A haunting evening

<p>Halloween has come and gone, but the supernatural entertainment at Cinnabar Theater is just getting started with an other-worldly double-feature, Jack Paglen's “We ‘Heart' U, Nosferatu” and Gian Carlo Menotti's opera, “The Medium.”</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>The two productions offer the audience a unique evening of contrast, with Paglen providing a humorous look at the current vampire craze, while Menotti's old-world “The Medium” is dark and sinister.</p><p>This month's production marks the world premiere of Paglen's “We ‘Heart' U, Nosferatu,” which may be among the first theatrical performances in the country to incorporate Skype, the popular software application used for voice and video chat over the Internet.</p><p>You know you're in for a good laugh when the play begins with Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) ordering 440-thread-count sheets in sandalwood and paisley blue, while striking up a conversation about “Twilight” with a customer service center employee in Mumbai.</p><p>In the play, Vlad finds himself pursued by two young women from Idaho who are obsessed with vampires, particularly the fictional character Edward Cullen from the “Twilight” series of books.</p><p>Sonoma County native Keith Baker plays the role of Vlad with a charm and style that's appropriate for Dracula and succeeds in drawing the audience in — leaving them wondering if Vlad the Impaler is every bit as harmless as the “vegetarian” vampire Edward Cullen.</p><p>Mary Anne (Allison Rae Baker) and Dottie (Mary Gannon Graham) are hilarious as the wide-eyed, innocent, willing victims of Vlad's charm. The two women manage to track Vlad down via the Internet and convince him to participate in chatting with them on Skype. </p><p>The Skype video chat is performed live each evening from another location on the Cinnabar Theater grounds, and is displayed for the audience on a large video screen. Vlad is the only actor on stage during the production.</p><p>“Throughout the play, Vlad uses a variety of multi-media technology in his home theater,” said director Elizabeth Craven. “Audiences will share in his experience as he searches the Internet and Google Earth, shops online and watches TV, films and some interesting DVDs. Jack Paglen's sense of humor and the way he has included modern technology brings a fun, modern twist to the body of vampire fiction, from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel ‘Dracula' to Stephanie Meyer's ‘Twilight' series.”</p><p>The evening of theater comes to a more serious and disturbing close with Gian Carlo Menotti's “The Medium.” The opera tells the tale of Madame Flora's (Valentina Osinkski) descent into madness and murder, with haunting melodies.</p><p>This is Osinski's fourth appearance with Cinnabar theater as the deeply troubled Madame Flora. She plays the role with passion and terror — truly a great performance.</p><p>The role of Monica, Madame Flora's daughter, is played by Emma McNairy who has an angelic and eerie voice in this production. Lukas Thompson plays the mute servant boy, Toby, who is in love with Monica.</p><p>Show times for “We ‘Heart' U, Nosferatu” and Gian Carlo Menotti's “The Medium” are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 21 at Cinnabar Theater, 3333 Petaluma Blvd. North.</p><p>Tickets are $35 general, $32 seniors, $30 for people under 30 and $20 for teens on a special teen night (Friday, Nov. 12). Tickets at the door are $35.</p><p>For more information and tickets, call 763-8920 or visit www.cinnabartheater.org.</p><p>(Contact Yovanna Bieberich at yovanna.bieberich@arguscourier.com).</p>