Morristown High School to stage ‘Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really’ and ‘Spamalot’ in 2026–27 season

From Morristown High School Theatre:

The award-winning student-run theatre program announces next year’s shows

Morristown High School Theatre is excited to announce its shows for the 2026–27 school year.

This year’s fall play will be Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, a 2023 horror comedy by playwright Kate Hamill based on the novel by Bram Stoker. Next spring’s musical production will be Spamalot, the hit musical comedy by Monty Python’s Eric Idle and co-composer John Du Prez which, according to its original subtitle, is “(Lovingly) Ripped Off from the Motion Picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”

MHS Theatre will present four performances of each show on the Morristown High School stage. Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really will be presented from Nov. 20 to 22, 2026, with Friday and Saturday evening performances and Saturday and Sunday matinees.

Spamalot will take the stage from March 5 to 7, 2027, also with Friday and Saturday evening performances and Saturday and Sunday matinees.

Dracula, according to faculty director George LaVigne, is a “familiar story, a century and a quarter old, that has been told many times, but never like this.” Award-winning playwright Kate Hamill has put a modern twist on the iconic gothic-horror tale about a seductive, and immortal, nobleman who draws life from the women upon whom he prays.

“Finally,” says LaVigne, “the women of the play, Mina and Lucy, have agency in the story.” In this version of the Dracula tale, vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing is, “a woman who suffers no fools, misogynists, or vampires” and “the play is threaded with themes of sisterhood, challenging the patriarchy, and deconstructing toxic masculinity,” per LaVigne.

Warning: MHS’s production of Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really will contain scenes of horror and violence and a healthy helping of blood.

In the spring, faculty director Stephanie Rubin has opted for lighter fare after the emotional highs of MHS’s last two musical productions (the award-winning Les Misérables and Fiddler on the Roof).

Says Rubin, “We ultimately picked Spamalot because we wanted something entirely ridiculous, yet timeless. The world can be a bit much sometimes, so we wanted to give Morristown a chance to escape into a world of pure absurdity. Nothing fits that bill better than Monty Python. If anyone wants serious, heavy drama, we shall scoff in their general direction! Instead, we’re bringing a show packed with killer rabbits, clacking coconut hooves, and the search for a nice, not-too-expensive shrubbery. We want our audiences to leave their worries at the door and just look on the bright side of life.”

The students are excited to sink their teeth into these two shows (pun intended), both of which represent departures of a kind from the school’s recent productions. Wickedly clever gothic horror and side-splittingly hilarious musical farce? Sounds like a great season of Morristown High School Theatre. We hope to see you there!

About the Morristown High School Theatre Program:

Morristown High School Theatre is an award-winning program that prides itself on engaging students in all aspects of the theatrical production process. As student-run productions, MHS Theatre’s shows highlight our students’ wide range of talents as actors, musicians, scenic artists, set builders, lighting and sound technicians, costume designers and tailors, hair stylists, makeup artists, backstage crew, producers, managers, and directors.

Recent recognition for Morristown High School Theatre productions includes: 

Fiddler on the Roof (Spring 2026)

• Nominated for Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star awards for Outstanding Performance by a Student Orchestra, Educational Impact (Abby Higgins), the “Theater for Everyone” Inclusion and Access Award, Student Achievement Award (Allyson McLoughlin), with an Honorable Mention for Outstanding Performance by a Featured Ensemble Member (Davnette McNamara as Fruma-Sarah)

Little Women (Fall 2025)

• Nominated for Montclair State University Foxy High School Play awards for Outstanding Production of a Foundational Play (George LaVigne), Outstanding Achievement in Direction of a Play (George LaVigne), Outstanding Performance by an Acting Ensemble in a Foundational Play, Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actress in a Foundational Play (Brooks Seibold as Jo March, and Helene Gringeri as Meg March), Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Foundational Play (Elliot Eck as Laurie), Outstanding Performance by a Featured Ensemble Actor in a Foundational Play (Jackson Miller as Professor Bhaer, and Ryan Snyder as John Brooke), Outstanding Achievement by a Student Costume Technician for a Play (Sonia Meli), Outstanding Achievement by a Student Set Technician for a Play/Builder’s Score (Mason Mitchell), Outstanding Achievement by a Dance Captain in a Play (Helene Gringeri), Outstanding Achievement in Educational Impact and Community Outreach in a Play (Abby Higgins)

Les Misérables (Spring 2025)

• Winner of BergenPAC High School Musical awards for Outstanding Overall Musical, Best Ensemble, Best Actor in a Male-Identified Supporting Role (Jackson Miller as Javert), and Best Musical Direction (David Gallagher)
• Winner of Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star awards for Outstanding Orchestra and Student Achievement (Aidan Orbeta)
• Winner of Montclair State University Foxy High School Musical awards for Outstanding Achievement by an Acting Ensemble in a Foundational Production of a Musical, Outstanding Achievement by a Student Lighting Technician for a Musical (Allyson McLoughlin and Samantha Huster), and Outstanding Achievement by a Student Assistant Musical Director for a Musical (Sanjna Vel and Ryan Snyder)
• Nominated for BergenPAC High School Musical awards for Best Orchestra, Best Male-Identified Leading Role (William Quiceno a Jean Valjean), Best Male-Identified and Female-Identified Supporting Roles (Ilan Onigman as Thenardier, Davnette McNamara as Madame Thenardier), Best Sound Design (Derek Vintschger), and Best Lobby Design
• Nominated for Paper Mill Playhouse Rising star awards for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role (Amelia Corcoran as Gavroche), Outstanding Achievement in Musical Direction (David Gallagher), Student Achievement (Caden Janosy), Educational Impact (Abby Higgins), and the “Theater for Everyone” Inclusion and Access award
• Nominated for Montclair State University Foxy High School Musical awards for Outstanding Production of a Foundational Production of a Musical (Stephanie Rubin), Outstanding Achievement in Property Design in Choreography for a Musical (Melanie Della Peruti), Outstanding Achievement by a Student Costume Technician for a Musical (Sonia Meli), Outstanding Achievement by a Student Makeup Designer for a Musical (Starla Marcelo), Outstanding Achievement by a Student Hair & Wig Designer for a Musical (Ollie Gonzalez), Outstanding Achievement by a Student Lighting Designer for a Musical (Allyson McLoughlin and Samantha Huster), Outstanding Achievement by a Student Set Technician for a Musical/Builder’s Score (Ren Lake), Outstanding Achievement by a Student Stage Crew for a Musical (Ren Lake, Jessica Ricciardelli, Mason Mitchell, Anhad Singh, Catalina Blankinship, and the MHS Theatre Build Crew), Outstanding Achievement in Property Design for a Musical (Andrew Rocco and Kara Matlins), Outstanding Achievement in Education Impact and Community Outreach for a Musical (Abigail Higgins), and Outstanding Achievement in Dramaturgy for a Musical (Abigail Higgins)

Shakespeare in Love (Fall 2024)

• Winner of Montclair State University Foxy High School Play award for Outstanding Achievement by a Student Costume Technician for a Play (Logan Conrad)
• Nominated for Montclair State University Foxy High School Play awards for Outstanding Achievement in the following: Production of an Elevated Language Play, Direction in a Play (George LaVigne), Acting Ensemble in an Elevated Language Play, Performance by an Actor and by an Actress in an Elevated Language Play (Elliot Eck as Will Shakespeare; Helene Gringeri as Viola Delesseps), Costume Technician for a Play (Logan Conrad), Student Scenic Design for a Play (Ren Lake), Student Hair and Wig Designer for a Play (Ollie Gonzalez), Makeup Designer for a Play (Starla Marcelo), Educational Impact and Community Outreach in a Play (Abby Higgins)

Mary Poppins (Spring 2024)

• Winner of BergenPAC High School Musical awards for Best Female-Identified Lead (Julia Cama as Mary Poppins) and Outstanding Orchestra (David Gallagher & Pit Orchestra)
• Nominated for BergenPAC High School Musical awards for Outstanding Overall Musical, Production Set Design (James Gulisano, Charlotte Devries & Build Crew), and Choreography (Melanie Della Peruti)
• Nominated for Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star awards for Outstanding Performance by a Featured Ensemble Member (Charlotte Cama as Bird Woman), Outstanding Performance by a Featured Ensemble Group (Sweeps), Outstanding Costuming Achievement (Brenda Burns), Outstanding Hair and Make-up Achievement (Malik Letta, Ollie Gonzalez), Educational Impact (Abby Higgins), and the “Theater for Everyone” Inclusion and Access Award, plus honorable mentions for Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical, Outstanding Achievement by a Teacher or Outside Director (Stephanie Rubin), Outstanding Achievement in Choreography and Staging (Melanie Della Peruti), and Student Achievement (Elizabeth Gillen)
• Nominated for Montclair State University Foxy High School Musical awards for Outstanding Achievement in the following: New Media/Special Effects in Musical (Samantha LeRoy), Sound Design in a Musical (Derek Vintschger and Ben Fox), Student Hair and Wig Design for a Musical (Ollie Gonzalez), Student Makeup Designer for a Musical (Starla Marcelo), Educational Impact and Community Outreach in a Musical (Abby Higgins)

Other Notable Awards:

• The Tempest (Fall 2023):  Montclair State University Foxy High School Play award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in an Elevated Language Play (Josie Gulisano as Miranda)
• Cinderella (Spring 2023): BergenPAC High School Musical awards for Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Orchestral Performance, and Outstanding Set Design; Montclair State University Foxy High School Musical award for Outstanding Achievement by a Student Costume Technician for a Musical (Julia Cama)
• Something Rotten! (Spring 2022): Montclair State University Foxy High School Musical Jo Anne Fox Award for a Newcomer Director (Stephanie Rubin); Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star awards for Student Achievement (Arthur W. and Heidy C.)
• The Addams Family (Spring 2019): BroadwayWorld Regional award for Best High School Student Production, New Jersey