International Ballet Theatre: Dracula

International Ballet Theatre brings Dracula to The 5th Avenue Theatre on Sunday, October 25. It's a ballet based on the Bram Stoker novel, so you've got the whole gothic setup—the Count, the castle, the blood—told through dance rather than dialogue. If you're already familiar with the story, you know the beats: the journey to Transylvania, the slow creep of the vampire into London, and the fight to stop him. Seeing it as a ballet changes the energy, though; the movement takes over where the prose usually does, and the story unfolds in a way that's more about atmosphere and gesture than spoken lines.

It's a single-night engagement, which is worth keeping in mind if you're planning your weekend. The performance is on a Sunday, and since it's a one-off, there isn't a second chance to catch it if you can't make this date. The production is presented by International Ballet Theatre, and it's their Dracula taking the stage.

The show is at The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101. Doors open at 6 PM, and the performance starts at 7 PM. If you're coming from across town, that hour between doors and curtain gives you plenty of time to get settled without rushing. It's a Sunday night, so the 7 PM start is early enough to get home at a decent hour while still having a full evening out.