Cynthia Erivo has been cast as Dracula in a one-woman adaptation of Bram Stoker’s iconic vampire novel.
Set to premiere next year in London’s West End, the production comes from the Australian creatives and producers behind the Tony-nominated Broadway hit The Picture of Dorian Gray, which starred Succession’s Sarah Snook.
Erivo will play the titular Count, along with 22 supporting characters, in a production described as an “intoxicating, blood-pumping reimagining of the immortal gothic horror”.
Adapted and directed by Kip Williams, Dracula marks Erivo’s first role on stage since playing Celie in The Color Purple, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
“Returning to the stage feels like a homecoming, one that I’ve been craving for a long time. To do so with a story as rich, complex, and haunting as Dracula offers a beautiful opportunity to delve into character, into myth, and into the heart of what makes us human,” Erivo said in a statement.
“From the moment I was asked, I could not get the role out of my mind. Kip’s vision is thrilling, terrifying, and deeply resonant, offering a chance to sit with not only the darkness in the world, but also the light we fight to hold onto.
“It’s a rare gift for an actor to inhabit so many voices and perspectives in one piece, and I’m honoured to do it for West End audiences in this extraordinary production. The prospect of doing this show scares me and I know it will be a huge challenge. This show will ask everything of me — and I’m ready to give it.”
Photo: Universal Studios
William praised Erivo as “extraordinary” and a “singularly gifted artist”, revealing that his take on Dracula will offer “a contemporary perspective on the vampire as a monster that lurks not beyond, but within”.
In an interview with Deadline, Michael Cassel, producer and CEO of Australia’s Michael Cassel Group, confirmed that Erivo was approached for Dracula nine months ago as she was in the midst of her promotional tour for Wicked.
Erivo memorably played Elphaba in Jon M. Chu’s acclaimed blockbuster, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
“She has really spent most of her time with Kip just talking through the inspiration and the dramaturgy of it all,” said Cassel. “For them to connect in that way has been important for them because this is a show that they go and create together.”
He confirmed that the production won’t be a “blueprint” of the Sydney version, which played at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in 2024 and starred Australian actress Zehra Newman as the ancient blood-sucker.
“I think what’s so exciting, I think for her, and for us, while we know what the story is, they get to go and create this role in the rehearsal room in London together,” continued Cassel, “and that was very appealing to Cynthia to put her own interpretation on the role and explore that with Kip.”
With Erivo playing 23 characters, including Dracula, Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray, Lucy Westenra and Van Helsing, Cassel “couldn’t be happier with Cynthia leading the charge”.
Dracula is set to haunt London’s Noël Coward Theatre for a strictly limited 16-week engagement from 4 February to 31 May 2026.
News of Erivo’s casting follows the recent announcement that she will take on the role of Jesus Christ in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar.
The production will run at the Hollywood Bowl from 1 to 3 August, under the direction and choreography of Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo. Fellow Tony recipient Stephen Oremus will serve as musical director and conductor.
From his arrival in Jerusalem to his crucifixion, the iconic rock opera chronicles the final days of Jesus’s life, with a particular focus on Judas Iscariot’s crisis of faith and growing disillusionment with Jesus’ influence.
Adding to her packed schedule, Erivo is also set to reprise her role as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good, which hits cinemas on 21 November 2025.
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