Dracula (Annotated)

ABOUT THE PROJECT

How do long-held prejudicial beliefs show up in a popular novel from England written at the turn of the 20th century, and in what ways do those beliefs still operate today? To what extent can perceptions of antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia be deemed as accurate and true, and how much is in the eye of the beholder?

The year is 1897. 

The British Empire is in the midst of its imperialist expansion. 

Major technological advances are occurring, with the first wireless communication being sent across open sea. 

The women’s suffrage movement is growing and the “new woman” is emerging. 

Eastern European Jewish immigrants are making their way to England in large numbers. 

And Bram Stoker's novel Dracula is published; this story of a Transylvanian vampire who invades England captures the popular imagination for generations to come.

In Dracula (Annotated), theatre dybbuk excavates Bram Stoker’s famous tale, using a unique blend of historical investigation and heightened theatricality to weave together the gothic characters and plot of Dracula with references to societal forces at play in Victorian England that are still timely today. Under the direction of writer/director Aaron Henne and accompanied by a live musical score, a company of five performers play the multitude of characters in the novel while also bringing to life a variety of voices from its time. 

This is the second in a series of “Annotated” productions in which theatre dybbuk explodes and explores classic or well-known and culturally influential works to disrupt more familiar or comfortable ways of engaging with them.

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Premiering in Los Angeles, September 26, 2025 at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles.