Presented by the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival
Studebaker Theater, 410 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago
January 27-29
Family Friendly - 12 and up
ADA accessible
66 minutes
Review
by Dugan Kenaz-Mara, Guest Critic
Note: This puppet show involves childbirth, violence, murder, and grief. Some parts are scary, so it may not be suitable for children. (The festival recommends 12 and up)
Manual Cinema’s Frankenstein is definitely a sight to behold! The show tells a beautiful story, starting with Mary Shelley’s life and contextualizing her idea for writing the book. From there it seamlessly transitions into the monster story everyone knows so well, all while tying back to her real life through visual and auditory motifs. They are able to tell a very emotional tale, causing the audience to laugh, cry, and gasp, all without speaking a single word. You even get your pick of characters to connect to emotionally, from a mother to a child, or even the creature himself.
The puppeteers are very clearly experts in their craft, easily combining live-action performance, overhead projection, and standard puppetry to make a cohesive story that unites different styles. Mary Shelley’s life is mainly told through shadow puppetry, with the actors becoming silhouettes on a projected background. The Creature’s story is acted out with a puppet, filmed up close, and Victor’s side is performed live, shot in black and white with captions like a silent movie. And throughout all of the style-hopping, the puppeteers blend in their famous overhead projections to develop the setting and add in characters. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether a silhouette on screen is an actor or a puppet, that’s how good it is!
Like any Manual Cinema performance, it is always a joy to watch the performers as they work. Getting a glimpse into the background of the work is fascinating. For example, learning how they move the puppets or how objects that look real on camera may be 2D in real life. And watching movie-quality transitions happen in real time is crazy as well. If you see the show keep an eye out for the part where Victor shares his research paper with other scientists.
While the puppetry was amazing, it is also necessary to applaud the rest of the design. The lighting, though subtle throughout the show, was incredibly impactful. The live accompaniment was also stunning, bringing the entire show to life. Overall, it is a very well-put-together performance and I would highly recommend seeing it. ★★★★ Four out of four stars.
**Every time we talk about Manual Cinema my mom loves to point out how brilliant their overhead-projected rain is. This particular show features their rain frequently, so it’s almost worth seeing just for that…**
Dugan is an actor, designer, and photographer studying theatre and psychology at Northwestern University. Contrary to popular belief, he is not a time traveler.
The Chicago run is sold out, but you can come down to the Studebaker Theatre at least a half hour before showtime to get on the waitlist.
Three performances: Friday, January 27 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, January 28 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, January 29 at 3 p.m.
Tickets: $45/$35 students and seniors
Love, loss, and creation merge in unexpected ways when Manual Cinema presents its thrilling version of the classic Gothic tale, “Frankenstein.” This 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. With Frankenstein, Manual Cinema stitches together the original gothic novel with the biography of its author, Mary Shelley, to create an unexpected story about the beauty and horror of creation.
Manual Cinema is an Emmy award winning performance collective, design studio, and film/ video production company founded in 2010 by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller and Kyle Vegter. Manual Cinema tours internationally, combining handmade shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, and innovative sound and music to create immersive stories for stage and screen. Using vintage overhead projectors, multiple screens, puppets, actors, live feed cameras, multi-channel sound design, and a live music ensemble, Manual Cinema transforms the experience of attending the cinema and imbues it with liveness, ingenuity, and theatricality. Their shadow puppet animations were featured in the 2021 film remake of Candyman, directed by Nia DaCosta and produced by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions. Recent productions include Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster, based on books by Mo Willems, and a new live version of Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol, based on the acclaimed virtual production in 2020. manualcinema.com
Lookingglass Theatre Company Presents the World Premiere of
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Written and Directed by Ensemble Member David Catlin
From the Book by Mary Shelley
May 8–August 4, 2019
**Recommended for adults and kids ages 12+**
I'll be ChiILin' with Chi, IL's Lookingglass Theatre Company for the press opening of the world premiere of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein May 19th. This new creation is written and directed by a long time favorite of ours, ensemble member David Catlin, from the book by Mary Shelley. 2018-19 has been an epic season for Frankenstein on stage in Chicago, coinciding with the 200 year anniversary of the publication of Shelley's iconic "monsterpiece". Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows we've seen them all. We can't wait to catch Lookingglass Theatre's unique take on this classic! Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein runs May 8–August 4, 2019 at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. Tickets are now on sale.
Within every man there is a monster; within every monster, a man. But which is which? An eerie evening of ghost stories crackles to life as Mary Shelley unspools her tale of Victor Frankenstein and his unholy experiment. This gothic tale of love, horror, and the power to create life—and destroy it—awakens in this visceral, original retelling of Frankenstein. Fresh from the brain of Ensemble Member David Catlin, creator of Moby Dick and Lookingglass Alice, comes a galvanic adaptation of this undying story. See for yourself this latest invention come to shocking life!
