In Classic Theater Guild’s upcoming Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, biology has a lot to do with the chemistry between the performers portraying the characters of “Lucy Westfeldt” and her father, “Dr. Wallace Westfeldt.”
That is because Guilderland’s Amelia McCarthy is the real life daughter of Slingerlands’ John R. McCarthy.
The Director of Institutional Research & Data Governance at Maria College, Amelia describes performing with John as “surreal.
“Usually it would take time to build a believable father -daughter type of comfortability with another actor, but we have that relationship built in,” she explains.” There are several times in the show where my character gives him an exasperated look, and I feel reacting to his dad jokes over the years has trained me well.”
As for John, he says that playing a middle-aged psychiatrist isn’t that big of a stretch for him.
“I feel like I’ve got a pretty good in at the beginning when playing the character,” says John, who actually does hold a doctorate in research psychology. “At the same time, some of the things my character says to or around her are things I wouldn’t want anyone saying to her.”
Currently employed with the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, after years of working for the New York State Assembly, John was also once the Executive Director of the New York Library Association’s Library Trustees Association. Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors marks his debut in area community theater.
So why hasn’t he ever hit the boards before?
“As a film lover, I’ve always had an appreciation for acting,” says John, who says that the CTG show is “something of a put up or shut up moment” for him. It also gives the elder McCarthy an opportunity to hang out with his daughter, “whom I don’t get to see as much of since she moved out a few years ago.”
For Amelia, the opportunity to work with John is also pretty special. “He spent countless hours transporting me to and from rehearsals when I was younger, so it is quite nostalgic carpooling for these rehearsals.”
The show, which had its regional premiere three years ago at Capital Repertory Theatre, on North Pearl Street in Albany, was co-written by Broadway director and playwright Gordon Greenberg who, as of 2018, directed 11 productions there.
Featuring a cast of 14 community theater veterans and newcomers, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, will premiere at Congregation Beth Israel on Thursday, October 30th; following a day off to celebrate the titular character’s favorite holiday, namely, All Hallows’ Eve, the show resumes its limited run engagement on Saturday night, November 1st, and Sunday afternoon, November 2nd.
The laugh out loud, campy spoof of the classic Bram Stoker story returns to the temple on Thursday, November 6th, followed by shows on Saturday, November 8th and Sunday, November 9th.
The Sunday matinee performances will start at 3 p.m.; all other performances start at 7:30 p.m.
