A gothic classic takes on a new dimension this fall at UTC's Fine Arts Center’s Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre.
The UTC Theatre Co. will open its 2025-2026 season with “Dracula: Mina’s Quest”, Steven Dietz’s reimagining of Bram Stoker’s novel.
This version moves Mina Harker to the center of the story, casting her not as a victim but as the driving force in a mystery where Dracula’s ultimate target is her soul.
Performances will take place nightly at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 30-Oct. 4, with a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday, Oct. 4.
Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here and through the UTC Fine Arts Center Box Office—in person or by phone at 423-425-4269. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students (with proof of student ID) and seniors.
The UTC Fine Arts Center is located at the intersection of Dr. Roland Carter Street (formerly known as Vine Street) and Palmetto Street on the UTC campus.
The UTC Theatre Co. production is directed by Laurie Melnik Allen, Lyndhurst Chair of Excellence in Arts Education and professor of practice in Theatre Education.
“Staging horror live is a creative puzzle,” Melnik Allen said. “Most people know Dracula through film, but theater forces us to take risks and use inventive stagecraft. We want the audience on edge, surprised and fully immersed in the suspense of this story.”
For Melnik Allen, this production marks her return to directing for the first time since 2017.
“It’s been exciting to come back to the stage with a fresh perspective,” she said. “I’ve spent years researching creativity across disciplines, and that shapes how I approach this process. Our students are learning how imaginative problem-solving in theater connects to challenges in science, technology and other fields.”
She added that the interdisciplinary nature of UTC makes this process especially meaningful.
“This production has pushed us to think in unexpected ways,” Melnik Allen said. “Directing a show like this feels almost like tackling a quantum research problem—we’re managing uncertainty and inventing solutions as we go. Sometimes that means wrestling with something as scientific as lighting design, and other times it’s figuring out what to use for stage blood. Both require creativity, risk-taking and a willingness to think outside the box.”
The nine-person cast is comprised of the following UTC students:
- Cameron Schulz: Mina
- Liam Phillips: Dracula
- Cooper Lebo: Renfield
- Kyra Hollmon: Lucy
- Solomon Ledford: Seward
- Andrew Talamo: Harker
- Lily Nevinah Phillips: Maid/Vixen
- Karlee Ming: Old Woman/Vixen
- Jayden Brooks: Guard/Vixen
UTC students on the production crew include:
- Katie Mullins: assistant director
- Lindley, stage manager
- Ace Covarrubias, assistant stage manager
- Karis Richardson, assistant stage manager
- Adam Tisdale: assistant set designer
- Conard Belitz: assistant sound designer
Steve Ray, head of the UTC Department of Theatre and artistic director of the UTC Theatre Co., said the play is a perfect fit for the season’s opening slot.
“I’ve been looking for a strong Dracula script for years,” Ray said. “We love offering something ghoulishly fun in October, and Dietz’s play gives us that. It’s suspenseful, beautifully written, and a great way to kick off our season.”
Upcoming UTC Theatre Co. productions during the 2025-2026 season include:
“Medea by Euripides,” translated by Diane J. Rayor, Nov. 18-22.
- Betrayed and broken, Medea unleashes the raw power of grief. This lyrical, timeless production explores love, vengeance, and a woman’s terrifying resilience in a world that refuses to hear her.
“Alice by Heart,” music by Duncan Sheik, lyrics by Steven Sater, book by Steven Sater and Jessie Nelson, Feb. 24-28.
- In the rubble of the London Blitz of World War II, Alice Spencer’s budding teen life is turned upside down. She and her friend Alfred escape into their cherished book “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” This musical from the creators of Spring Awakening encourages us all to celebrate the transformational power of the imagination, even in the harshest of times.
“Birthday Candles by Noah Haidl,” 14-18.
- Ernestine Ashworth spends her 17th birthday agonizing over her insignificance in the universe. Soon enough, it’s her 18th birthday. Even sooner, her 41st. Her 70th. Her 101st. Five generations, an infinity of dreams, and one cake baked over a century.
For more information, visit the UTC Theatre Co. page.
Photo courtesy UTC Theatre Co./Emma Hoffbauer