Майк Мизз назначен режиссером комедийной постановки «Дракула: Комедия ужасов» в Центре искусств Южной Арканзас

The South Arkansas Arts Center in El Dorado has named longtime SAAC contributor, and Arts Academy instructor Mike Means as director of its 2026 fall production, “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.” The gothic comedy will run October 27 through November 1 during Halloween week with auditions scheduled for September 14-15. The production is sponsored by Amercable and Southern Bancorp. This marks only the second time Means has directed at SAAC. His first directing role was “Peter and the Starcatcher.” Though relatively new to directing, Means is a familiar face at SAAC, having appeared in numerous productions, including “M.A.S.H.,” “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Newsies,” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Means’ longtime involvement with SAAC extends well beyond the stage. For more than 20 years, he has contributed as a performer, graphic designer, set builder, and instructor. He has designed SAAC theatre posters for more than two decades and taught computer art classes for more than 15 years. He currently serves as an Arts Academy instructor and local Artist in Education (AIE) artist, bringing his talents into area elementary schools and encouraging students to explore art from different perspectives. A longtime member of local comedy improv group Give Me A Second (GAS), Means also brings extensive experience in comedy and comedic timing to “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.” After years of contributing to SAAC in so many capacities, Means said his decision to direct the production came down to one simple thing: making people laugh, “We all need a good laugh, and this play delivers plenty of them,” Means said. “I’ve always loved making people laugh, and the opportunity to bring a show this funny to the SAAC stage was too good to pass up.” Written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” is a fast-paced, 90-minute, gender-bending reimagining of Bram Stoker’s classic. Set in October 1897, the story follows Mina after she mysteriously falls ill. Her sister Lucy and Lucy’s fiancé, Jonathan Harker, enlist the help of famed female vampire hunter Doctor Jean Van Helsing to pursue the dangerous, and surprisingly sexy, Count Dracula. Packed with clever wordplay, quick-change antics, outrageous characters, and pop-culture references, the comedy takes audiences from Transylvania to the British countryside and London. Originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas, Means studied graphic arts at the University of Arkansas before serving nearly 10 years in the U.S. Navy as a draftsman and illustrator for the Navy and U.S. government. After leaving the military, he worked as a graphic designer before establishing his own freelance design business, which now serves clients worldwide. CLICK HERE for more information or call the South Arkansas Arts Center at 870-862-5474. If you are distributing your group’s news only through Facebook, your group is talking to itself and not reaching out to the entire community. Get your news or organization noticed by more than 11,000 daily visitors by sending information to our email address: magnoliareporter.com is moving away from its social media account on X (formerly Twitter). Join us on Bluesky by downloading the Bluesky app and becoming a member. See what we post at @magnolia-reporter.bsky.social .