Sara Gutierrez as Mina in Dracula at Hartford Stage | Photo by: T. Charles Erickson
Hartford Stage opens its 2026/2027 season with Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s adaptation of Dracula, directed by Jackson Gay. This production highlights the unmasked truths in the lives of men and the stories of monsters they tell.
This retelling of Bram Stoker’s original gothic horror is shared through the storytelling prowess of Mina (Sara Gutierrez) along with her assistant in the reenactment, Jonathan (Lucas Dixon). Mina recounts the encounter with Count Dracula in a semi-comedic, audience-engaging sort of way, and has Jonathan reenact his own encounters for the audience. Jonathan’s London firm is in charge of purchasing properties for the Count—yes, that Count. Jonathan describes the trip to meet with the client. He shares of the eeriness from the home itself to the people he meets—ultimately arriving at the conclusion that the Count is the architect of everything from the encounters he had to the deeply embedded fear with which he returned.
Tales emerged of an otherworldly man turned monster who breached the security of women’s homes in the dead of night, looking for love while out for blood is enough to permeate fear in the hearts of men and women alike. Tales from the patrons of Dr. Stewart’s asylum, from whom warnings are dismissed as bumbling madness.
Lucy and Mina, friends, and perhaps more in another world—while they wish each other well and celebrate what should be seen as good fortune, doubt remains. “I hope I chose well,” Mina’s concerns in accepting Jonathan’s interests barely register in the grand scheme of monsters and magic. Lucy’s three suitors also seem to bring great delight in the vein of what women want, but in a world where men are the monsters, and a woman’s choice is reduced to taking her chances with man or beast, the stories of monsters, from women, hold a different timbre.
The ensemble (Scout Backus, Caitlin Elizabeth Clouthier, Anney Giobbe, Pauli) works together seamlessly to unravel this twist of an adaptation. Dixon delights audiences with his comedic timing, revising Jonathan’s image of masculinity with the accents of fear that cause him to cower beyond his encounter with the creatures of the night. Backus’ giddy laughs turned pained screams offer an emotional nuance that captures the arc of love for many women.
Gutierrez is a force, convincingly immersed in Mina’s dialect, in offering comedic interludes that give way to gripping emotional gravitas and graceful transitions that meet all the role requires.
Riw Rakkulchon’s scenic design, a wooden platform with windows in disrepair, sets the backdrop of the horror, while Caroline Eng’s sound design and Paul Whitaker’s lighting heightens the eeriness, casting shadows and echoing the things that go bump in the night.
This production dives into themes of love, shame, fear, gender roles, and the abuses of power that can be seen at the intersection of male/ female and other dynamics from the dawn of time. It asks us to question our roles in the stories of man—and woman. Are we men, women, or monsters?
Dracula runs through November 1st at Hartford Stage. For tickets, visit https://www.hartfordstage.org/