“I’m fascinated by the blur between Mary Shelley’s story of creation, rejection, and destruction and her own life of love, loss, and abandonment. How does the human heart survive desolation and misery?” notes director David Catlin. “We’re collaborating with the Actors Gymnasium to bring Frankenstein’s haunting ghosts high into the air above and have five extraordinary actors digging deep to animate this story that continues to unsettle us two hundred years after it was written.”
The cast includes Artistic Associate Walter Briggs (Victor/Shelley), with Debo Balogun (Dr. Polidori), Cordelia Dewdney (Mary Shelley), Keith D. Gallagher (Byron/Creature), and Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel (Claire).
The creative team includes Ensemble Member Daniel Ostling (scenic design), Sully Ratke (costume design), William C. Kirkham (lighting design), Artistic Associate Rick Sims (sound design/composition), Artistic Associate Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi (circus design), Isaac Schoepp (rigging design), Amanda Herrmann (properties design), Linda Gates (dialect coach), and Mary Hungerford (stage manager).
About the Artists DAVID CATLIN (Writer/Director/Lookingglass Ensemble Member)’s Lookingglass writing and directing credits include: Moby Dick, Lookingglass Alice, and Icarus. Other directing credits include: The Little Prince, Black Diamond (co-direction with J Nicole Brooks) and Kafka’s Metamorphosis. David will direct Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for McCarter Theatre (Princeton, NJ) in the fall. Additional regional directing credits include: Alliance Theatre (Atlanta), South Coast Repertory (Costa Mesa), Arena Stage (DC), Arden Theatre Company (Philadelphia), New Victory Theater (NYC), Syracuse Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and The Getty Villa (LA). He appeared onstage in last season’s Hard Times. David is an artistic associate with Actors Gymnasium and serves on the acting faculty at Northwestern University.
DEBO BALOGUN (Dr. Polidori) makes his Lookingglass debut. Chicago credits: Red Rex, Zurich (Steep Theatre Company); You Can't Take It With You, Fair Maid of the West (Oak Park Festival Theatre); Mary's Wedding (First Folio Theatre); Moon Man Walk (Definition Theatre Company); and Bobby Pin Girls (Nothing Without a Company). Debo is an Artistic Associate with Oak Park Festival Theatre and is represented by Gray Talent Group.
WALTER BRIGGS (Victor/Shelley/Lookingglass Artistic Associate) has previously appeared with the company in Act(s) of God, 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas, Moby Dick, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and The North China Lover. Chicago credits include: Sucker Punch (Victory Gardens Theater), Hit The Wall (The Inconvenience/Steppenwolf Theatre Company), All Our Tragic (The Hypocrites), The Glass Menagerie (Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.), A Red Orchid Theater, and many more. Regionally, Walter has performed at A.R.T, Arena Stage, South Coast Repertory, Alliance Theatre, and The Getty Villa. TV/Film credits include: Chicago Med, Kappa Force, Jessica, I Don’t Care, A Good Person, Ballad, and Older Children. Walter is a graduate of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
CORDELIA DEWDNEY (Mary Shelley) returns to the Lookingglass stage after performing as Louisa in last winter’s production of Hard Times. She previously appeared at Lookingglass as a Fate in the production Moby Dick and toured with the show to South Coast Repertory, Arena Stage, and the Alliance Theatre, and has worked with the Shakespeare Project of Chicago. TV/Film credits include Chicago Med. Hailing from Vermont, Cordelia was drawn to Chicago by the beautiful sea that is Lake Michigan and graduated from Northwestern University where she studied Theatre and English Literature.
KEITH D. GALLAGHER (Byron/Creature) returns to Lookingglass after appearing in Beyond Caring in 2017. Chicago: Breach (Victory Gardens Theater); Mary Page Marlowe, Marie Antoinette, (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); The Gospel of Franklin, Man In Love (Steppenwolf First Look); Awake and Sing, Lieutenant of Inishmore (Northlight Theatre); Shining City (Goodman Theatre); Arcadia (Court Theatre); The Real Thing (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company); Tracks (TUTA Theatre Chicago). Regional: Macbeth (Denver Center for the Performing Arts), A Raisin in the Sun (Geva Theatre Center), The Gospel According to James (Indiana Repertory Theatre), Lieutenant of Inishmore (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis). TV: Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, Empire. Film: Orders.
CRUZ GONZALEZ-CADEL (Claire) makes her Lookingglass debut. Previous Chicago credits include: the critically acclaimed Lela & Co. (Steep Theatre), which earned her a Jeff Award for Performance in a Principal Role–Play, The Abuelas, La Havana Madrid, and i put the fear of mexico in 'em (Teatro Vista), Electra (Court Theatre), You on the Moors Now (The Hypocrites), The Compass (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), The Grown Up (Shattered Globe Theatre), and The Life and Death of Madam Barker (Red Tape Theatre). TV/Film credits include: Chicago Med (NBC), TheChi (Showtime), Empire (Fox), and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Cruz received her degree in acting from the Universidad del Salvador. Cruz is an ensemble member at Teatro Vista and is represented by the wonderful people at Stewart Talent.
