October is the time for horrific fun that concludes with Halloween. Starting in the early part of the month there is Spooky Horror Empire, the convention that brings together all kinds of delightful morsels of horror fun. A few weeks later in Tampa, Necronomi Con combines horror and science fiction while Disney, Universal, and Busch Gardens all have their celebrations for the entire period. In horror fiction Vampires and Zombies are the most popular they have ever been. The Orlando Ballet has its take on the month with the incredible ballet “Vampire’s Ball.”
Of all the ones I’ve been to this year “Vampire’s Ball” was the biggest audience I have seen attend a production. Almost every seat was taken at the Bob Carr Auditorium for the Saturday performance.
There was something very different with this production that was a preview of things to come. As the audience was still taking their seats with the house lights still on, members of the cast came out on stage and performed different exercises in their scary costumes that whet the apetite for what lay in store. As Act I began there was a piercing set of screams throughout the building as one of the cast members ran down the stairs to the stage when a vampire follows her. I loved how the production had the vampire stand on a platform that was raised giving the impression that he was rising, beginning the production’s eerie numbers.
As I watched I thought “what is this all about?” There was a zombie, an evil doctor, a male and female vampire and a woman and man in all white, and plenty of dancers in red and black costumes who seem to be dancing around the vampire. Later I thought the two in white were targets of the vampires and the evil doctor, while everyone else were souls in waiting, to be vampires. Just before intermission a voice explained Act I and gave a preview of Act II. Because of courses in literature in college I took many years ago I thought I never could understand the symbolism of what I was learning. I’m happy to say that with this production I do get it, maybe because watching the production unfold is for enjoyment and not for a grade.
I was also reminded in places of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” or Tevye’s dream sequence in “Fiddler on the Roof” I didn’t look at the program booklet so I was surprised when the entire cast performed “Thriller” as the final number. I was laughing as they danced to the song in the same way Jackson did in the video.
Robert Hill masterfully combined different forms of dance with elaborate dark and sinister costumes and music pieces that fit the mood of the season. I was also amazed at several numbers where the cast members, in perfect sync performed many complicated dance routines that made it look so simple. There were three children who performed masterfully, receiving several rounds of applause from the audience.
For so long the general public has had a fascination with elements of horror, and “Vampire’s Ball” is a welcome addition to that attraction. I hope that “Vampire’s Ball” brings more first time viewers who become hooked and want to see more productions by this incredible company. If there’s anything negative to say, it’s that the production is only for one weekend.
