David's DNK archive

a new play by David Hansen

Directed by Thomas Cullinan

Original Music by

featuring two new songs: COME and DOCTOR

March 8 - 29, 1997

Cast: John Polidori . . . . Brian Pedaci Mary . . . . Sarah Jackson Claire . . . . Elizabeth Schwartz George . . . . Adam Hoffman Percy . . . . Maurice Adams

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The Vampyres Experience
by Sarah Jackson

I auditioned for "The Vampyres" on a whim. New to Cleveland, I had no idea what Dobama Theatre or Night Kitchen was. After the first audition however, I was hooked. These vampires came with a whole set of desires, aspirations and fetishes. I discovered that there were a lot of similarities between the character of Mary and myself and it was one of those roles that I as an actor "just had to play".

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As difficult as it would be fulfilling, I felt that this would be a show quite unlike any other I had worked on. There were at least three things that I was going to do in this show that I had never, in the eight years I have been in professional theatre, done before.

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"Good Evening ..." George (Adam Hoffman) welcomes you all to The Night Kitchen File size 145 K Time 0:17.8

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Portraying the passion of a rock singer was intimidating to say the least. I knew from watching rock singers perform that they invest their souls in their music as much as an actor does in his or her role. When I saw Ali Hernan of the band "Queue Up" perform on tape, the display of that passion and nakedness of human feeling was a bit unsettling. I knew that nothing less would be acceptable in my performance.

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I was very fortunate to have worked with Queue Up. Ali coached myself and my fellow actor Adam Hoffman on microphone technique and it all came together when I watched Ali and the band perform live. I was so excited, I ran to the bar and asked for a napkin so I could jot down my thoughts. Sometimes I find that when some element of a character is a bit of a stretch for me, I observe, take notes, rehearse and through the repetition and the justification of the movement, that unique part of the character becomes part of me. I wanted to be unafraid and completely comfortable with the song and take it to the edge.

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The second thing I had never done before was to become involved in the Goth culture, to be honest, I didn't know anything about it when I got involved with the play. However, from the from the first song on the rehearsal tape Ali gave to us to the experience of visiting the club "The Chamber", I was completely mesmerized. I grew to feel very convicted in portraying the Goth culture with the beauty and the dignity it possesses. The third thing I had never done before was to perform two very passionate scenes on stage. I was very lucky to work with two actors I grew to trust and care about very much, Brian Pedaci and Maurice Adams, and to be directed with great skill by director Tom Cullinan. We started kissing from the first rehearsal so that we would be physically comfortable with one another by show time. Some people would ask me if I felt anything with all that kissing. Actually, kissing on-stage is a little different than in "real life". You have lines that need to be said and heard, you need to be on top of your cues, you need to be seen by the audience. So there is a lot to think about.

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The cast and crew grew very close during the rehearsal and performance of this piece. Hopefully, the closeness we shared was evident in the trust we had in this undertaking and in each other as we performed. I feel that the trust and the comfort took the show to the level that it needed to be. "The Vampyres" was a labor of love and of passion. I don't think I have ever felt so challenged by a show or worked so hard or learned so much. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat. -- Sarah Jackson

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"The Vampyres" update June, 1998

QUEUE UP performing the song "COME" (from "The Vampyres") can now be found on the Goth compilation "Saints and Sorcerers Vol. II," obtainable through Saint Thomas Records.

This page updated September 5, 1998