Subscriptions Flex pass subscriptions are still on sale for the 2018–2019 Season. Performances will be held at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. The Gglasspass is a flex pass available to all ages. For $200, Gglasspass holders receive 4 tickets that can be used in any combination and denomination for any Lookingglass production in the 2018–2019 season. The Madhatter’s Club flex pass is available to those 35 or younger. The Madhatter’s Club flex pass is $100 and includes 4 tickets that members can use in any combination and denomination for any Lookingglass production in the 2018-2019 season. For season subscription and ticket information, call the Lookingglass Theatre box office at (312) 337-0665 or visit lookingglasstheatre.org.
REFLECT Panels Dive even deeper into the world of the play with the Lookingglass REFLECT Series! This specially-curated series of post-show conversations and panels offers audiences an opportunity to think, hear, and talk about the performance they just experienced. Hear in-the-field experts offer their insights and leading artists give a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the Lookingglass creative process. REFLECT post-show discussions are free and open to the public, and take place directly following the 2:00 p.m. matinee on select Sundays at Lookingglass Theatre.
For the most up-to-date schedule information, visit lookingglasstheatre.org/reflect. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein REFLECT Panel Series Schedule
June 23, 2019 The Creator and The Creature When most people hear the name Frankenstein, they think of the monster rather than the doctor who stitched together organs and flesh into an animate being. But which of the two is more monstrous? With which, if either, do your sympathies lie? Is the creator responsible for the acts of their creation?
June 30, 2019 The Monstrous Feminine Mary Wollstonecraft was only 18 years old when she wrote the novel she later called her “hideous progeny.” Yet she’d already learned both the expectations of, and limitations on, the women of her era. How much of the novel reflects her relationship with her lover, the severe parameters for her gender, and the challenges to her own body?
July 14, 2019 A Gothic Gathering When Lord Byron, Percy Byshhe Shelley, Dr. John Polidori, and Mary Wollstonecraft gathered in a chateau to spin “ghost stories,” no one could have known we’d still be haunted two hundred years later.How did this critical mass of poetic minds come together? How did their work influence each other and shake the literary world, and what is their legacy?
July 21, 2019 The Perpetual Double-edged Sword Frankenstein was one of the first modern novels to ask whether scientific exploration is our ally or our enemy. Yet every advance in technology—bio-engineering, genetic modification, cloning, etc.—poses new ethical questions. Should there be limits on experimentation? Do the inventor’s intentions matter? How do we balance our insatiable appetite for “what’s next” with not knowing what it will bring?
July 28, 2019 The Creatures and Their Creators This year, five Chicago theaters brought some version of Mary Shelley’s monster to their audiences. Join us for a conversation with the lead artists as they reflect back on what they saw on each other’s stages, what they learned over the course of their own journey, and their fantasies and nightmares about the looming future.
Featuring: Artistic Associate Walter Briggs (Victor/Shelley), with Debo Balogun (Dr. Polidori), Cordelia Dewdney (Mary Shelley), Keith D. Gallagher (Byron/Creature), Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel (Claire).
Creative Team: Ensemble Member Daniel Ostling (scenic design), Sully Ratke (costume design), William C. Kirkham (lighting design), Artistic Associate Rick Sims (sound design/composition), Artistic Associate Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi (circus design), Isaac Schoepp (rigging design), Amanda Herrmann (properties design), Linda Gates (dialect coach), and Mary Hungerford (stage manager).
Dates: Previews: May 8 – 18, 2019 Press performances: Saturday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. Gala opening: Sunday, May 20, 2019 Regular run: May 22 – August 4, 2019
Times: Tuesdays: 7:30 p.m. (June 11 & 25, July 2, 16 & 30 only) Wednesdays: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays: 2:00 p.m. (May 30, June 6 & 20, July 11 & 25 only) 7:30 p.m. (Except July 4) Fridays: 7:30 p.m. Saturdays: 2:00 p.m. (Except May 11 & 18) 7:30 p.m. Sundays: 2:00 p.m. (Except May 19) 7:30 p.m. (Except May 12 & 19) Additional performance on Wednesday, July 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Accessible Performances: Audio Described/Touch Tour performance, Thursday, June 13, 2019 at 7:30p.m. Touch tour begins at 6 p.m. Open Captioned performance, Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. lookingglasstheatre.org/access
Additional Programs: REFLECT Post-Show Panel Series Dive even deeper into the world of the play with the Lookingglass REFLECT Series! This specially-curated series of post-show conversations and panels offers audiences an opportunity to think, hear, and talk about the performance they just experienced. Hear in-the-field experts offer their insights and leading artists give a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the Lookingglass creative process. REFLECT post-show discussions are free and open to the public, and take place directly following the 2:00 p.m. matinee on select Sundays at Lookingglass Theatre.
