Carmilla, or The Sensual Sapphic Vampire of Styria!

The Savoyards are bringing Carmilla to the Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center on Friday, October 30. It's a staged reading adaptation of J. Sheridan Le Fanu's 1872 novella, which is billed as one of the first vampire novels ever written. The Savoyards are presenting it as a Halloween special, so the timing fits the season.

The story is set in the mountains of Styria. It follows Laura, whose happiness is darkened by the mysterious and sultry Carmilla, and by rumors of several young women's deaths in the area. If you're familiar with the gothic tradition, you'll recognize the setup: a remote estate, a strange new arrival, and a slow-building sense of dread. The staged reading format means the focus stays on the text and the voices rather than a full set, which works well for a story that relies so much on atmosphere and suspense.

For context, Carmilla predates Bram Stoker's Dracula by more than two decades, and it shares a lot of the same DNA—the predatory visitor, the isolated setting, the slow unraveling of a secret. The Savoyards' adaptation brings that old-school gothic tension to the stage just in time for Halloween.

Doors open at 7 PM and the show starts at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $15. The Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center is at 523 Lincoln Ave in Bellevue, so keep that in mind when you're planning your trip.