If you could live forever, what would you do with your life?
"You'd have time to do everything you want to and get good at it," suggested Shana Burdick, a 21-year-old Western Maryland College senior and theater and communications major.
Eternal life is the basis for "Dr. Frankenstein's Dracula," an original workshop play that will be performed today, tomorrow and March 2-4 in Dorothy Elderdice Theatre in WMC's Alumni Hall.
The play, produced by Ira Domser, the college's director of theater, combines elements of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." The student performers wrote the original script and music for the production.
"We talked about what life after death is, who Dracula was, why people are fascinated with him," Mr. Domser said. "The students had questions -- is [the play] sacrilegious because it compares Dracula to Christ?
"Christ said you could gain eternal life through drinking of the wine representing his blood and eating the bread that was his body, and Dracula did the same thing," he said.
The students have liberally used biblical quotations throughout the story that apply to the actions of the main characters.
As the students have written it, the story is a series of workshops and practice sessions. Dr. Frankenstein is trying to breathe life into Elizabeth, the perfect woman he has created to be the Eve of a new race.
"I created Frankenstein into a Hitler-type character, wanting to create a new race," said Ed Milliner, an 18-year-old WMC freshman who portrays Dr. Frankenstein. "I suppose he has good intentions -- they're just a little misplaced. Frankenstein wants to be like God, in that he wants to create life and get the credit for it."
After repeated failures, Frankenstein enlists the aid of Dracula, who is played as a woman by Ms. Burdick. "The story works well [with the main character] played as a female, because I don't think those vampires need to be male or female," said Ms. Burdick, who portrays Dracula.
But Dracula as a woman raises the issue of lesbianism when Dr. Frankenstein's woman, Elizabeth, is brought to life with Dracula's blood.
"Elizabeth falls for Dracula -- I'm attracting her to me like a magnet -- she has my blood, my passion," Ms. Burdick said.
The play's action stops here while a dispute arises between characters in the show over the artistic merit of the story and the "playwright" defends the script.
The story, which is played to be exaggerated in a burlesque way, continues with Elizabeth attacking and killing Dr. Frankenstein's brother and being captured by the town residents. When they decide to put her to death, Elizabeth tells them she is immortal and can't die. But, is she immortal, or is it an illusion? Is what we see reality?
"The play causes the audience to ask themselves about their beliefs and what they feel about things," Ms. Burdick said.
"It shows us that perhaps what we think is true isn't true and is just what we choose to believe to be the truth," Mr. Domser said.
To add to the atmosphere, the audience stands throughout the 45-minute play and performers interact with the viewers. "We're trying to push new ideas with theater," Mr. Domser said.
"Dr. Frankenstein's Dracula" is not recommended for children.
All shows begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $3 per person and available in advance or at the door.
& Information: 857-2599.