Metro, Newton

Newton Theatre Company’s ‘Dracula’ Stuns With Subverted Gender Roles

The Newton Theatre Company (NTC) dazzled theatergoers with its rendition of Dracula at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Newtonville, casting female actors in traditionally male roles. 

“Blending sensuality, darkness and humor, Dracula explores themes of desire and dominance through unconventional casting and intimate staging,” reads the NTC website.

Dracula is an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. The play was first published in 1996 by American playwright Steven Dietz. 

Starring Linda Goetz as Count Dracula, the company also chose to cast two women, Karin Trachtenberg and Elena Toppo, in the traditionally male roles of Abraham Van Helsing and Renfield, respectively. 

“Dracula was played by a woman, and also Van Helsing, so I think that is a twist we did that is very interesting,” said Jessibel Falcon, who played Lucy Westenra in the production. 

According to NTC’s website, a part of the program’s mission is to focus on women’s voices in acting by exploring female roles beyond what is historically conventional. 

“We dare to question patriarchal expectations by centering the voices of women and gender non-conforming artists,” the website reads. 

Original music for the performance was composed by sound designer Alex Taylor, who also serves as the director of audience outreach for NTC. 

“A little bit over a month we put this together, ” Taylor said. “We rehearsed three to four times a week, in the evening.”

Melissa Bernstein, who founded the NTC in 2013, directed the play. Bernstein has directed over 50 successful productions for the program, according to the company website

“I thought it was incredible,” said Martha Gallagher, an audience member. “The acting was superb. I really enjoyed it.” 

Due to the size of the church’s stage and the length of the original novel, the NTC had to make a few alterations to the original story for its 100-minute performance. 

“Especially because we have such an intimate setting, we had to take a lot of liberties with the practical effects … We had to adapt it for our space and our setting and our crowd,” Taylor said. “So that was definitely a unique challenge for me as a sound designer.”

More than subverting conventional theatre roles, the company values the power of personal storytelling as a mode of elevating the voices of all.

The Monologue Project, an initiative that brings community members together through storytelling, prompts people across Newton to tell their personal stories. Monologues that have been covered include those from people of color, LGBTQ+ community members, young students, and more. 

For the next show,  NTC is performing Doubt: A Parable, based on the 2008 movie Doubt directed by John Patrick Shanley. Bernstein will also be the director of the next production. 

Actresses Goetz and Toppo, who had roles in Dracula, will be returning to perform in Doubt.

Newton residents are encouraged to put an NTC sign in their yards to receive one free ticket to the next production.

“It is going to be at the end of March into early April,” Taylor said. “We are going to be doing two weekends of that one, so we will be doing six shows.”

Taylor explained that the company would love for Boston College students to show interest in the work being done by NTC. 

“I think they would be really surprised about what we are able to do in this space and with this theater,” Taylor said. “Anyone who is a young theatre person that is looking for something to do, we are open doors.”

February 2, 2025

Leave a Reply