Teen Night - Friday, May 10 at 6 p.m. Lookingglass is proud to be an inaugural partner with Teen Arts Pass (TAP).TAP is a new program of Urban Gateways that allows anyone ages 13 to 19 to experience live arts performances all around Chicago for only $5. Teens are invited to hang out with the Lookingglass Young Ensemble for free pizza and soda, and hear about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein from a Lookingglass artist/designer before seeing the performance. teenartspass.org
Theatre Night Out for Young Professionals - Friday, June 28 at 5:30 p.m. Under 35? Join members of the Lookingglass Associates Board and other young professionals for a pre-show reception at Theory and a performance of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Tickets are $40 for Young Professionals 35 and under. lookingglasstheatre.org/under35
Location: Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson.
Prices: Previews are $35 - $61 Regular Run is $45 - $86 Student tickets are available the day of the show for $20 with a valid student ID. Based on availability. Groups of 8 or more patrons save up to 20%. Call 773-477-9257 X 125 or email groupsales@lookingglasstheatre.org for details.
Box Office: Buy online atlookingglasstheatre.org. or by phone at (312) 337-0665 The Lookingglass box office is located at Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave.
About Lookingglass Theatre Company Inventive. Collaborative. Transformative. Lookingglass Theatre Company, recipient of the 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award, was founded in 1988 by eight Northwestern University students. Now in its 31st Season, Lookingglass is home to a multi-disciplined ensemble of artists who create story-centered theatrical work that is physical, aurally rich and visually metaphoric. The Company, located in Chicago’s landmark Water Tower Water Works, has staged 68 world premieres, received 151 Joseph Jefferson Award Nominations, and produced work all across the United States. In 2016, Lookingglass received the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions and in 2017, was the recipient of the League of Chicago Theatres’ Artistic Achievement Award.
Lookingglass continues to expand its artistic, financial, and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Artistic Director Heidi Stillman, Executive Director Rachel L. Fink, Producing Director Philip R. Smith, Director of Community Engagement Andrew White, General Manager Michele Anderson, a 24-member artistic ensemble, 23 artistic associates, an administrative staff, and a dedicated board of directors led by Chair Nancy Timmers and President Richard Chapman. For more information, visit lookingglasstheatre.org.
Year of Chicago Theatre Lookingglass is proud to be part of the 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre, presented by the City of Chicago and the League of Chicago Theatres. To truly fall in love with Chicago, you must go to our theatres. This is where the city bares its fearless soul. Home to a community of creators, risk-takers, and big hearts, Chicago theatre is a hotbed for exciting new work and hundreds of world premieres every year. From Broadway musicals to storefront plays and improv, there’s always a seat waiting for you at one of our 200+ theatres. Learn more at chicagoplays.com/year-of-chicago-theatre/.
By Manual Cinema, adapted from the novel by Mary Shelley
Tickets on sale now for special Halloween performance of Frankenstein
Manual Cinema is a favorite of ours here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows. We can't wait to see their take on Mary Shelley's classic, just in time for the 200 year anniversary of Frankenstein's publication. Want to be one of the first to see it? Court Theatre is hosting a Halloween Party that includes a first look at the show! Court Theatre, under the leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, and Executive Director Angel Ysaguirre, gives audiences a first look at the World Premiere of Manual Cinema’s Frankenstein this Halloween. On October 31, be the very first to experience Manual Cinema’s world premiere production of Frankenstein at the final dress rehearsal. Before the show, partake in a frightfully fun Halloween party hosted by the caped and cursed at Court Theatre. Compete in our ghoulishly glamorous costume contest and enjoy horror d’oeuvres and a creepy cocktail on us. With enough candy to raise the dead, this is one party you don’t want to miss. The festivities begin at 6:30pm at Court Theatre, 5535 S Ellis Ave in Hyde Park.
The World Premiere of this immersive take on the thrilling gothic tale Frankenstein by Manual Cinema, is adapted from the novel by Mary Shelley. Frankenstein is devised by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, and Julia Miller, with concept by Drew Dir and original music by Kyle Vegter and Ben Kauffman. Be the first to see Manual Cinema’s new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel, in a production that merges stories of Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein, and his Monster to expose how the forces of family, community, and education shape personhood—or destroy it by their absence. Frankenstein runs November 1 – December 2, 2018 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave.
Stick around after the show for a behind-the-screens conversation with Manual Cinema, interact with the artists and learn more about the innovative way they tell stories.
In a special world premiere presentation, internationally-renowned multimedia company Manual Cinema stitches together the classic story of Frankenstein with Mary Shelley’s own biography to create an unexpected story about the beauty and horror of creation. Manual Cinema combines handmade shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, and innovative sound and music to create immersive visual stories for stage and screen. Manual Cinema is a performance collective and film production company, founded in part by former Court dramaturg Drew Dir.
