Carmilla (2011)

By Aly Renee Amidei
Adapted from the novella by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Directed by Scott Cummins

January 13 – February 20, 2011
DCA Storefront Theatre
66 E. Randolph, Chicago, IL

Before Edward. Before Lestat. Before Dracula…
there was Carmilla.

Female vampires unleash upon the stage in this premiere of a new adaptation of J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s Victorian horror story. A young English woman living in a remote castle in Eastern Europe becomes intrigued by a mysterious house guest, the enigmatic Carmilla. As the neighboring countryside and villages fall victim to a series of unexplained grisly murders, young Laura finds herself swept up in a whirlwind of forbidden desire quite extraordinary for a 19th-century woman.

Featuring Brian Amidei, Moira Begale, Brittany Burch, Scott T. Barsotti, Sara Gorsky, Steve Herson, Allie Kunkler, Erin Myers, Michaela Petro, Charley Sherman, Mandy Walsh, and Josh Zagoren

Scott Cummins, Director and Fight Choreographer
Aly Renee Amidei, Adaptor and Costume/Make-Up Designer
Alan Donahue, Set Designer
Mikhail Fiksel, Sound Designer
Anna Brenner, Stage Manager

Press:

Recommended … Scott Cummins’s well-designed production employs plenty of spooky fog, spurting blood, and rousing fight sequences set to pounding gypsy music. … With her powerful physical presence and dark, lustrous speaking voice, Michaela Petro is able to sink her teeth into the title role.” – Albert Williams, Chicago Reader

“Highly Recommended … 3 1⁄2 stars … DON’T MISS! … WildClaw Theatre knocks this offering out of the park and into the realm of supernatural delights with their most successfully realized main stage play to date … frighteningly entertaining … Carmilla is a wickedly wonderful wild beast that legitimizes the place of unbridled histrionic horror on the contemporary theatrical stage, guarantees a great time in the process and should not be missed!” – Venus Zarris, Chicago Stage Review

“Recommended … chilling … Scott Cummins’ loud and picturesque staging raises the stakes (so to speak) until Carmilla delivers some very serviceable terror … An opportunity for Cummins’ plucky cast to burst blood bags as they die horrifically in a final ‘Crouching Tiger’ fightfest that’s louder than life and puts the WWA to shame.” – Lawrence Bommer, Chicago Stage Style Review

“As a night of fright, Carmilla satisfies as blood thirsty passionate entertainment … intrigues and surprises right up to the ending … The sensuality of new love beginnings contrasts perfectly with the brutality of vampires’ attacks …Michaela Petro (Carmilla) transfixes with vivacious sexual prowess and disturbing bestial aggressiveness.” – Katy Walsh, Chicago Now/The Fourth Walsh