Cynthia Erivo to Star in Solo Dracula in West End, Directed by Kip Williams

Three-time Oscar Nominee and Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner Cynthia Erivo will star in a solo adaptation of Dracula in the West End. The production is adapted and directed by Kip Williams, whose six-time Tony-nominated The Picture of Dorian Gray, starring Sarah Snook, is currently playing Broadway. Dracula will begin performances on February 4, 2026 at the Noël Coward Theatre. 

In Williams’ adaptation, Erivo will portray all 23 characters in Bram Stoker’s story, from the naïve solicitor Jonathan Harker and his fiancée Mina Murray to confidante Lucy Westenra, her suitors and the formidable vampire hunter Van Helsing as well as Count Dracula themself.

The run will arrive hot on the heels of the cinematic release of Wicked: For Good, starring Erivo, in November.

“Returning to the stage feels like a homecoming, one that I’ve been craving for a long time,” Erivo said in a statement. “To do so with a story as rich, complex and haunting as Dracula offers a beautiful opportunity to delve into character, into myth, and into the heart of what makes us human. From the moment I was asked, I could not get the role out of my mind. Kip’s vision is thrilling, terrifying, and deeply resonant, offering a chance to sit with not only the darkness in the world, but also the light we fight to hold onto. It’s a rare gift for an actor to inhabit so many voices and perspectives in one piece, and I’m honoured to do it for West End audiences in this extraordinary production. The prospect of doing this show scares me and I know it will be a huge challenge. This show will ask everything of me—and I’m ready to give it.”

Erivo most recently drew international acclaim for her performance as Elphaba in Wicked: Part One, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, a Golden Globe nomination, a BAFTA nomination and recognition from the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Critics’ Choice Awards. A Tony winner for The Color Purple, she is set to host the 2025 Tony Awards in June and play Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl in August.

In his adaptation, Williams delves into the enduring metaphorical power of Dracula, crafting a bold retelling that reorients the narrative around a psychological battle between fear and desire. Through a transformative solo performance, the production blurs the boundaries between self and other, suggesting that the monster is perhaps not external, but something that stirs within. Dracula was first staged by Sydney Theatre Company in 2024.

"I am thrilled to be returning to the West End to direct my adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and to collaborate with the extraordinary Cynthia Erivo, as she brings to life the many iconic characters of this much-adored tale. Our production expands upon Stoker’s exploration of the tension between fear and desire, offering a contemporary perspective on the vampire as a monster that lurks not beyond, but within. I am excited to reunite with many of my Dorian Gray collaborators on this project, and it is an immense privilege to have such a singularly gifted artist as Cynthia at the heart of it. I can’t wait to share this piece with London audiences, especially in the West End, a place where Bram spent so much of his creative life."

The production reunites Williams with his award-winning creative team, including Olivier Award-winning designer Marg Horwell, lighting designer Nick Schlieper, composer Clemence Williams and joined by sound designer Jessica Dunn and video designer Craig Wilkinson. Zahra Newman, who originated the role to be played by Erivo, is credited as dramaturg. Fusing live video, pre-recorded film and live performance, Dracula continues Williams’ ground-breaking exploration of “cine-theatre.”