Dracula knew that they'd likely get slaughtered by monster hunters, or put in some secret government research lab before they show was finished or right after or in seconds or some other contrived put down. But Wolf Man was right... if they were going to go out, best go out with a bang. It was certainly better than when he had been murdered by his own soldiers to appease the Ottomans. And maybe he'd get to see some REAL vampires before the end, the blood sucking walking-corpses who were a lot harder to 'kill' than their list of weaknesses implied. Not lonely sparkly pretty boys.
Cursed Doll was the 'youngest' of the cabal. She wore a petite and pretty gothic dress. And at first glance might have been mistake for a child, until she moved, or you got a decent look at her in less than dark places, given she was pale and polished marble. She was not as dismissed as the others... haunted children's toys or the like were still something somewhat feared due to that 'uncanny valley' thing people always talked about these days. Sadly it was all about gore these days, random thrills and shock value. She was only a little under two hundred years old compared to the others. However she had chosen to help her elders, since she relatively balanced on the 'classic' and 'modern' horrors.
Frakenstein's Monster was 198 years old, the second youngest, while he had always been a victim of his neglecting father, and then became an object of fear from his anger at him... ever since his father had denied making him a creature like the Monster to share his life with... he was sincerely excited at the idea of having more of his kind.
The Dragon was centuries old, and his greatest grief was now for the last seventy-one years, humans truly did fear their own might more than the might of the beasts that used to burn their country side and loot their town and cities for wealth. Then there was the people who keep thinking dragons were CUTE and ADORABLE creatures meant to be loved and cuddled! AGH! While The Dragon was greedy and selfish as a true and proper dragon was supposed to be, even he admitted that it had gotten demeaning. They weren't EASTERN dragon after all!
Wolf-Man himself swore he was a descendant of King Lycaon (king of Arcadia and cursed by Zeus) himself, the first werewolf to ever exist. It was also a matter of personal pride, his family had always had a relationship with the Count of some sort or another. These days, people kept comparing werewolves to other misunderstood and amused minorities rather than the stuff of nightmares.
The Mummy was of course the oldest one there by over two thousands to three thousand years years. His kind hadn't so much fallen out of fear, so much as people now feared grave robbers more now than they feared the ka of the dead animating the body and seeking vengeance upon the thieves. The mystique of the immortal mummy had vanished. Though he did often have to correct his fellow that sadly, he had not been a king when alive.
Demon had outright refused to join in, saying the 'poor misunderstood' image actually HELPED their own business model.
Most of the monsters didn't care if the humans in the audience wanted or were interested in becoming monsters or just monsters in general, they were MONSTERS after all, but for those that did, all the better (and Wolf Man very much was looking forward to adding that werewolf fan to his pack). Those that in the back of their mind had a particular beast or creature they were most interested in would naturally become that as the musical began. Those that didn't, were up for grabs and their changing would be up to fate or their connection to those who DID change.
These humans had all had destinies BEFORE... but those destinies were all about to CHANGE!
Wolf-Man however was very much right... the audience DID have a large amount of classic horror movie fans, and monster enthusiasts in general! From those who loved the classic black and white terrors, to those who couldn't stand the taming of the classic figures of human fears. From those who liked the medieval classics, to those who thought the scarier monsters were cool than the friendly ones.
And the theater welcomed those of all ages. Elderly couples who remembered when the classics played in the theater where good acting and writing was needed to make up for minimal special effects. To nuclear families bringing their children along, to kids here with their baby sitters because their parents where always 'too busy' to ever spend time with their own children (these would ironically be the ones who'd most eagerly embrace the changes). To closet monster fans, to outright cosplayers. And of course the dragon nuts. And THEN of course the youtube online critics who were there sure that the whole mishmash of different monster types would stink to high heaven!
The spirit of the theater itself, which itself owed the Count a favor, would ensure people would feel compelled to not leave until the show was finished, and would see those who changed before them as PART OF THE SHOW. For those who'd become vampires and mummies, their seats would transform into their coffins and sarcophagi.
But just because the musical itself was a honey trap to bring in humans to add to their numbers, didn't mean not the monsters involved din't have their pride and that they weren't going to put on a good show if they could help it. If they were likely to get obliterated by monster hunters, Men In Black, the army, or Zeus, before the show was even finished... well, they go out with a great show!
