Dracula Play Guide - Actors Theatre of Louisville

Discussion Questions
Pre-Show Questions
1. Before you enter the Bingham Theatre, picture a stage in the center with seats
all around (arena stage). Think about the world of Bram Stoker’s story.
What kind of set do you expect to see? What style and colors? What elements do
you think will set the mood? How?
2. How is seeing a play different from seeing a movie? As an audience member,
what types of things do you need to keep in mind when going
to see a live performance?
Post-Show Questions
1. During the show (and in the opening scene specifically), how did the technical elements create the mood that evoked fear from
the audience? What sounds, lighting effects and costumes do you recall?
2. What themes are present in Dracula? As this is fundamentally a story about good and evil, which characters are good and
which are evil? Do any characters show traits of both? Which force ultimately wins?
3. Why do you think Vlad the Impaler was Bram Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula? Where did you see examples of Vlad in the
production? Do you think using history to create a story is a valuable writing tool? Why or why not? What are some examples?
4. Do you feel any empathy for the evil characters? What parts of their existence might evoke pity?
5. Why do you think vampires are ingrained in pop culture? Why are vampires in the movies, on TV, popular Halloween
costumes, etc.? Trace the evolution of the vampire in literature and film. See page 6-7 (Compare/contrast Bela Lugosi’s
characterization to Brad Pitt’s in Interview with a Vampire, for example). How has our perception of vampires changed
over the years? How has it stayed the same?
communication portfolio
Narrative Writing
What was the scariest thing that ever happened to you? Write a story narrating
the event for your reader. Lead the reader through the experience moment-bymoment
in detail, using clear, descriptive images. Why was this a memorable
moment in your life?
Argumentative Writing
Dracula ends leaving the story open to the audience’s interpretation. What do you
think happens? This is your chance to continue writing the play! If you could
imagine one more scene at the end of our Dracula what would it be?
Which characters would be in it? What do they still need to do? Base your ideas
on specific facts from the story.
Informative Writing
Write a review of the performance of Dracula that you saw at Actors Theatre of
Louisville. Describe what it was like to watch the play, but be sure to write more
than just the plot of the play. Think about how the play tells the story. Make the
experience come alive for the reader.
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