Off-Broadway Access Review -
Dracula

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General Note

This is a review of the accessibility of the theater, of the lighting/sound/scent design of the show, and a list of content warnings as a way to prep folks with various needs before they go see it.

This is not meant to scare anyone away from seeing the show. Most productions have about the same amount of content warnings and sensory warnings to go along with it, they’re just rarely explicitly written down.

For some people, knowing these things ahead of time makes it easier to enjoy the show because they know what to expect. And, often, makes those people more likely to see it in the first place. I hope that it’s helpful!

I am also happy to clarify any specifics, just send me a message or an email and I will respond when I can.

Theater

New World Stages

All comments on the accessibility of lighting are in reference to seats in the center of the first row of Stage 5

Bathrooms:

divided into the binary but have a sign that says “Gender diversity is welcome here. Please use the restroom that best fits your identity or expression”
these restrooms are wheelchair accessible

Other theater accessibility:

the entrance to New World Stages is step-free and there is an elevator to each theater level
they offer assisted listening and induction loop systems at the audience services desk

Click here for more information on the physical accessibility of this theater.

Light/Sound/Scent

General:

I did not need earplugs for this show
there is no intermission (the show runs 90 min)
there are a lot of lightning flashes/thunders throughout this show, I’m noting all of them here, overall I found this viewing experience to be pretty chill and was only startled by maybe 4 or 5 of these light/sound cues
there’s a lot of screaming in this show, I didn’t keep track

Pre-Show:

medium volume music playing (I think it was Romanian pop music but I’m not 100% on that)
slowly changing/flashing lights on the audience (they’re super dim though, you don’t really notice)
their announcement to turn off your phones directly before the show starts is a bunch of loud ringtones

The Show:

flashing red for the first ~15 sec (the flash effect is more like a slightly blinky neon sign than a strobe, also it’s the neon borders around the sides of the stage and the Dracula sign above the stage)
“we warned you” - loud thunder, ~ 5 sec lightning flashes
“Five stars” - one lightning flash
yellow eyes are neon and kinda pointed at the audience and move around but are pretty contained
“fog” is sprayed a few times - it’s atmosphere aerosol, it has no scent, it dissipates super quickly
“free will” - loud crash when Drac puts his hand down
“check” - one light on/off
“bloody expensive” - small lightning and thunder (just the top back of the stage, not very flashy at all)
“is that so” - one light on/off
“I’ll take it” - big lightning & small thunder
“aye aye sir” - big crack noise
“only woman I ever loved” - strobe downlight and increasingly loud storm noises but it felt pretty chill
“til death do us part” - big lightning/thunder, then neon outlines lightly vibrate different colors during blackout
“unloved and alone” - crash & thunder
the container of baked goods & platter are both shiny & cause accidental strobe
“yes master” - small lightning and thunder
“something else” - just a lightning
“acute than that” - small top stage lightning flash
“more sinister” - lots of blue lights come on quickly
when the bat comes out of the door there is some flashing downlight and a very very dim blue/white strobe - lasts maybe ~15-30 sec but it’s pretty chill
“only be one thing” - big thunder & lightning
“the one” (Dracula line) - small top stage lightning
“drink it from you” - two big crashes
“show me your neck” - buzz noise and flashing lights
“what can I do?” - 2 quick blue downlights on/off
“go” - crash & blue flashing downlight (there are like 4 quick lighting cues in succession here, I think this is cue 3 in that list and I don’t think this is entirely correct)
“gotta fly” - crash sound with lightning
“right” & Harker exit - light flash
“vampire hunting” - light flash & crash sound
vibrating neon colors around stage during blackout, this also happens during the blackout after “I’m 26”
“weekends off” - small top stage lightning
“my sweet” - big crash and lightning (neon during blackout)
moving white across the stage/flashing occasionally when Jean is in the mansion (I seem to remember that this is like 3 or 4 cues and that’s it)
“is that you Mina?” - 6 big flashes and ?a crash as well
when they open the side coffin doors there are neon LEDs in there, I don’t think you’d notice it unless you’re seated super to the side or super up front
“montage!” - moving white/natural lights during this bit - basically a sweep over the audience/stage and then flashes into 4 downlights next to each other. This happens maybe 4 times
“courage to the sticking place” - red moving lights & neon red borders are on, smoke onstage (no smell)
“enough” - single neon flash
“checks are gonna bounce” - blue/white flashing lights for awhile & confetti cannon after the third stab
“a bite” - crash & flash

Content Warnings

This kinda contains spoilers! Be warned!