DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
Members' Mausoleum => Calendar Events / Announcements Archive => Calendar Events / Announcements '24 I => Calendar Events / Announcements '11 I => Topic started by: MsCriseyde on September 07, 2010, 08:19:06 PM
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The LA Theatre Works 2010-2011 season has just been announced. David Selby is slated to appear in a production of Bram Stoker's Dracula with performances to be held May 18-22. Tickets are on sale now. As with all LATW shows, the cast is subject to change without notice due to professional commitments. LA Theatre Works produces live radio theater style performances for eventual broadcast on public radio and/or sale on compact disc, digital download, etc., so please note that this is not a production with sets, costumes, etc.
The promo blurb: "Before Twilight and True Blood, only one vampire commanded 'the children of the night.' In this blood-thirsty tale of unholy terror, Count Dracula slips into Victorian London with a cargo of his native Transylvanian soil - so he can rest between victims. The city seems helpless against his frightful power, and only one man, Dr. Van Helsing, can stop the carnage. But to do this, he must uncover the vampire’s lair and pierce his heart with a wooden stake."
The LA Theatre Works box office link appears below:
http://www.latw.org/live/boxoffice/boxofficehomeindex.html
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Cool. [thumbleft]
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I wonder who Selby is playing in the show. My guess would be Van Helsing.
G.
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Hey thats great how Yummy is that!!
Love Anne [ghost_smiley] [ghost_tongue2]
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The promotional artwork for this show is out:
(http://www.davidselby.com/images/Dracula_505x250.jpg) (https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/749055)
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I wonder who Selby is playing in the show. My guess would be Van Helsing.
Correct. [ghost_smiley]
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Very interesting. [ghost_smiley]
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TheaterMania (http://www.theatermania.com/los-angeles/news/05-2011/los-angeles-spotlight-may-2011_36551.html) ran a piece within the past day or two indicating that he's playing Dracula. This is incorrect, and I suspect it will unfortunately be picked up and repeated elsewhere.
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Sadly, I'm sure it will. That's just par for the course for the Internet. [ghost_wacko] So few entertainment sites bother to confirm before repeating other sites' reports. [ghost_sad]
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And now I'm allowed to say that Ben Cross will portray Dracula. [ghost_cool]
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Oh my - Selby and Cross together. [thumb]
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Wow. It's a pity this casting wasn't announced sooner. I can imagine many fans who would have traveled across country for this being unable to do so due to the short notice.
At least we can take comfort in that the thought that a CD release is supposed to be on the boards...
G.
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Oh my gosh, great news!
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Do they always release these shows on CD? This is something would buy.
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Wow. It's a pity this casting wasn't announced sooner. I can imagine many fans who would have traveled across country for this being unable to do so due to the short notice.
When LATW first started performing and recording audio dramas in the mid-1980s, the intent, as explained by some of the actors at the initial performance, was to give them the opportunity to experiment with new material in an environment that did not require the time commitment of a fully staged play or other projects such as television and film. The rehearsals occur quite close to the actual performances, and casts are typically confirmed on very short notice because of potential scheduling conflicts with projects that require more time. The short notice is usually not an issue as far as ticket sales are concerned. Recently, Jon Hamm appeared in The Three Sisters. The announcement was made 3 weeks before the performances, and they sold out. Of course, this was also aided by the publicity surrounding the status of the next season of Mad Men. In the case of Dracula, Selby's involvement has been publicized since September of last year, which is remarkably long notice for an LATW performance.
Do they always release these shows on CD? This is something would buy.
The typical procedure is to have a series of live performances on stage in Los Angeles. The program is then eventually broadcast on NPR stations [snarky political comment deleted] and also made available online for about a week on the LATW web site to stream on demand. A couple of weeks ago, they aired a performance that was originally recorded in November, so it usually takes a few months for the recording to be available. I believe the CD is usually made available around the time of the broadcast.
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Criseyde--I was thinking more of Ben Cross fans, who as far as I am aware get far fewer opportunities to see their guy at work than is the case with the ever-busy and ebullient Mr. Selby. (I saw him give a reading here a couple of years ago, and his energy, generosity, and high spirits were truly inspiring.)