Tickets, priced $75, include the pre-show party with drinks, Horror d’oeuvres, and plenty of candy, plus the performance and post-show experience with the artists. Receive $5 off per ticket when purchasing two or more. Season subscribers may be eligible for $65 tickets. Tickets are available at the Court Theatre box office (5535 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago), by calling (773) 753-4472, or online at www.CourtTheatre.org.
Dates: Halloween Party: October 31, 2018 at 7:30pm Previews: November 1 - 9, 2018 Press Opening: Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 7:30pm Regular Run: November 11 – December 2, 2018 Schedule: Wed/Thurs/Fri: 7:30 p.m. Sat/Sun: 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Location: Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. Tickets: $75 Halloween Party $38-$56 previews $50-$74 regular run
Box Office: Located at 5535 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago; (773) 753-4472 or www.CourtTheatre.org. Court Theatre’s 2018/19 season is dedicated to Court’s late Executive Director, Stephen J. Albert.
Subscription Information Three, four, and five-play subscriptions to Court’s 2018/19 season range from $96 to $300 and are on sale now. To purchase a subscription or to receive more information, call the Court Theatre Box Office at (773) 753-4472, or visit Court’s website at www.CourtTheatre.org.
Court Theatre is the professional theatre of the University of Chicago, dedicated to innovation, inquiry, intellectual engagement, and community service. Court endeavors to make a lasting contribution to classic American theatre by expanding the canon of translations, adaptations, and classic texts. The theatre revives lost masterpieces; illuminates familiar texts; explores the African American theatrical canon; and discovers fresh, modern classics. Court engages and inspires its audience by providing artistically distinguished productions, audience enrichment activities, and student educational experiences.
Manual Cinema is a performance collective, design studio, and film/video production company founded in 2010 by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller, and Kyle Vegter. Manual Cinema combines handmade shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, and innovative sound and music to create immersive stories for stage and screen. Using vintage overhead projectors, multiple screens, puppets, actors, live feed cameras, multi-channel sound design, and a live music ensemble, Manual Cinema transforms the experience of attending the cinema and imbues it with liveness, ingenuity, and theatricality.
Special joint event between Court Theatre and Manual Cinema, Lifeline Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company and
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
explores four unique productions of Frankenstein
coming to Chicago stages this season
It's Time to Get Your Monsters In a Row... Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows we can't wait to celebrate 200 years of Mary Shelley's classic with four productions of FRANKENSTEIN on stage in Chicago this season. I'll be out to review all of them. How many of the "frankenfour" do you plan to see? We're already off to a stellar start with Lifeline's stunning world premiere adaptation featuring a female lead and a life sized, soul eating puppet monster! Highly recommended.
Wondering where to start, with such a plethora of unique productions? Lookingglass Theatre Company, Court Theatre and Manual Cinema, Lifeline Theatre, and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company announce FRANKENSTEIN: Unearthed, a one-time-only event exploring the four productions of this classic tale coming to Chicago stages during the 2018-2019 season.
FRANKENSTEIN: Unearthed takes place September 30, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. at Lookingglass Theatre Company. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online HERE. Lookingglass is located at 821 N Michigan Avenue at Pearson. In celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the first publishing of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley's monster comes to life in Chicago this season with four distinctive theatrical productions at Court Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company. What is Chicago’s fascination with this undying tale? How will this story be told? Four Frankensteins, seriously? Artists David Catlin and Cordelia Dewdney (Lookingglass Theatre Company), Drew Dir (Manual Cinema), Ian Frank and Eliza Stoughton (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company), and Robert Kauzlaric and Ann Sonneville (Lifeline Theatre) will answer these questions and more in a conversation led by Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones. Come learn about the vision behind each Frankenstein adaptation and get a preview of each show! “As all the major Chicago productions of Frankenstein were announced this past spring, each one of them vastly different in style and substance, we realized the potential for a collaborative, synergistic exploration of this rich and constantly surprising story, and of Mary Shelley, the brilliant mind behind it,” comments Nick Sandys, Producing Artistic Director of Remy Bumppo. “That a theatrical endeavor of this scale and diversity is happening here speaks not just to the artistic dynamism of Chicago, but to the sophistication and curiosity of its arts patrons. We wanted therefore to spark a city-wide conversation with our colleagues and discuss how we are all tackling the novel's myriad themes and universal questions, which still so clearly speak to us today. This special event will bring all four theaters together for one evening and give our audiences a sneak-peek at this season's unique "Frankenstein festival"--and the chance to explore the question: Why so many Frankensteins?” About the Artists DAVID CATLIN (Writer/Director of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein at Lookingglass Theatre Company) is a founding Ensemble Member, actor, writer, director, and former Artistic Director of Lookingglass. David adapted and directed Moby Dick, which debuted at Lookingglass in summer 2015, toured nationally, and