Improv Playhouse celebrates its 25th anniversary season in its newly expanded Libertyville theater space with a thrilling Halloween weekend presentation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.”

Performed as a live staged radio drama using the original 1938 Orson Welles Mercury Theatre script, this year’s production will be staged Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

The event also commemorates the 87th anniversary of the original broadcast, one of the most iconic moments in early American radio drama. While the foundation of this production remains Welles’ brilliant 1938 script, it has been carefully refined to align more closely with Stoker’s original novel.

“Welles’ Dracula was revolutionary, but it streamlined parts of the story,” Improv Playhouse founder and director David Brian Stuart said in a news release. “We wanted to fill in some of those connective threads … the eerie journey to Castle Dracula, the psychological tension of Harker’s imprisonment, and the gradual reveal of the Count himself. It’s both faithful to Welles and reverent to Stoker.”

This season’s production marks an exciting milestone for the company.

“It’s our 25th anniversary at Improv Playhouse, and our new Libertyville space gives us room to explore theater that blends history, imagination, and sound design,” Stuart said. “This piece is pure ‘theater of the mind’, a feast for the ears and the imagination.”

The cast features Gurnee’s Daniel Plumhoff as the enigmatic Count Dracula, Steve Plumhoff (Gurnee) as Seward, Lake Zurich’s Mia Hirschel as Mina, and Vernon Hills’ Susan Kries as Lucy. Egon Schein (Libertyville) steps into the role of Van Helsing, joined by Ted Rafferty (Schaumburg) as the Demeter’s Captain, Dan Ness (Palatine) and Jerry Hirschel (Lake Zurich). Fellow SAG-AFTRA member George Elliot (Hainesville) serves as assistant director with various roles.

Improv Playhouse will transform its new venue into a festive Halloween setting, complete with themed treats, surprises, and a $2 discount for those paying at the door in costume.

“It’s going to be spooky, clever, and just plain fun,” Stuart said. “This isn’t blood and gore…it’s classic storytelling, live and alive.”

Performances will be at 8 p.m. Oct. 31 and at 7 p.m. Nov. 1.

Tickets in advance cost $18 for adults, $16 for seniors 65 and up and $12 for students. At the door, tickets cost $23 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for students. Come in family-friendly costume and take $2 off (door sales only).

Tickets and information are available at improvplayhouse.com or by calling 847-968-4529.