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Written By: Lilly Theater Intern, Kayla Brandt
As part of the 200th anniversary celebration of the classic novel, the Lilly Theater recently carried out a production of Frankenstein, which was made possible through a grant given by this year’s One State/One Story: Frankenstein initiative organized through Indiana Humanities. One State/One Story is a statewide program dedicated to encouraging Hoosiers to read a classic novel and participate in discussions, live theater productions, and lectures that discuss questions and themes brought to light by the selected novel. This grant has also helped us learn about robotics in the STEMLab while being inspired by Dr. Frankenstein's Creation.
Our Production
The Lilly Theater’s production of Frankenstein was unique in several ways—including the interactive use of projection mapping, the integration of sound effects and pantomime instead of props and set pieces, and a steampunk-themed set design that enhanced the mood for the entire production. The theater's unique interpretation of Frankenstein incorporated the traditional plot and themes from the classic tale, with an imaginative twist.
The extraordinary technical aspects of the show complemented the high caliber acting of the six actors who portrayed the story. Matt Anderson, an actor-interpreter at the museum, played The Creature. Luckily for us, he's graciously offered to share about his preparation for the role...
Turning into the Creature
Mentality: Matt has experience playing villains in past productions (he even portrayed The Creature in a 2011 production of Frankenstein directed by former museum staff member Patrick Weigand). But he says the key to playing a villain is to not think of the character as a villain. “Mentally, I have to prepare for them as I would any character—trying to figure out what the character’s motivations are, what the character’s desires are, WHY the character is doing what they’re doing…If I can’t do that, nothing my character does will come across as real.” Matt also dug into the Creature’s mind by reading Mary Shelley’s original novel, which helped connect the show to the original source material—per director Ben Asaykwee’s vision.
Physicality: In addition to the mental preparation, Matt had to physically prepare for the role by creating voice and movement for the Creature, and, of course, by getting into makeup and costume. Matt learned how to move as the Creature would, as if it felt like “every nerve [was] on fire.” When creating a monstrous voice for the character, Matt took several precautions to protect himself – “I made a point to do numerous vocal warm-ups ahead of time, as well as drinking plenty of water and tea and then gargling salt water both before and after the show.” Matt arrived about an hour and 15 minutes early to each show so that he could put on green and black face makeup and then “use a combination of facial glue and facial tape to adhere the prosthetic forehead” to his face before it was finally secured by straps. After the makeup and mask were applied, Matt was able to put on the wig and get into costume.
Impact: Learning about the evolution of the story of Frankenstein, and watching the Lilly production was quite the experience for museum guests who viewed it, but it also had a major impact on the cast and crew, especially Matt:
“We all know Frankenstein’s big green creature with bolts in his neck that mostly groans individual syllables or words, so when having a chance to portray the Creature for the first time, I was absolutely taken in by the dense themes of Mary Shelley’s original work…not to mention the elaborate, thoughtful eloquence of the Creature himself! I adore the fact that the Creature is kind and gentle, yearning to learn about the world and connect with people, and it’s amazingly sweet how articulate he is…which makes it all the more devastating when he is shunned time and time again by the very people he wants to love and help. HE is not the monster, and that’s the incredible, terrifying heart of the story.”
If you were a fan of Frankenstein, you won't want to miss our upcoming show, The Snow Queen, running from November 23–December 30 on select days. Tickets are free with museum admission. Day-of tickets are available at the Lower Level Ticket Booth. See you there!
