There are no plans for a Broadway cast recording, tour or regional productions at present, a spokesperson confirmed.
Tony Award winner John Rando (Urinetown) directs and John Carrafa (Urinetown, Into The Woods) choreographs the musical, with a score by Jim Steinman with a book by David Ives, Steinman and Michael Kunze (who is also credited with the original German book and lyrics).
Michael Crawford (The Phantom of the Opera), Rene Auberjonois (City of Angels), Mandy Gonzalez, Max von Essen, Ron Orbach, Asa Somers, Liz McCartney, Leah Hocking and Mark Price lead the cast of the show, which attempted to be a both a Mel Brooks-style comedy and serious-minded gothic rock musical.
Set in Lower Belabartokovich, Carpathia in "1880-something," the revamped Broadway production begins, as director Rando best explained: "Sarah and her two friends are out picking mushrooms when they come across this very forbidden territory, near the castle of the Count Von Krolock. They encounter an enormous amazing group of vampires — who happen to love rock 'n' roll and really dance to it well."
Flying ballet dream sequences, naughty jokes, references to Meatloaf lyrics, special effects, enormous sets, sponges, garlic, graveyards, plenty of fog and dancing, fill the production with rock-infused songs by macabre composer Steinman whose popular "Total Eclipse of the Heart" — made famous by singer Bonnie Tyler — is featured in the musical with slightly altered lyrics. Song titles include "Original Sin," "Garlic," "Come With Me," "Logic," "Braver Than We Are," "Death Is Such an Odd Thing," "For Sarah" and "When Love Is Inside You," among others. The creative team behind Dance of the Vampires includes David Gallo (scenic design) — whose massive drawbridge has received its own applause, Ann Hould Ward (costume design), Richard Ryan (sound), Ken Billington (lighting design), David Lawrence (hair and wigs) and Angelina Avallone (make-up). Patrick Vacariello serves as musical director, Steve Margoshes orchestrates and Michael Reed handles musical supervision.
The Broadway run was produced by Bob Boyett, USA Ostar, Andrew Braunsberg, Lawrence Horowitz, Michael Gardner, Roy Furman, Lexington Road Productions and David Sonenberg, in association with Fuchs/Swinsky, LFG Holdings, Clear Channel Entertainment, Kathryn Conway, Arielle Tepper, Norman Brownstein and William Carrick. The advance was said to be strong due to the appeal of former Phantom of the Opera star Crawford, who was asked to play a Sicilian vampire here.
Tickets to Dance of the Vampires at the Minskoff, 200 West 45 Street, can be purchased via Ticketmaster at (212) 307-4100, (800) 755-4000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit the show's website at www.danceofthevampires.com.
