Aiken Civic Ballet promotes upcoming show with blood drive

Bill Bengtson, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·2 min read

Oct. 3—Halloween is still four weeks away but Laurens Street had a bit of a ghoulish touch Saturday with help from the Aiken Civic Ballet .

Cast members of the company's upcoming "Dracula" production were posted downtown outside Vampire Penguin, in support of Shepeard Community Blood Center's drive, which resulted in 22 pints being donated.

"It really made sense for Vampire Penguin to partner up with the ballet," said Jeannette Moseley, the business' owner, whose establishment focuses on light, fluffy, creamy shaved ice. She added that "doing a blood drive ... is a fantastic thing to do for everybody."

Cast members faced the challenge of encouraging potential blood donors to participate while not breaking completely out of character, in the spirit of the classic character created in the 1890s by author Bram Stoker (an ancestor of Aiken resident Dacre Stoker). The most prominent member of the bunch may have been Scott Ewald, in character as Count Dracula himself, and yet somehow able to withstand the occasional blast of mid-day sun upon his face.

Among the donors encountering the "vampire brides" and "dark creatures" on duty were local resident Bart Little and family friend Kate Dooley, of Danville, Virginia. "She's visiting in town, and we just came down, did a walk through town and the opportunity presented itself, and we gave," Little said.

Moseley said, "We love the fact that we're able to help others any way we can ... It would actually help the ballet. It's Halloween. Halloween is Vampire Penguin's birthday, so it was just a win-win-win for everybody."

Tara Reeder, the ballet company's president, said the activity was part of the troupe's tradition of outreach. Plans had been in place for a variety of outreach events this year, but were a casualty of COVID-19 precautions.

She also reported that 80% of Saturday's donors were reportedly first-timers — an exceptionally high percentage, according to Shepeard.

The ballet is set for Oct. 15 and 16 at the USC Aiken Etheredge Center. The production "may be scary for children under the age of 8." Performances are from 7 to 9 p.m. Details are available at info@aikenballet.org.