played again at Lookingglass in summer 2017. Other Lookingglass writing credits include: Lookingglass Alice, Icarus, Her Name Was Danger, and The Idiot (Jeff Award for Adaptation). He is currently directing A Midsummer Night’s Dream, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s original, for Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. Additional Lookingglass directing credits include: The Little Prince, Black Diamond (co-director), Metamorphosis, and West. Lookingglass acting credits include: Hard Times, The Arabian Nights, Our Town, Argonautika, La Luna Muda, The Odyssey, and The Jungle. David is an Artistic Associate with Actors Gymnasium and serves on the acting faculty at Northwestern University. CORDELIA DEWDNEY (Mary Shelley/Elizabeth in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein at Lookingglass Theatre Company) is a graduate of Northwestern University where she studied Theatre and English. Recent credits include: Hard Times and Moby Dick at Lookingglass Theatre Company and Women Beware Women with the Chicago Shakespeare Project She has worked with Alliance Theatre, Arena Stage, and South Coast Repertory for the National tour of Moby Dick, and has appeared on Chicago Med. She is joyfully represented by Stewart Talent. DREW DIR (Manual Cinema Co-Artistic Director) is a writer, director, and puppet designer. Previously, he served as the Resident Dramaturg of Court Theatre and a lecturer in theater and performance studies at the University of Chicago. He holds a master’s degree in Text and Performance Studies from King’s College London and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. IAN FRANK (Director of Frankenstein at Remy Bumppo) is the Artistic Assistant and the director of Frankenstein at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company. He is the Producer of Remy Bumppo's SPARK Reading Series (directing both Inheritors and Conversations in Tusculum) and assistant directed Pygmalion. In Chicago, Ian directed Incident at Vichy (Jeff nomination for Best Ensemble), Another Bone and Shipwrecked! (Redtwist) and Bob: A Life in Five Acts (LiveWire) and assisted Sunday in the Park with George and Cyrano at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He recently workshopped his own adaptation of The Call of the Wild at Milwaukee Rep. Ian holds an MFA in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University and has a long relationship with Actors Theatre of Louisville where he has directed several shows at the Humana Festival of New American Plays. ELIZA STOUGHTON (Elizabeth in Frankenstein at Remy Bumppo) has worked in Chicago at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Court Theatre, Writers Theatre, Raven Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, The Gift Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, 16th Street Theatre, and Oak Park Festival Theatre. Regionally, she has worked at American Players Theatre, Cardinal Stage (Bloomington, IN), Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Riverside Theatre in Iowa, and toured many wonderful years with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks and Montana Shakespeare in the Schools. Eliza is a proud graduate of Loyola University of Chicago and a Core Ensemble member with Remy Bumppo Theatre Company. ROBERT KAUZLARIC (Adaptor of Frankenstein at Lifeline Theatre) is a Chicago-based playwright, director, and actor. He has written more than a dozen theatrical adaptations, which have been performed in over 40 states across the U.S., as well as in England, Ireland, Wales, Canada, and Australia. Previous Lifeline adaptations include Neverwhere (Non-Equity Jeff Award: New Adaptation) and Northanger Abbey (with George Howe; Non-Equity Jeff Award: New Musical). ANN SONNEVILLE (Victoria in Frankenstein at Lifeline Theatre) is an Ensemble Member with Trap Door Theatre, where she has appeared in numerous productions, and Red Tape Theatre, where she recently appeared in Round Heads and Pointed Heads. Other credits: Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Steppenwolf Garage, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Lifeline Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Strange Tree, Oracle Productions, the side project, The Chicago Mammals, and numerous original productions with Bruised Orange Theatre Company. Film/TV credits: Miriam Is Going To Mars (BMA Award - Best Actress), Dig Two Graves, Chicago P.D., Hunting God, and numerous shorts. She is a professional voiceover artist and instructor at the Vagabond School. CHRIS JONES (Moderator) has been the chief theater critic and Sunday culture columnist of the Chicago Tribune since 2002 and he is author of Bigger, Brighter, Louder: 150 Years of Chicago Theater (2013), and the upcoming book Rise Up!: Broadway and American Society from 'Angels in America’ to ‘Hamilton’ (November 2018). His work has appeared often in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, American Theater, and many other publications. In 2014, he became the director of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Critics Institute in Waterford, CT. In 2001, Chris was named by American Theater magazine as one of the most influential theater critics in America. In 2015, he was the winner of Cornell University's George W. Nathan Award, the most prestigious honor for drama critics in the United States. About the Productions Lifeline Theatre presents: A world premiere adaptation of the novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley FRANKENSTEIN Adapted by Robert Kauzlaric Directed by Paul S. Holmquist September 7 – October 28, 2018 Lifeline Theatre (6912 N Glenwood Ave) Tickets: lifelinetheatre.com | 773.761.4477 When an unexpected death shatters her family, Victoria retreats into the darkest recesses of her psyche in search of a way forward. To find meaning in this impossible loss, she brings a terrible creation to life – one whose existence threatens all hopes for the future. Haunted and hunted at every turn, Victoria must endure a nightmare journey of the soul in a quest for survival. Grapple with the demons of grief and denial in this world premiere adaptation of the 1818 thriller by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.
