Love, loss, and creation merge in unexpected ways as Manual Cinema presents its thrilling version of the classic Gothic tale Frankenstein. The Chicago-based performance collective imaginatively combines shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, sound effects, and live music in haunting shows like nothing else you’ve ever seen.
Manual Cinema stitches together the classic tale of Frankenstein with the biography of the original novel’s author, Mary Shelley, to create an unexpected story about the beauty and horror of creation. The real-life and fictional narratives of Shelley, Victor Frankenstein, and Frankenstein’s monster expose how family, community, and education shape personhood – or destroy it by their absence.
Court Theatre presented the World Premiere of Frankenstein in Chicago, November, 2018. Frankenstein had its New York premiere at The Public Theatre’s Under the Radar Festival in January 2019 and it’s international debut in Scotland at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, 2019.
PRODUCTION
Adapted from the novel by Mary Shelley
Concept Drew Dir
Devised by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace and Julia Miller
Original Music and Sound Design Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter
Storyboards Drew Dir
Shadow Puppet Design Drew Dir with Lizi Breit
Projections & Scenic Design Rasean Davonte Johnson
Costume & Wig Design Mieka van der Ploeg
Lighting Design Claire Chrzan
3D Creature Puppet Design Lizi Breit
Prop Design Lara Musard
Production Stage Manager Erin Albrecht
Video Mixing & Live Sound Effects Shelby Sparkle
Sound Engineer Sadi Tremblay and Mike Usrey
PUPPETEERS
Sarah Fornace (Victor, Mary Shelley)
Julia Miller (The Creature, Elizabeth)
Leah Casey (Percy, Vocals)
Sara Sawicki (Alphonse, Lord Byron)
Myra Su (Ensemble)
MUSICIANS
Peter Ferry (percussion)
Zachary Good (clarinets, aux percussion)
Deidre Huckabay (flutes, aux percussion, piano)
Lia Kohl (cello, aux percussion, vocals)
TOURING
Stage Manager, Video Mixing and Live Sound Effects Kyle Vegter
Lighting Technician David Goodman-Edberg
Sound Engineer Mike Usrey