lines like the back of their hands.

They left the audience in a trance as they retold Stoker’s story without mistakes or mishaps. All of the effort put into the play by the cast shined during the show. Each cast member embraced their character with a certain professionalism, and a few blood curdling screams that made the audience jump.

Along with the cast, OHS students in charge of set construction, stage management, sound design, costumes and directing set this play apart from others. The set worked well with the play, allowing efficient switching between scenes. The sound effects added the “extra eerie” feeling that the script needed to come to life. Howling creatures of the night and flapping bats allowed the audience to shiver in their seats.

The director of the play, Jan Engelhardt helped the students run the play smoothly, without any pauses or stage fright. Both acts of Dracula left the audience stunned and ready for more–some even inclined to read the book or watch the movie after going to see the play.

Now we wait until the Orono’s Spring Production: Robin Hood. After a spectacular set of performances, many students at OHS cannot wait to see what their creative peers have in store for the spring play. As they say in theater, “Break a leg!”

Makena Yunker is a Staff Reporter for The Spartan Speaks