We hopped on a Zoom with cast members Anna Sosa and Dan Cimo to dish about how the women take center stage in this production and really stick it to the man–and just how funny that can be.
Virginian Pilot | ‘Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really’ sticks it to The Man
Playwright Kate Hamill (well-aided and abetted by director Melissa Mowry) has taken lucrative liberties with Stoker’s “Dracula,” just as she has with other out-of-copyright classics such as Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility,” “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma.” Besides gender and nationality-switching key characters such as Van Helsing, Hamill has openly attacked paternalism on all fronts. This VSC production features, for example, an “all-female” creative team (with one nonbinary person, as Mowry specifies). In her playbill notes, Mowry calls this production “a labor of love and rage,” the rage directed against the degradation of women by men legally empowered to suck their life’s blood from them.
Domestic Violence Resources
CoastLive | It's a Classic Tale with a Modern Twist...DRACULA at The Wells
DRACULA Partners with "Paint Pink"
We are thrilled to announce that the Virginia Stage Company contributed $1,000 to Paint Pink during the October 18th performance of Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really. This generous donation not only highlights the company’s commitment to supporting vital causes but also honors the incredible work of Paint Pink’s founder, Kim Keene.
Paint Pink is dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer and empowering those affected by the disease. The funds raised will help support initiatives that provide education, resources, and support to individuals and families navigating the challenges of breast cancer.
The intersection of art and activism is beautifully embodied in this collaboration. As audiences gathered to enjoy a thought-provoking performance, they were also reminded of the power of community and the impact of giving back. This production celebrates women and shines light on challenges that they face. Supporting Paint Pink is the perfect complement to that.
We are grateful to our audiences and supporters for making this important contribution possible. Together, we can continue to foster awareness and create change, one performance at a time. Let’s keep the momentum going!
HR Show | Take a Bite Out of this Victorian Horror Story!
VEER | Women Drive Stake Through Heart of Patriarchal Dracula
"What does it mean to have Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, really told from the perspective of a woman of color," says Melissa. ...That eventually opened up the world of the play to her. "This play was written during the #MeToo movement, and the Harvey Weinstein trial," she later adds. "Unfortunately, I think the world is meeting the play, where it sort of starts."
DRACULA Driving Deeper | Victorian Gender Roles
The Victorian era spans Queen Victoria’s 63-year reign over Great Britain and Ireland, from 1837 to 1901. During this time, Britain became a global superpower, expanding its empire and experiencing rapid progress in science, industry and the arts, as well as significant political and social reforms that have shaped the modern world.
“During the Victorian period men and women’s roles became more sharply defined than at any time in history. In earlier centuries it had been usual for women to work alongside husbands and brothers in the family business. Living ‘over the shop’ made it easy for women to help out by serving customers or keeping accounts while also attending to their domestic duties.” - Kathryn Hughes, The British Library’s “Gender roles in the 19th century”
John Ruskin, an English writer and philosopher, reveals the rigid gender roles of the 19th century Victorian era were characterized by strict stereotypes that disadvantaged women. This period was defined by the "separate spheres" ideology that relegated men to the public sphere of work and economics, consigning women to domestic roles, reinforcing male dominance. These spheres supported by Darwin’s theory of "Survival of the Fittest," placed men higher on the evolutionary ladder and impacted all societal aspects, including employment, where only a third of women worked compared to two-thirds by 1978. For the upper-middle class, many women had never worked outside the home. Women were expected to live up to the image of ‘the angel in the house’, to be the perfect wife and mother.
The early feminist movement emerged in the 1850s, advocating for equality in education, work, and voting rights despite these limitations. Figures like Queen Victoria opposed these efforts, viewing feminism as a "wicked folly" offering “God created men and women differently—then let them remain each in their own position.” Victorian-era gender stereotypes persisted well into the 20th century and continue to influence modern-day society.
Bowles’ Drawing Book for Ladies is a manual for drawing or embroidering flowers. Drawing and embroidery were part of a conventional female education in the 18th and 19th centuries.