MODA Clients Alexander Galant & Dacre Stoker Give Preview of Dracula The Un-Dead Dramatic Reading

PR Log (Press Release) – Oct 20, 2009 – In honor of the new release of the novel, Dracula the Un-Dead, by Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt, the official sequel to Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, Alexander Galant has adapted and directed a full length dramatic reading with original music of Dracula the Un-Dead (draculatheundead.ca). The dramatic reading will premiere in Toronto, Canada on Oct 28, 2009 @ 8 PM at The Bathurst Theatre. The dramatic reading which features 18 actors in costume and visual effects is adapted and directed by Alexander Galant (who is also the historical researcher for the novel) and is narrated by co-authors Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt.

On October 26 @ 6:30PM at Librarie Paragraphe Bookstore in Montreal, Alexander Galant as Jonathan Harker, Carmen Gillespie as Mina Harker & Dacre Stoker as the Narrator will be performing excerpts from the full length dramatic reading, adapted & directed by Alexander Galant. A book signing with Dacre Stoker & Alexander Galant of Dracula the Un-Dead will immediately follow the reading. For more information contact Librarie Paragraphe Bookstore, Montreal, Canada at (514) 845-5811

ABOUT:
Alexander Galant (Director) has worked in almost every technical position in theatre and has directed several plays. He received the Adjudicator's Award for Innovation, for Incorporating Animation, Computer-Generated Effects and Film Sequences with live actors in The Wizard of Oz and received a similar Thea Award for Singin' in the Rain for which he made it rain across the stage. Other theatre directing includes: A Tribute to Judy Garland, Love Letters, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, The Odd Couple, is currently directing A Christmas Carol the Musical and just completed a successful run of Twelve Angry Men.  Films directed by Alexander include:  The Missing Piece currently on the festival circuit and recent “Silver Remi Award” winner for ‘Suspense Thriller’ - WorldFest Houston Film Festival; Moonlight Desire (a Dracula video) for which Mickey Rooney lent his voice as the character of Prof. Van Helsing; The Jigsaw Puzzle, which has been screened at film festivals in New York, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Salem and Milan, receiving the “Special Festival BUZZ Award” (most talked about film) from the New York International Independent Film Festival. His more “artsy” vampire film, First Light, has been screened in festivals all over the world, winning several awards including: the “Bronze Remi Award” from WorldFest Houston Film Festival, “Special Commendation” in the Festival of Fantastic Films (UK), “Best Music/Soundtrack” in the Toronto Online Film Festival, and Nominations for “Best Director” and “Best Technical Achievement” from the International Festival of Cinema and Technology (World Tour Film Festival). His short Star Wars spoof entitled Blasted Behavior was selected by George Lucas as one of the finalists in AtomFilms’ 2009 Star Wars Fan Film Competition.  Alexander Galant has amassed endless hours of research of Dracula. Which led to his involvement as ‘historical researcher’ for the novel Dracula The Un-Dead. Alexander recently completed co-writing the story with Ian Holt for the film adaptation of Dracula The Un-Dead.  In 1997, Alexander had also directed a similar dramatic reading with Dracula Re-Staged  - A Re-Adaptation of Bram Stoker's Original Dramatic Reading.

Carmen Gillespie (Mina Harker) Dracula seems to pop up rather frequently in Carmen's life, which is interesting for a funny-girl who sings. She's had the opportunity to play Mina four times now: In a promo video for a TV series pitch, for a musical version, in the dramatic reading of the original novel Dracula for the centennial anniversary in 1997 and now for the dramatic reading for the official sequel. Other roles include Melissa Gardner in Love Letters, Doatsey Mae in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (for which she was nominated for a Thea award), Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain, and the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz. She has appeared on television and short films and you may see her breaking something in a Canadian Tire commercial this Christmas.

Dacre Stoker (Author Dracula The Un-Dead, Narrator) is the managing partner for the Bram Stoker Estate and co-author of “Dracula the Un-Dead,” in stores October 13th, 2009, the sequel to Bram Stoker’s original classic “Dracula.” Dacre has appeared in numerous venues around the world, giving presentations and discussions on Bram Stoker, “Dracula” and “Dracula the Un-Dead.” Dacre was born in Montreal, Canada, August 23, 1958. He attended Bishops College School in Lennoxville, Quebec for high school and St. Lawrence University in Canton NY where he received a BSC in P.E. and Education. Stoker taught P.E., Health and Science at Appleby College in Oakville, Ontario, Canada for ten years. Recently he taught P.E. and Lifeskills at Aiken Preparatory School in Aiken SC. During Dacre’s University and Appleby years he was extremely active in participating as an athlete and then coaching the Canadian National team in Modern Pentathlon. As an athlete, Dacre Stoker participated in three World Championships. Unfortunately, due to a political boycott, Dacre missed competing at the 1980 Olympics; however he got to the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea as a coach of the Canadian men’s team. Dacre Stoker is the great grand-nephew of world renowned Dracula author Bram Stoker. Bram’s youngest brother, George was his great-grandfather. Dacre’s God-father is H.H.G. Dacre Stoker, the Irish commander of AE2, the Australian submarine, whose legendary tactics were instrumental in the battle of Gallipoli.