Dr. Seward's Dracula at First Folio Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...But as the show progresses, particularly in the swiftly moving second act where the smart twists unspool with clinical precision, Stearns' Stoker shows that he's not just exploiting Seward's story for personal gain. As he explains, "People need monsters. They need to believe that there are limits to humanity and lines that cannot be crossed." He sees in Seward (played with roiling anguish by Gray) a man whose guilt drives him toward self-destruction, if not self-delusion. Zettelmaier's exploration of this classic monster story reminds us that if there is salvation to be found at the end of nightmarish events, it must come through honest reckoning with our stories."

Daily Herald - Recommended

"...The only thing missing from Saturday's opening of "Dr. Seward's Dracula" was a real full moon. But First Folio delivered that essential element of a spooky tale in its aptly unnerving production of Zettelmaier's gothic-style, psychological thriller."

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...Ably directed by Alison C. Vesely, this First Folio production is packed with first-rate performers, especially Christian Gray, who displays remarkable range as Seward. This is one of those rare thrillers that lives up to its promise, grabbing our attention in its first moments and not letting go until the heart-stopping ending."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...Halloween is a big deal at First Folio Theatre. After a macabre Edgar Allen Poe roamed through Mayslake mansion - which some claim is haunted - last year, the Dracula legend takes center stage in 2016. Playwright Joseph Zettelmaier, a favorite at First Folio, has written "Dr. Seward's Dracula", a slightly different twist on the Dracula legend - putting author Bram Stoker in the middle of the plot. It's a creepy little gothic story"