The Temecula Valley Players opened Dracula beginning Friday, October 19th at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater. Well-known local director, Leslie Vecchione, leads her cast and crew to present a highly entertaining—and spooky—production. The show closes on Sunday, October 28.

Tickets for Dracula are available for $17 each, $14 each for groups of 10 or more, not including possible additional fees. Evening performances play at 8:00 pm on October 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27, and matinees play at 2:00 pm on October 21, 27, and 28.   Tickets to these shows and the many other productions presented by the City of Temecula can be purchased on line at http://www.temeculatheater.org/, by calling 866-653-8696, or by visiting the theater’s box office at 42051 Main Street in Temecula.

The play was the first theatrical treatment of Bram Stoker’s original novel about the Transylvanian count. Playwrights Hamilton Deane and John Balderston first presented it in the 1920’s with great success. It offers a classic tension between good and evil, a theme that the Halloween season always exploits with excitement.

This revival features Paul Kehler in the title role. He plays the Count who has recently moved into a country estate outside London. His nemesis, Dr. Van Helsing, arrives on the scene to help solve the mysterious ailments suffered by other characters on the scene. Van Helsing is portrayed by Ken Stocks, theater teacher at Lakeside High School in Lake Elsinore. Paul Kehler co-owns Triple Threat Academy in Temecula. Director Vecchione teaches theater arts at Elsinore High School.

As a community service, and with tongues firmly wedged in their theatrical cheeks, the TVP board of directors has added a blood donation event on Saturday afternoon, October 27th. The Blood Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties will draw blood from people in a much more professional and precise fashion than does a certain notorious vampire. The Bloodmobile event runs from noon to 6:00 pm in the theater courtyard. Donor reservations can be made by calling 800.879.4484 or going to www.bbsbrc.org (see Gift of Life).