About Lifeline Lifeline Theatre is driven by a passion for story. Lifeline’s ensemble process supports writers in the development of literary adaptations and new work, and its theatrical and educational programs foster a lifelong engagement with literature and the arts. A cultural anchor of Rogers Park, Lifeline is committed to deepening its connection to an ever-growing family of artists and audiences, both near and far. Remy Bumppo Theatre Company presents: FRANKENSTEIN By Mary Shelley, Adapted by Nick Dear Directed by Ian Frank October 11 – November 11, 2018 Performing at Theater Wit (1229 W Belmont Ave) Tickets: RemyBumppo.org | 773.975.8150 Mary Shelley’s revolutionary horror classic is shocked to life in Nick Dear’s adaptation. Retold from the abandoned creature’s point of view, this taut, muscular version raises urgent questions about scientific responsibility, parental neglect, and the nature of good and evil. *MATURE CONTENT About Remy Bumppo Theatre Company: Remy Bumppo Theatre Company produces theatre that thrills the ear, stirs the heart, feeds the mind, and sparks a conversation. As an ensemble-based producer of intellectually and emotionally inspiring plays that reveal the power and pleasure of language, we explore timeless ideas in timely productions that celebrate our common humanity; and we invite audiences to converse directly with the art and the artists. Remy Bumppo challenges our audiences with the intersection of expansive ideas and rich language, often presenting texts that have been sidelined because they may seem too intellectually complex, demanding active intelligence as well as great passion from artist and patron alike. We produce such art in order to advance deeper understanding of the human condition, test commonly perceived notions, and elevate cultural discourse. We then invite audiences to converse directly with the art and the artists, engaging them in one-on-one conversation about the work itself through innovative supplementary programming. Court Theatre presents: FRANKENSTEIN by Manual Cinema adapted from the novel by Mary Shelley concept by Drew Dir devised by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, and Julia Miller original music by Kyle Vegter and Ben Kauffman November 1 - December 2, 2018 Court Theatre (5535 S Ellis Ave) Tickets: 773.753.4472 | CourtTheatre.org In a special world premiere presentation at Court Theatre, internationally-renowned multimedia company Manual Cinema stitches together the classic story of Frankenstein with Mary Shelley's own biography to create an unexpected story about the beauty and horror of creation. Using an ingenious “laboratory" of cameras, overhead projectors, actors, and puppets—and accompanied live by a chamber ensemble performing Kyle Vegter and Ben Kauffman’s haunting original score—Manual Cinema’s Frankenstein assembles music, theater, and silent film to create a Frankenstein like you’ve never seen before. About Court Theatre Court Theatre is the professional theatre of the University of Chicago, dedicated to innovation, inquiry, intellectual engagement, and community service. Court endeavors to make a lasting contribution to classic American theatre by expanding the canon of translations, adaptations, and classic texts. Court revives lost masterpieces, illuminates familiar texts, explores the African American theatrical canon, and discovers fresh, modern classics. About Manual Cinema Manual Cinema is a performance collective, design studio, and film/ video production company founded in 2010 by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller, and Kyle Vegter. Manual Cinema combines handmade shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, and innovative sound and music to create immersive visual stories for stage and screen. Using vintage overhead projectors, multiple screens, puppets, actors, live feed cameras, multi-channel sound design, and a live music ensemble, Manual Cinema transforms the experience of attending the cinema and imbues it with liveness, ingenuity, and theatricality. Lookingglass Theatre Company presents: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Written and Directed by Ensemble Member David Catlin From the Book by Mary Shelley May 8–August 4, 2019 Lookingglass Theatre Company (821 N Michigan Ave) Tickets: lookingglasstheatre.org | 312.337.0665 Within every man there is a monster; within every monster, a man. But which is which? An eerie evening of ghost stories crackles to life as Mary Shelley unspools her tale of Victor Frankenstein and his unholy experiment. This gothic tale of love, horror, and the power to create life—and destroy it—awakens in this visceral, original retelling of Frankenstein. Fresh from the brain of Ensemble Member David Catlin, creator of Moby Dick and Lookingglass Alice, comes a galvanic adaptation of this undying story. See for yourself this latest invention come to shocking life! About Lookingglass Theatre Company Inventive. Collaborative. Transformative. Lookingglass Theatre Company, recipient of the 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award, was founded in 1988 by eight Northwestern University students. Entering its 31st Season, Lookingglass is home to a multi-disciplined ensemble of artists who create story-centered theatrical work that is physical, aurally rich and visually metaphoric. The Company has staged 66 world premieres, received 144 Joseph Jefferson Awards and nominations, and work premiered at Lookingglass has been produced in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Berkeley, Philadelphia, Princeton, Hartford, Kansas City, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Louisville and St. Louis. In 2016, Lookingglass received the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago's landmark Water Tower Water Works opened in June 2003. In addition to developing and presenting Ensemble work, Lookingglass Education and Community programs encourage creativity, teamwork and confidence with thousands of community members each year. For more information, visit lookingglasstheatre.org.
