Dracula is rather a fearless fellow

Actor, writer, director, and cofounder of the Roustabouts, a new theater company: Ruff Yeager

Titus, Titus Andronicus, by William Shakespeare. “First, you need to understand that I’m not a fan of the horror genre or of gore (I know that I’ve also chosen the role of Dracula below) but this character speaks to me on a visceral level. Father/son stories appeal to me. I’m lucky enough to have been given a wonderful son and I treasure him and my relationship with him. I love that this man fights tooth and nail for his family — eventually losing his sanity due to the depth of his love. He’s willing to do anything (and does) to win for them, to triumph over his enemies. He’s got guts (and so does this play).”

Creon, Antigone, by Sophocles, translated by Don Taylor (1986). “I’m a particular fan of this translation. The language is bold and modern and the adaptation nods to the presence of a police state or a dictatorship. I’ve always been drawn to the tragic nature of Creon’s point of view concerning his family, his government, and his country. His hubris is awesome. I’ve known men like him. I’d welcome the opportunity to wrestle with him and his conscience every night for a good, long run.”

Dracula. Dracula, by Bram Stoker. “Again: not a fan of horror — I can’t watch scary movies, can’t abide haunted houses — I won’t go, so don’t ask me. I’ve never watched an episode of True Blood. Sight of blood makes me woozy. This guy, though…he fascinates me — always has. There’s something so romantic and mysterious about the power he has over others, and over life and death. He’s not afraid of much and is rather a fearless fellow. (Darn that daylight, curse those crucifixes, etc.) And the melodrama! I love an old-fashioned pot-boiler, and this story fits the bill.”

Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof, by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, Joseph Stein. “One of the most gorgeous scores ever written. Amazing story, and, what a character! Another father fighting for his children (am I seeing another pattern?). I love the special relationship that this character is afforded with the audience and with the other characters onstage. His emotional arc is huge: from holding those he loves too tightly to beginning to loosen his grip; from citizen to refugee; from a powerful figure of authority to an empty-nester. Do I love him? Yes!”

Estragon, Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett. “This old clown breaks my heart and I love him for it. I’d love to crawl into his wrinkled old shell. His sensitivity, courage, and his tenacity are so admirable. I envy his friendship with Vladimir. What a love they share! He inspires and excites me in so many ways. Beckett’s play is a Mount Everest for actors in the canon of dramatic literature, and I’d be so happy to have a chance to scale its heights and see the view from way up there. I’ll bet it’s glorious and revelatory.”