Lismore Theatre Company’s Count Dracula is urging Lismore people to give blood.

“While the doors of Lismore’s Red Cross Lifeblood are closed, donors need to fly down to Ballina to donate,” said Count Dracula.

“But we will be back here in December to take your blood.” Director of Dracula Sylvia Clarke said Lismore’s blood donation centre was an obvious choice for a publicity photo.

“We say ‘Like leaving Dracula in charge of the Blood Bank’ when we describe an inappropriate appointment to a position of power and of course there are all the stories of drinking blood,” Sylvia said.

After the floods the Lismore Red Cross Lifeblood centre in Bounty Street closed and temporarily relocated to the Richmond Room at the rear of Ballina library.

Northern NSW Lifeblood Group Account Manager Scott Morrison said they will be back in their Lismore centre in December.

“Floods, fire and Covid do not diminish the need for blood supplies, so we are always looking to our regular donors and to attract new ones,” Scott said.

“But perhaps not Dracula!”

The original Dracula is a character from the Gothic novel by Bram Stoker written in 1897. The LTC play is a dramatic adaptation of Stoker’s story by playwright Crane Johnson. Since the publication of the novel and various film adaptations, Count Dracula has become a cult-like figure in modern life yet few know the full story behind the character.

Dracula will be staged at Rochdale Theatre in Goonellabah for four shows only from Friday 28-Monday 31 October. The final show will have a Halloween theme and the audience is invited to come in dress up.

This article appeared in the Dunoon and District Gazette, October-November 2022.