Dallas Review: Pocket Sandwich Theatre Presents: “Drac in the Saddle Again”

Pocket Sandwich Theatre’s production of “Drac in the Saddle Again” is a superbly campy vampire western, chock full of gun slinging, garlic roll slinging and one-line zinger slinging action.

Written by Steve Lovett, “Drac in the Saddle” conveys audiences on a melodramatic romp through the Wild West. Here, in the Arizona territory circa the late 1800s, we find Count Dracula far from his dreary Transylvanian home— but still in his vampire prime— hunting hapless humans.

Directed by Michael Speck, the cast and crew of Pocket Sandwich Theatre’s “Drac in the Saddle” deliver big laughs as part of a glorious resurrection of local live theatre, heretofore left woefully dormant by the pandemic. The talented team, both on and off stage, help construct a fun-filled frolic backed by dynamic physical comedy and glimpses of imaginative puppetry.

As “Consuela de Frankenstein,” Sherry Etzel provides some of the show’s more entertaining elements with her immersive and well-rounded performance a la Young Frankenstein. “Fannie Farmer,” played by the talented Kayla Anderson, crafted an enjoyable and endearing ingénue. Equal parts damsel in distress and star-crossed heroine, “Fannie” was also the butt of a relentless onslaught of posterior puns. The entire ensemble skillfully painted the Pocket stage in the vibrant colors of melodrama. On the subject of the stage, master set designer Rodney Dobbs outdid himself again with creative mechanics and use of space that beautifully augmented the vampiric painted rock setting.

Overall, this is a fun show suitable for the whole family and sure to elicit some fangtastic smiles.

“Drac in the Saddle Again”

Pocket Sandwich Theatre’s production of “Drac in the Saddle Again” is directed by Michael Speck and runs through June 19th, 2021. The cast includes Kayla Anderson as “Fannie Farmer,” Bryan Brooks as “The Guy with No Name,” Kelly Moore Clarkson as “Momma Farmer/Dr. Hilde Schnetvinger,” Matt Doden as “Dracula,” Sherry Etzel as “Consuela de Frankenstein,” Alex Wade as “Black Bart,” and Aiden Wright as “Chap-Chap.” The show also features Timothy Flippo on piano, costuming courtesy of Tim Armstrong, stage management from Elizabeth Loyle Carr and set design by Rodney Dobbs.

Learn more about Pocket Sandwich Theatre and reserve your seat for an upcoming performance by visiting https://www.pocketsandwich.com.

Photo credit: Rodney Dobbs