Plaza suite

Plaza suite

by neil simon - america’s comedy playwright

directed by kelly grooms

October 9, 10, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31,

November 5, 6

Tickets (taxes not included):

Dinner and show - $21.95 (general public) $19.95 (students)

Show only - $12.00 (general public)$10.00 (students)

(gratuity is not included in ticket prices.)

CALL NOW FOR RESERVATIONS: 870-892-0030

Sponsored by The Bank of Pocahontas

“your hometown bank”

“I vant to suck your blood.” The quote of Bella Lagosi echoes in our minds yet today, however, the Imperial Dinner Theatre’s production of Dracula is a welcome departure from the cliche, a darkly haunting and rapturous tale of immortal love and possession. Sponsored by The Bank of Pocahontas, the show opens October 9 and runs weekends through November 6.

In the year 1462, Romania is overrun by the maurading Turks. There is only one man who can save his people. Transylvanian Count Dracula (Shane Cummings) meets with his priest (John Harvey) as his beautiful Countess (Samantha Vancil) begs him not to go to battle. He assures her he is fighting a holy war, pledges his undying love and swears to return. During the battle a messenger (Alan Swink) brings the Countess the message that Count Dracula has died in battle. In despair, she takes her own life. Returning victorious, Dracula finds his beloved dead. He goes on a murderous rage, is cursed to dark immortality by the priest and thus begins the legendary tale.

Over 400 years later, a young solicitor, Jonathan Harker (J.R. Briggs) arrives at The Count’s castle in Transylvania to complete a real estate purchase. Thinking this will be a routine business deal, Harker soon finds himself surrounded by Dracula’s mysterious vixens (Brittany Cox, Samantha Vancil and Laycie Bivens) and a prisoner in the castle with no means of escape. Count Dracula falls in love with the photo of Harker’s fiance, and begins his pursuit of his eternal love, Mina (Brittany Grooms). He flees to England with Harker’s signed papers as a new land owner.

Back in England, Mina, the quintessential Victorian beauty visits her friend Lucy (Hope Lemmons) who is a guest at the insane asylum run by Dr. Seward (Ryan Cooper), Lucy’s fiance. Lucy has been suffering a strange malady causing her to sleepwalk and making her sickly and pale. Dr. Seward knows no other solution than to call his friend and mentor Dr. Abraham Van Helsing (Ken Benton), a doctor and expert on matters of the dark world. Despite their efforts, Lucy becomes weaker and dies, unbeknownst to them, due to a visit by their new neighbor, Count Dracula.

In the meantime, Harker escapes from Transylvania to a hospital in Budapest where Mina is reunited with him. He presents his journal to her which holds many of the secrets of the Count which the team of friends later use to hunt the vampire, Dracula. Harker, Mina, Van Helsing and Seward make a pact to destroy the evil Dracula at any cost despite the desperate warnings of one of Sewards mysterious inmates, Renfield (Kelly Grooms) who is secretly a servant of Dracula.

The Imperial’s version of this gothic vampire tale is a visceral journey into Victorian England’s dimly lit bedrooms, mist-filled cemeteries, and terrifying asylum chambers, revealing the dark secrets and mysteries of the legend known as “Dracula”. Other performers in the show are Jimmy Clark, Dorothy Rapert and Ivory Wells as the Maid.

Set design and artistic direction is by Kelly Grooms with set construction and special effects by Al and Donna Dixon. Scenic design is by Donna Little. Technical manager is Carilyn Rouyer while John Harvey acts as Stage manager.