Havoc’s Guide to Vampires

Sept 21, 2021

Since there certainly aren’t enough instruction manuals out there on the messy process of killing vampires, we view it as our somber duty to educate the masses. It’s a dangerous world full of plagues and monsters, so one must always be on their guard. Vampire hunting is not for the lame of heart. 

From the creation of baby vamps to the production of holy water, we’ve got you covered with this handy dandy guide to killing your local monstrous blood-suckers. Understanding your target, ultimately, will make you the better hunter. So let’s begin!

Vampire Biology

• If a human is bitten by a vampire then they are damn’d; upon their mortal death their soul is turned away at the gates of Hell so it reinhabits their body, which develops resistance to pain, enhanced strength, and various other supernatural abilities yet to be discovered.

• Vampires are frozen in their body at their moment of death.

• Once turned, vampires do not age and they gain strength and health through consuming the blood of living things. 

• A human’s soul can only be saved if their heart is pierced by a wooden stake. Some theories state that wood holds this power because all trees are related to the wood in Jesus’ cross; therefore, wood is sacred.

• Vampires aren’t inherently sexual as they cannot have children; their heightened senses are more like a constant shroom trip. 

• Thralls are humans compelled to be servants of vampires; their bond is initiated when the vampire feeds on them.

• Vampires are bound to respecting thresholds. They may only enter a residence if they are explicitly invited by a human. At this time, we have no idea why they hell it works that way.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

• Sunlight kills vampires because the Sun is the truest source of light and vampires are creatures of darkness.

• Weapons made of steel, iron, or other metals are only effective when anointed with holy water. Even then, they are ultimately nonlethal.

• Wooden stakes are also effective weapons, debilitating the limbs, muscles, or organs they pierce. These wounds persist until the injured vampire feeds again.

• Kill a vampire by beheading or stabbing a wooden stake through the heart.

• Holy Water can be made by a priest of any religion. It burns vampires on contact due to their heightened levels of unholiness. 

• Vampires are severely allergic to garlic. Powdered garlic, blown in the face, spurs asthma attacks in even the strongest vampires.

• Imbue your essence with garlic by eating, wearing, and exfoliating with it in order to deter vampire attacks on your person.

Hints and Tips

• Never humanize a vampire. They are monsters through and through.

• You can make necklaces and wreaths of garlic bulbs to deter vampires. Place them at windows, doors, and bed posts. 

• For reasons not yet understood, vampires have exhibited a tendency to explode when killed. Some have theorized that it is a result of Hell’s annoyance at having to accept the monster. 

• To hone your vampire hunting skillset, educate yourself. May I recommend a skills proficiency class with Havoc Movement Company?

If you’re more of a visual learner, come catch Dracula: The Failings of Men at Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee, NC.

Go safely.

How’d We Get Here?

Sept 10, 2021

Where else is there to start but at the beginning? This production of Dracula has been a year in the making. What started as a conversation in the summer of 2020 quickly became a production that had to face the challenges of COVID-19 head-on. The first iterations of the script–originally an immersive experience that allowed us to split up our audiences into smaller groups–were being tossed around over a year ago. Outdoor theatre in a pandemic seemed to be the way to keeping the art alive, and Mountainside Theatre up in Cherokee, NC was an absolute playground. Havoc Movement Co.’s dreams of a Halloween show are going to come true–just a year later than originally intended. This year, thanks to the Cherokee Historical Association, we’re thrilled to bring you Dracula: The Failings of Men, an immersive experience where you walk alongside our heroes as they hunt down the vampire of ages.

So why Dracula? Well, for one, it’s in the public domain. For two, who doesn’t love a good monster story? “Dracula is that classic story of good versus evil,” said director Jake Guinn. “We chose to do it because it really sets us up to do the work we want to do. Vampires fly around and good guys fight monsters.” That work consists of fast-paced fight choreography, dramatic aerial work, and otherwise highly physical theatre. 

The script itself went through some complicated iterations as we worked out the technicalities of keeping the audience on the move. Havoc company member Benedetto Robinson took up the role of writer with aplomb, and after 22 drafts, we ended up with the show that’s now being produced. “I came into it [trying] to maintain as close a relationship to Stoker’s source text as possible,” said Robinson. “As we got further through the drafts and the aims of the piece morphed with our needs, it became a happy conglomeration of Stoker’s language and our modern sensibilities, and I think the marriage of those two things is going to present something truly wonderful for the audience.”

So that’s Dracula for you, but some of you might’ve noticed our subtitle, The Failings of Men. Before you go thinking that we mean “men” in the traditional sense of all of humanity, let me clear that up: we don’t. Early on in the scriptwrighting process, Jake, Benedetto, and I were sitting around the table, cracking up at how inept the male characters in Stoker’s novel were. So we began calling it “The Failings of Men” amongst ourselves. As you watch the show, you’ll see how time and time again, the men in the story make the critical errors that drive the plot forward. But when it came time to put the title down officially, Benedetto said it best: “It was always funny, but it was never a joke.” 

There was one major change we made, and that was making Van Helsing a woman. To be clear, in the book Van Helsing was a bit useless himself for a good chunk of the plot, so we took our liberties in giving our version a good bit of competency. Someone needed to be able to stand up to Dracula, so why not a woman? The fact that we got Tiza Garland to sign on as Ada Van Helsing was better than a dream come true. This woman is an absolute badass and teaches stage combat herself at the University of Florida. These fights are gearing up to be brilliant, and I, for one, can’t wait to watch it unfold.

For now, the rigging is up, the swords and stakes are being chosen, and everyone is packing their bags to move onsite. Until next time…

Spookily yours,  

Darby Guinn