Earl the Vampire

The cast and crew of Earl the Vampire sank their teeth into the timely play about Hampton, a vampire tired of being invisible, as he embarks on a media tour and awareness campaign to establish vampires as a recognized minority group. The show, a comedic farce, contains a strong element of social justice in its allegory of marginalized groups seeking rights and acceptance in modern American society.

Ari Baker, fresh off her directorial turn in the Upper School musical Footloose last spring, directed Earl the Vampire, supported by performing arts faculty and students on the production team. “We had more student designers on the show than ever before,” Baker said, supporting program design, lighting and sound. “The entire stage crew was student-run and student-led. They built, with Michael Roche, a blank set and decorated it themselves, including fun ‘Easter eggs’ to make it look like a home.”

For Baker, what stood out – in addition to the bright yellow walls of the vampires’ living room – was that there was no line between cast, crew and designers. “They were all hanging out together as one family,” she said. “There was a level of community in this show that I haven't seen in a long time. I already miss rehearsals with them.” PC

See more photos at flickr.com/photos/penncharter/albums.

Photography by Ray Bailey OPC '09