We were super stoked to have an advanced press sneak peek at Frankenstein (Version 2) Jonny Lee Miller as The Creature; Benedict Cumberbatch as Victor Frankenstein (2h 5m). Pure theatre geeks will want to check out both versions, documented in this fabulous flip flop of leading roles. We could only make the second version, but chatted up other critics who saw both and they personally preferred the second.
Coincidentally, both actors are currently playing TV versions of Sherlock Holmes, and word is both did stellar jobs alternating in the stage roles of The Creature and Victor Frankenstein. We thoroughly enjoyed Jonny Lee Miller's Creature, who embodied both the innocence and wonder and the vengeful fury of a toddler thwarted. The brief "making of" documentary at the beginning was also an intriguing and informative high point and a welcome prelude.
We've been doing a long form exploration via video interviews on How Creatives Parent and How Parents Create at ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows. This was a stellar example of what we've been discovering. Producing a new human changes you on a fundamental physical and mental level and flows through creative work in a vital way. Miller said there was a lot of his two year old that went into his depiction, and it showed. Even the initial entrance of The Creature was so birth like, as he emerged into this world.
By contrast, the others who saw Cumberbatch's Creature said his characterization was much more lurchy and marionette like.The actors also studied stroke victims and those recovering from accidents, doing physical and speech therapy to regain control of their adult bodies, which also manifested in the physical characterization. All in all, this challenging role was handled with impressive finesse.
We were also quite impressed with the set design, lighting, costumes and make up. The choices were unique and added much to the caliber of the show as a whole. Sometimes it's hard to capture the immediacy and intimacy of live theatre on film, but the camera work is phenomenal and the show is still compelling on screen. We liked the steam punk costume choices for the villagers. The mob made a symbolically and visually impressive entrance when they first met The Creature, on their noisy, industrial, gear laden contraption.
The Creature more closely resembles a man than a big green monster, but the play painfully and poignantly showcases the monstrous nature within man. Mentally and emotionally this adaptation is more true to Shelley's book than most other Frankenstein movies and screen plays, but even more cynical and crackling with dark intensity.The multilayered characters, excellent plot twists, and psychological and moral conundrums have us still thinking about the show days later. Highly recommended.
We had planned to catch a press preview of One Man, Two Guvnors, too, but I ended up making an emergency trip to the vet instead, as my 110lb Akita was yelping in pain. Fortunately it turned out to be a pinched neck nerve, so very painful but nothing lethal. However, sometimes family....even the creatures under our care, have to take precedence.
Music Box tickets for all 3 shows are priced at $15 (advance), $18 (day of), and $20 to see both Frankenstein versions (advance sale only). They can be purchased at the Music Box Theatre box office or online by clicking here.
The Music Box Theatre, Chicago’s year round film festival located at 3733 N. Southport Avenue, is proud to present limited engagement screenings of two National Theatre of Great Britain hits this summer: the 2012 multiple Tony Award-nominated One Man Two Guvnors, featuring the current Broadway cast that transferred from the National, and Danny Boyle's smash hit stage production of Frankenstein, starring Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch, who alternate in the roles of The Creature and Victor Frankenstein.
*Can't make the Music Box dates? You've got one more chance at Northwestern. SAVE 20% ON THE NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE BROADCAST OF FRANKENSTEIN! June 26 & July 24, 2012
Oscar-winner Danny Boyle (127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire) returned to the theatre to direct this visionary production with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller in alternating roles of Frankenstein and the Creature. It will return to cinemas worldwide this summer for a limited season of encore screenings, with two broadcasts at the Theater and Interpretation Center at Northwestern University: Tue, Jun 26, 7pm & Tue, Jul 24, 7pm. The broadcasts will be held in the Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston. Mention code NUNTL and save 20% on full-price tickets (valid on advance purchase only). (847) 491-7282 or buy online! Dueling Sherlocks
Can't get enough of JONNY LEE MILLER & BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH playing the same characters?
People on both sides of "the pond" and around the world dig Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes, on the BBC series of the same name. A third series of the contemporary take on the timeless characters is slated for 2013. This fall, CBS is set to unveil a new modern day version of Sherlock Holmes, "Elementary," set in New York and starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu. Check out the trailer below. The Show On Air:Thursdays 10/9c Starring:Jonny Lee Miller (Sherlock Holmes) Lucy Liu (Joan Watson) Aidan Quinn (Captain Tobias Gregson) Executive Producers:Rob Doherty Sarah Timberman Carl Beverly Michael Cuesta In a modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes, the iconic detective is taking on New York. Just out of rehab, he's been assigned to live with his worst nightmare-sober coach, Dr. Joan Watson. Holmes's unsurpassed skills of deduction and Watson's medical expertise come together to create a dream team for solving the NYPD's most impossible cases.
