Things go bump in the night, sounds cause a fright...and Radio Theatre's stage production of "Dracula" gets it right.

Radio Theatre, now entering its 10th year, brings Dracula back from the dead and to the East Village in the perfect season opener.  "Dracula", written by Orson Welles and Dan Bianchi and directed by Frank Zilinyi, invites the listener to reengage with this well-known, haunting tale of the notorious vampire we love to fear.  As the play begins, we first meet Jonathan Harker, a guest to Dracula's home; he finds out the Dracula controls the beast that roams the fields and seemingly has power over the elements of the land. After Harker discovers this haunting secret he tries to escape and in his attempts almost dies at the hand of vampire brides -- but the cards of fate deal in his favor giving him an exit.

Patrick Halloran is exquisite as Dracula: frighteningly alluring and in possession of a demonic scream, he is a perfect fit in this audio drama. The ensemble cast, too, doesn't miss a beat, their voices flowing in and and out like apparitions whispering, screaming, and laughing into the microphones. The sound designer Dan Bianchi has composed the sound effects beautifully, painting a tale of blood and terror.  The sounds of howling wolves, in particular, are orchestrated with finesse and style.

If you close your eyes in the theater your imagination will run wild, and you just might grab unto your neighbor with this horror-filled experience.  This is the way camp stories should be told -- with vigor and truth given to every word.