Also, the opportunity to see Selby and Cross share a stage is, again so far as I am aware, unique.
I'm sure ticket sales will not be a problem. Just thinking of how many might have wanted to be there that won't be able to do so.
Isn't Jon Hamm really hot right now? I wonder whether he will be doing a feature film since Mad Men seems to have been up in the air for quite some time and, according to a NY Times piece I read a few weeks ago, no sign of any resolution.
Ah, the wonders of "the Industry"... and the dreary endless incompetence of "the suits" ...
G.
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TheaterMania ran a piece within the past day or two indicating that he's playing Dracula. This is incorrect, and I suspect it will unfortunately be picked up and repeated elsewhere.
Apparently they've corrected themselves:
Ben Cross, David Selby, et al. Set for L.A. Theatre Works' Dracula (http://www.theatermania.com/los-angeles/news/05-2011/ben-cross-david-selby-et-al-set-for-la-theatre-wor_36901.html)
Hopefully anyone who may have spread the incorrect info will as well...
There's also this: "Dark Shadows" Veteran David Selby to Stalk Dracula in Los Angeles (http://www.playbill.com/news/article/150444-Dark-Shadows-Veteran-David-Selby-to-Stalk-Dracula-in-Los-Angeles)
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By the way, I recommend the other LA Theater Works CDs. The Caine Mutiny is a favorite of mine. Selby plays Queeg. He's in several titles.
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A particularly nice article: Dark Shadows' Icons Record 'Dracula' (http://www.canyon-news.com/artman2/publish/Theatrical_Musings_50/Dark_Shadows_Icons_Record_Dracula_Exclusive.php)
(One does wonder, though, how it was originally posted "on May 4, 2011 - 11:55:45 PM" when that time hasn't even arrived in CA yet. [ghost_wink])
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I'm waiting for the article that has all the DS info correct. [ghost_rolleyes] Some mention only Cross or Selby and not the other as a DS actor. This latest article comes closest, though it makes it appear that Cross played Barnabas on the original series.
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Yeah, well, I wish you good luck with that. But does anyone ever get all the DS info correct? I'm resigned to the fact that it's just too much to ask from the universe. [ghost_wink] (Or at least today's caliber of writers. [ghost_rolleyes])
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If anyone plans to attend this and hasn't purchased tickets yet, PM your email address to me, and I'll send along an email message with information on discounted tickets for $25. [ghost_wink]
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This cast just keeps getting better: John Glover Joins L.A. Cast of Dracula Starring Ben Cross and David Selby (http://www.playbill.com/news/article/150844-John-Glover-Joins-LA-Cast-of-Dracula-Starring-Ben-Cross-and-David-Selby)
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Indeed it does! Watched Glover just last night in the very satisfying Smallville finale.
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Watched Glover just last night in the very satisfying Smallville finale.
As did I. [ghost_wink]
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I wish I could go but tickets are just not in the budget right now. I am a huge fan of LATW and I would second the poster who recommended Caine Mutiny Court Martial. David's been a few of their productions and two of my favorites are The Perfectionist and The Autumn Garden.
Gothick, Jon Hamm right now is in Sucker Punch and Bridesmaids. The Mad Men situation has been resolved but Jon has been in more than a few films already....Ben Affleck's The Town, the Keanu Reeves Day The Earth Stood Still remake. I am a huge Hamm / Mad Men fan but I didn't know about Three Sisters. Guess its best because I wouldn't have been able to afford tickets now anyway [ghost_tongue2]
A tip for those who want to try out LATW....Amazon has a partnership with Audible.com and if you sign up for a free trial of Audible you can get one free audio selection. Many of them are LATW productions and if you decide to cancel you can still keep the program.
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Halfway through "Sucker Punch" I decided, unless the ending was unsatisfactory, that I was going to purchase that movie. The ending did not disappoint, and I'm eagerly awaiting it's release on DVD.
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This article features a photo of Selby and one of Quentin that I'm pretty sure I've never seen before - but perhaps my mind is playing tricks...
