Detroit Lakes High School's production of 'Dracula,' opening Friday, goes virtual

In an early scene from "Dracula," Lucy Westenra (Sammy Collins, center) and her friend Mina (Jenna Deremer) decide to take a stroll in the graveyard, where they encounter Mrs. Swales (Jenna Johnson), who is visiting her husband's grave. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)

By Vicki Gerdes and Vicki Gerdes

October 27, 2020 at 11:00 PM

Though pandemic safety precautions have limited in-person attendance to friends and family of the cast, this weekend's fall play production of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" at Detroit Lakes Middle School's George Simson Auditorium will be made available for "live screaming" via the Detroit Lakes Public Schools Youtube channel.

"Each cast member has been given two tickets for each performance," explained the play's director, Nikki Caulfield, who adapted Stoker's classic horror novel specifically for this production. No tickets will be sold publicly, due to COVID-19 safety precautions that limit in-person attendance at live events.

Just as they have been doing for Laker sporting events since the start of the school year, however, district administration will make the fall play accessible to the public for live Youtube streaming via the website at www.dllakers.com (click on the "Laker event streaming Youtube channel" link).

Performance times and dates are listed below.

Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' — the cast

The cast and crew for the production is as follows:

Lucy Westenra: Sammy Collins
Mina Murray-Harker: Jenna Deremer
Dr. John Seward: Annika Gulseth
Araminta Renfield: Kaitlyn Peterson
Nurse: Montana Brown
Mrs. Swales/Theodosia Snelling: Jenna Johnson
Mrs. Westenra/Mrs. Bloxam: Akira Olp
Count Dracula: Victor Jiminez
Arthur Holmwood (Lord Godalming): Noah Hendrickson
Professor Van Helsing: Gretta Schulberg
Jonathan Harker: Luke Ross
Stage Manager: Maria Sauer
Tech Director: Jacob Swanson
Backstage Crew: Lily Townsel, Autumn Engen

If you go

What: Bram Stoker's "Dracula"

When: Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 1, 2:30 p.m.

Where: George Simson Auditorium, Detroit Lakes Middle School

How: Though in-person seating is limited, and no public tickets will be sold, there will be a "live screaming" option available via the Detroit Lakes Public Schools Youtube channel, accessible at www.dllakers.com (click on the link for "Laker event streaming Youtube channel")

1/4: Mina Murray-Harker (Jenna Deremer) attempts to wake her friend Lucy (Sammy Collins), who has sleepwalked into the graveyard and fallen asleep on one of the gravestones. Unknown to either of the young women, Lucy was visited by Count Dracula as she laid there. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)

2/4: Young Arthur Holmwood (Noah Hendrickson, at right) discusses his fiancee Lucy's illness with Dr. John Seward (Annika Gulseth) in an early scene from Bram Stoker's horror classic, "Dracula," which opens this Friday at Detroit Lakes Middle School's George Simson Auditorium. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)

3/4: Dr. John Seward (Annika Gulseth, at right) meets with troubled patient Araminta Renfield (Kaitlyn Peterson) and her nurse (Montana Brown) in a scene from Bram Stoker's "Dracula," which opens Friday night at Detroit Lakes Middle School. No public tickets for the production will be sold, but all three performances will be streamed live via the school's Youtube channel. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)

4/4: An ailing Lucy (Sammy Collins) speaks wistfully of her upcoming wedding to Dr. John Seward (not pictured) in a scene from Bram Stoker's Dracula," which will be presented Oct. 30-Nov. 1 at Detroit Lakes Middle School's George Simson Auditorium. For the first time, the production will be streamed live via the school district's Youtube channel. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)