Matthew Murphy, courtesy of Polk & Co.
Matthew Murphy, courtesy of Polk & Co.
It was time for Ali to become a blood-thirsty creature of the night, and time for me to become a loyal fan in the audience.
The show is a spectacle in every sense of the word: flight, motorcycles, rock bands, romance, horror, and some of the most jaw-dropping stunts and effects I’ ve ever seen live. Ali’ s warm and friendly energy dissolves into an unrecognizable, fierce, sinister, and wickedly calculated vampire that dares us all to join him in the darkness.
It’ s no surprise that, upon curtain call, the massive audience gathers at the stage door gates to meet their favorite vampire. Luckily for them, Ali emerges as friendly as ever, taking time to sign playbills and take selfies with each fan. Observing my childhood friend laugh with the crowd is just another example of Ali being the same grounded guy from the Berkshires I met all those years ago. n
Fall 2026 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // 19