Philly Fringe 2024: REV Theatre Company presents MY BIG FANG VAMPIRE WEDDING

Though it’s September, MY BIG FANG is right on time. Merchandising creep and interest among adults contribute to Halloween’s growing popularity. And this performance is not for children. REV promises an immersive, interactive reception for the undead wedding party, and Ulana’s Nightclub (near Bainbridge and Second) is a fitting location. A time capsule from another era, Ulana’s looks and smells like your grandmother’s basement. Ulana Baluch Mazurkevich—founder of the Ukrainian Human Rights Committee—owns the Queen Village venue, which hosts small private events. On the night I attended, Mazurkevich herself tended bar in one room, and the show takes place in another with cabaret tables arranged on the dance floor.

Anchored and elevated

Cupcakes with red-streaked frosting and a fortune teller (Denise Shubin) entertains the crowd before the house opens to Dracula (Rudy Caporaso) asleep in a transparent upright coffin. Caporaso is co-artistic director of REV with Rosey Hay; he created the show and they co-directed. More campy than scary, his count resembles Dr. Frank-N-Furter with a dash of Tiny Tim, a vampy vampire in a corset and sparkly red shoes. Caporaso’s complete commitment to the character anchors the performance.

The music elevates it. Clever interpretations of familiar songs highlight their spooky elements and features, and a tight band supports the vocals. Downdresser, the Philadelphia-based indie rock/pop group, provides music for My Big Fang. The lineup includes Mike Collins, Samuel Harper, Viola Pasquarello, Mattie Wentz, and Diana Williamson. The musicians play well together, skillfully adapting the songs and transitioning between genres and eras.

Vampire brides Riley Irvine, Stevie Reynolds, and Tabbie Wismer provide great singing. Wearing thrift-store wedding dresses, the brides hold wireless microphones in one hand and flashlights in the other. Sweet and strong yet distinct, their voices memorably interpret songs like “Every Breath You Take” (Irvine), “Dim All the Lights” (Reynolds), and “Back to Black” (Wismer). The trio’s voices blend into lovely harmony in “Chapel of Love”. Caporaso’s solid rendition of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” opens the show, and he hams it up with “I’m Alive”, striking poses and crawling on the bar as he sings.

A jukebox musical

MY BIG FANG has a lot of fun linking music across different genres to themes of night, darkness, and romantic suffering. It more resembles a jukebox musical celebration than an immersive or interactive experience, though. Caporaso engages the crowd with banter and lapsitting, but “immersive” mostly refers to the absence of a stage. The performers move around the room, which makes it difficult to see. Following the action requires craning one’s neck or twisting in one’s seat.

Need MY BIG FANG aim for more than solid, cheeky renditions of songs so good they stick in your head for days after the show? It has everything you could want from a fun night out with friends or dates, from drinks and music to theme and casual entertainment. It doesn’t have air conditioning, though, and it nearly doubled the stated runtime on opening night. Even a great playlist can wear out its welcome if you aren’t ready to buckle up for a long one.