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DRACULA
By Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston
Based on the world-famous novel by Bram Stoker
Italian star Michel Altieri to make American stage debut in title role.
Starring Tony Award-winner George Hearn ("La Cage aux Folles"),
Thora Birch ("Ghost World," "American Beauty"), Timothy Jerome ("Tarzan", "Me and My Girl"), Jake Silberman ("As the World Turns"), and John Buffalo Mailer ("Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps")
Count Dracula, the world's most famous vampire, returns to the New York stage this fall in DRACULA by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, based on the eponymous novel by Bram Stoker, set to begin previews December 14, prior to its official press opening January 5 at the LITTLE SHUBERT THEATRE (442 West 42nd Street). Paul Alexander to direct. Based on the world-famous novel by Bram Stoker, DRACULA is the classic Gothic drama about the power of seduction and the nature of true love. When the mysterious Count Dracula takes an interest in the beautiful, young Lucy who suffers from horrific dreams and a strange illness, he arouses the suspicions of her fiancé Jonathan Harker and Professor Abraham van Helsing. Following a series of grisly murders and unexplained occurrences, the men fear Dracula may be one of the undead that prowls the darkness and preys upon innocent souls.
Adapted by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, DRACULA premiered in New York in 1927, starring Bela Lugosi. DRACULA was last seen on Broadway in 1977, starring Frank Langella. Winning two Tony Awards, including Best Revival, the production ran for more than 900 performances and inspired the 1979 film adaptation featuring Mr. Langella and Sir Laurence Olivier. Bram Stoker's horror novel "Dracula," which itself is based on European folklore, has been an international phenomenon since it was first published in 1897. The novel's influence on the popularity of vampires has been singularly responsible for numerous stage, film and TV interpretations, including the modern-day vampires of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series, HBO's "True Blood," and L.J. Smith's "The Vampire Diaries."
Making his American stage debut in the title role is Italian stage star Michel Altieri. Born to a French mother and an Italian father, Altieri got his break when Luciano Pavarotti, one of the producers of RENT in Italy, discovered him for the pivotal part of Tom Collins. Next, he appeared in I PROMESSI SPOSI (THE BETROTHED), an epic work of the Italian stage for which he won the Italian Tony Award for Best Actor. Next was an original musical based on Oscar Wilde's masterpiece THE PORTRAIT OF DORIAN GRAY, with Altieri as Dorian Gray. He starred in PROFONDO ROSSO (DEEP RED), a rock musical based on an Italian 70s cult film, and had leading roles in a string of straight plays including CYRANO DE BERGERAC, ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS and TWO DOZEN RED ROSES. Most recently, he appeared in the Disney Theatrical production of the Broadway musical BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in Italy, starring as the Beast, and in its preparation worked personally with Alan Menken. Altieri won more rave reviews and award recognition for his year-long, sell-out run as the Beast. In addition to the Italian Musical Theatre Award (Tony equivalent), Altieri has won the Rome Europe 2005 Award for Best Actor, the prestigious Sandro Massimini Award, the Oscar dei Giovani, and Città di Castello Award. He also received a scholarship to study at the Strasberg Institute, awarded by Anna Strasberg and Dennis Hopper. In addition to his theatre fame, Michel has a busy film and tv career, as well as various rock/pop individual recording artist projects--these on top of the 5 original cast albums he has sung on. Altieri's celebrity is such that he is a favorite of European paparazzi, appearing on the cover of numerous magazines.
Last seen on Broadway in WICKED, George Hearn who is best known for his Tony Award-winning performances in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and SUNSET BOULEVARD as well as acclaimed work in SWEENEY TODD, WATCH ON THE RHINE, A DOLL'S LIFE, PUTTING IT TOGETHER, and THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, leads the cast as Abraham Van Helsing.
Thora Birch, who gained international prominence playing Jane Burnham in Sam Mendes' acclaimed film "American Beauty," received a Golden Globe nomination for her work in "Ghost World" and an Emmy nomination for "Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story," and whose films credits also include "The Hole," "Hocus Pocus," and "Dungeons & Dragons," stars as Dracula's love interest Lucy Seward.
Jake Silbermann, best known for his role as the popular character Noah Mayer on "As the World Turns," is set to portray Jonathan Harker.
Recently seen in the film "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps," John Buffalo Mailer portrays Renfield.
In the role of Dr. Seward is Timothy Jerome, a Tony and Drama Desk Award nominee for ME AND MY GIRL. Mr. Jerome was last seen on Broadway as Professor Parker in Disney's TARZAN.
Also in the cast are Emily Bridges as Miss Wells and Rob O'Hare as Butterworth.
DRACULA features scenic design by Dana Kenn; lighting design by Tony Award-nominee Brian Nason (METAMORPHOSIS); costume design by Tony Award-winner Willa Kim (THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES, SOPHISTICATED LADIES), sound design by Chris DelVecchio; and special effects by Greg Meeh.
Director Paul Alexander is the author of STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF CANAAN and EDGE, which he directed. Developed at The Actors Studio, EDGE, the critically acclaimed one-woman show about Sylvia Plath earned an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination and was performed more than 400 times in four countries. A major European tour starring Spanish actress Sofia Alves begins in February 2011. Shane Salerno's much-anticipated forthcoming feature documentary about J.D.Salinger is based on Alexander's book, "Salinger." Alexander wrote "Good Night, Dorothy Kilgallen," an original screenplay for Twentieth Century Fox. He is also the author of eight books, including "Rough Magic," a biography of Sylvia Plath, and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams: The Life, Times, and Legend of James Dean." He directed the British revival of DEATH AND THE MAIDEN; NEW YORK STORIES, and evening of one-act plays by Paul Manuel Kane; and "Brothers in Arms," a documentary about John Kerry and Vietnam (First Run Features). He is a member of PEN American Center and the Playwrights and Directors Unit of The Actors Studio.
DRACULA is produced by Bram Stoker's Dracula LLC, Tony Travis, George and Dona Shipley, Ed Bankole, Megan Barnett, Leslie Evers, and Michael Alden.
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