Get Smitten at First Bite at L.A. Theatre Works (http://chatsworth.patch.com/articles/get-smitten-at-first-bite-at-la-theatre-works)
The author also gets it right that Cross and Selby appeared in two different versions of DS. [ghost_wink]
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I suspect that the Quentin picture is a capture from the DVD. Has anyone else seen this picture before?
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The author also gets it right that Cross and Selby appeared in two different versions of DS. [ghost_wink]
Would've been very concerned if that author didn't get it right. [ghost_wink]
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Afraid I have some rather bad news, if Ben Cross's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/actorbencross) is to be believed. One of the admins posted a message about 17 hours ago indicating that he will not be able to do the LATW performances due to another role that's come up.
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[cryb]
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Simon Templeman will replace Ben Cross in LATW's Dracula. See the link below for a discount code for $25 tickets:
http://conta.cc/mmZoHe
Please note that this was distributed when Ben Cross was still in the cast, so, while his name does appear, he will not be performing.
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Simon Templeman will replace Ben Cross in LATW's Dracula.
'The Reaper' on Angel. But Cross' departure is disappointing just the same.
Thanks for keeping us updated.
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But Cross' departure is disappointing just the same.
Definitely! It would have been amazing for Selby and Cross to have worked together. But maybe another day...
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I was hoping, briefly, that by some stroke of luck Martin Landau would replace Cross. I was planning to see him and Humbert Allan Astredo in Dracula in the '80s. I wound up studying in the UK for a semester and was unable to go. After seeing Landua in Ed Wood, I was crossing my fingers. Barbara Bain was also in at least one LA Theater Works production.
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A review--
Most of us already know the story of Dracula, so one might wonder if LATW’s radio play can hold the interest of its listeners, and my answer is yes, absolutely. Charles Morey’s serious yet family-friendly adaptation of Stoker’s novel is, at times, both chilling and thrilling. Morey used the novel’s reliance on letters, journals and ship logs to great advantage by having his characters instead do lots of narrating—a ploy that seems perfectly suited for a radio broadcast.
The production itself was breathtaking, and particularly impressive was how the cast mingled fluidly. LATW apparently had a ball with the Dracula theme, with goodies handed out to the audience (bat rings to the ladies and full fangs for the males). I loved the bats hanging at the exit doors during intermission that disappeared afterward. At the entrance to the theater, a sign read: No food, drink, or bags of blood allowed.
Big fans of the book might notice a few tweaks to the story. For example, the character of Quincey Morris was eliminated, or rather, absorbed into other characters. The ending of the book, unfortunately, had to be streamlined for the sake of the performance. There’s also a character credited as a “tart” that proves to be important to the climax of the story, but if she was in the novel then I’ve completely forgotten her. However, the actress playing her (Denise Carole) was quite memorable.
The entire cast, as with all LATW productions, is extremely talented. Simon Templeman as the Count was genuinely creepy, but I wish I could have seen more shades to his character—a trace of the character’s aristocracy, perhaps, not to mention sexual power. Oh, what Ben Cross could have done with the role! There’s a moment when Dracula lets out a blood-curdling howl (but thankfully, the snarling wasn’t overdone, a la the 1991 Barnabas).
David Selby, looking very handsome in a dark 3-piece suit and gold watch chain, narrates at the start and then shines as Van Helsing. His Dutch accent wasn’t always consistent, yet his intensity was. And John Glover was outstanding as Renfield. As you listen on KPCC or via the internet, picture him dressed in a nightshirt and robe despite the conservative dress on the rest of the cast. Selby, btw, once again graciously took the time to greet his fans after the show.
Since some actors played multiple roles, the actress who capably played Lucy Westenra’s mother also appeared as one of Dracula’s brides, but I felt her mature voice just did not suit the latter role. Otherwise, all the casting was perfection.
So, you’re going to tune in when it airs on NPR, right?
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Wow. Thanks for that review, Midnite. Sounds like a wonderful evening all around!
I've seen two adaptations of Dracula now (one from the 1960s) where the Count was apparently defeated, but Mina was revealed at the very end, in a freeze-frame style moment, as having become a vampire. No wonder the makers of the League of Extraordinary Gent fiasco felt they had carte blanche to depict her that way.
G.