By Shane Mead | Reporter
A traditional theater show is typically a large room with a stage and seating for an audience. Actors come onto the stage and give a performance in their makeup and costumes while surrounded by a designed set. However, Silent House Theatre Co. decided to flip some of those aspects on their heads with its performance of “House of Dracula.”
“I’ve never been to something like this before,” said local Kami Yasko, who has been doing theater in Waco for nine years and works for the Baylor Department of Theatre Arts.
Silent Hill’s “House of Dracula” show, which began on Oct. 24 and concludes the night of Halloween, is an immersive experience that takes audience members through the East Terrace Museum, which acts as the set for the production.
Attendees are first greeted by cast members, who are already in character, and are able to grab a drink and a bite to eat before the 45-minute show. Then, attendees are taken inside the historic mansion as the Silent House cast acts out the entirety of their performance.
The premise of the show is meeting Count Dracula and exploring his house. Guests are moved between areas of the mansion like the dining room, ballroom and living room as the cast acts out the narrative. The show stays true to its immersive intent by moving guests around, offering them food and telling them stories.
“[In] typical theatre, depending on the show, you don’t break the fourth wall,” said Yasko. “So having it be that intimate and that close was really unique and awesome. … You just stepped into the experience and joined them.”
According to actress Allison Somes, opportunities like the Silent House production, which require improvisational skills, allow her to improve upon her acting skills.
“Having to cater to the reactions and the feelings and all the things of every audience has been fun,” said Somes. “It really allows me to dive into character, especially interacting beforehand.”
In all of Somes’ years of theater, “House of Dracula” is something she says is unlike any other.
“It really is an exploration into a side of theater I haven’t seen in Waco,” she said.
When local co-founder, Bradyn Braziel, and her partner, Collin Selman, founded Silent House in March 2020, they figured the best way to engage an audience is to create an experience they are immersed into.
“We like to have what we call a ‘Silent House moment,’ where everybody is so engaged you can hear a pin drop,” said Braziel. “That’s a big part of what we want to do here is get everybody so engaged, so immersive theater just seemed like the next step.”
For those interested in participating in a production such as the House of Dracula show, Braziel recommends getting a foot in the door and trying something new.
“Come do theater that tests you. Come do theater that maybe no one else around town is doing,” she said. “Get involved, come test yourself, come push your boundaries a bit and see what happens.”