Count Dracula. The Cursed Doll. The Dragon. The Wolf Man. The Mummy. Frankenstein's Monster. Did sound like a rather awkward mix didn't it?
The ghosts who inhabited the theater had agreed to provide the music. The audience assumed the 'flying' instruments were done with wires and a tape recorder.
Count Dracula, had not lost his entire fortune, and could still fund a good show. The painted and carved faux stone walls of the interior of the 'castle' on the stage worked.
The spotlight shone on Dracula's coffin that slid open, and the Count rose. The Count put on his most dramatic and theatrical tone, and began to lament at how empty the castle was. To be fair... the Count really did have a great opera voice.
On the second verse, another spotlight shone on the 'lab' of the caste, (really the next 'room' below and besides), where Frankenstein's monster rose form the operating table, also lamenting being alone.
Next was the 'nursery' were Cursed Doll sang in the third verse, singing how others giggled when she tried to scare them and this made her very sad. She sang like a nursery rhythm.
Wolf Man on the roof howled at the 'moon' (really a painted prop), singing how no one was scared OF werewolves anymore, everyone was just scared FOR them at best in a loud booming voice.
Next came mummy in the 'dungeon' below the 'castle' his sarcophagus opening, and he sang with a tone and melody that hadn't been heard in thousands of years, who still feared the ancient kings? (This was for dramatic effect).
Finally, The Dragon, in the 'cave' next to the 'dungeon'. He made sure to move his body in a swaying manner, and to keep his blinking mechanical and his breath swallow so everyone would assume he was a large animatronic at best. Being a dragon, of course he had to steal the show with the loud and more intense voice in the sextet. He may have milked it a little on how dragons were never scared of anymore, or were treated as fodder for heroes instead of the ultimate foe any heroes would have nightmares of facing.
The six then did the final verse of the opening in overlap, their voices rising. The monsters had agreed NOT to break the act at the sign of the audience beginning to change. Until the show was done, even if the entire audience changed, it would serve as a proper introduction to their new recruits.
Wolf Man got his wish, as the werewolf fanatic he'd had his eye on since he'd arrived several rows back from Nate began to change. His muscle mass doubled, then double again, dark gray almost black fur covering his entire body, his clothes ripping away, leaving him naked and free like a TRUE werewolf. A hole in the back of the seat made room for his wagging tail. His feat digigrated in paws, and his hands gained padding and claws. His ears became pointed at the top of his eyes and his face pushed into a muzzle full of fangs and his eyes became blood red. The new werewolf felt his humanity slip away, but barely noticed or cared as social mores and ethics melted from his mind, leaving only a sapient wild animal. His heart raced a hundred miles an hour at the thrill and power he felt. And he let out a howl at Wolf Man on stage who let out a whole back.
Those who even noticed only accepted it as 'special effects' regardless of anything to the contrary.
A little girl in the back didn't notice as her skin became hard and shinning, and her body became empty and hollow, and her hair became like a wig and her eyes glass. Her clothes changed from skirt and t-shirt into a petticoat and dress, covered in frills and buttons, a pretty bonnet formed on top of her head. She wasn't breathing, but she didn't need to anymore. Her black dress matching her pretty blond hair.
Her brother looked at his sister, but thought how was she in on the act and he wasn't? He didn't think about for long as his form changed, going through the same transformation as her, in fact exactly like hers, until he was, she was his identical twin, except her dress and bonnet were white as bones and her hair black as midnight.
Their baby sitter, who actually spent more time with them than their own family, dimly wondered what magic trick was being played on the two kids as she began to shrink down, her hair taking on curls, and her own dress filling with furls and jewelry, her hair turning red as rust and her dress became as red as blood as her skin became white as ghosts, and the third cursed doll merely sat with her two sisters, watching the show with earnest.
Being in the front row, Nate didn't see any of the audience change, and it wouldn't have mattered if he did, he like the rest would have thought it was only 'special effect or something.' Still, as excited as Nate was, there was a particular monster he had slightly related to more than the rest... and now he would become one, mind, body, and soul, his very fate would become this.