Program

The concert features Rene de la Garza as Dracula and support by the URI Concert Choir, presenting the fully-orchestrated version of Dracula’s Party. This original children’s musical in two acts, with music by RI composer Geoffrey Gibbs, and book and lyrics by Robert L. Tyler, follows what happens to four young trick-or-treaters who ring the doorbell on Dracula's house, only to discover that it is occupied by monsters and bats enslaved by the evil Count. The monsters and bats are children from previous Halloweens who have been transformed. These four young people must find a way to escape and in the process free all the other children.

The musical was originally created for the South County Children’s Theater directed by Judith McNab, and was performed there in 1986, again during the 1990’s, and in 2000. Those productions used a small chamber group of instruments and featured children singers and actors. Composer Gibbs has spent countless hours creating a new 200-page orchestral score for this performance, featuring “all sorts of wonderful sounds including a huge percussion section with musical saws, timpani, tam-tams, etc.” He characterizes the style as “rock ‘n roll”, in keeping with musicals currently on Broadway, but points out that few of those are using full orchestras anymore. Gibbs is semi-retired from the URI Music Department where he has taught since 1965. He holds three degrees in composition from the Eastman School of Music where he was a student of Howard Hanson. He also studied composition privately with Elie Seigmeister.

Dracula's Party

Hosted the the Children's Museum of Greater Fall River

Children's Activities

1-3pm

Costume Contest

Halloween Art Projects

Spooky Science Experiments

Exotic Reptiles from Animal Instincts