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Skylight Music Theatre’s Frankenstein: The Musical will look nothing like director James Whale’s classic 1931 movie. “This is not about a big lumbering guy with bolts sticking out of his neck,” says Skylight’s artistic director, Michael Unger. Those who have always said that the book—Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel—was better than the movie should be pleased. “The production maintains Shelley’s sensibility,” Unger continues. “It speaks to the promise and perils of technology. Think about the potential of AI—it will do some wonderful things, and it will do some terrible damage.”
In Shelley’s Frankenstein, an idealistic scientist gains the power to create human life, but at peril to himself and society as well as the person he creates.
With book and lyrics by Jeffrey Jackson and music by Mark Baron, Frankenstein the Musical debuted off-Broadway in 2007 and has seldom been seen since. Skylight’s production will not only be its Milwaukee premiere but will also unveil a new script with new songs. There is no “monster” in the musical, just the Creature (Miss Kyle Blair), a corpse reanimated by Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Seth K. Hale).
“We will not disfigure the actor,” Unger says, in contrast to monstrous makeup worn by Boris Karloff in the Frankenstein film. “There will be some makeup, but the performance will depend on acting and body language” in a story Unger describes as a tragic father-son conflict between the Creature and his creator. “He’s not a monster but a damaged boy. He’s trying to find love” but receives only rejection from his “father” and society. “It’s about what happens when things get out of control—a good metaphor for many things in today’s society, told through a dark, intimate telling of a familiar story.”
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Unger calls the score “epic and intimate” compares the musical vibe of Frankenstein to such late-last century blockbusters as Miss Saigon or Les Mis, with a few nods to the story’s 19th century setting. [sung?] Although projections will be screened as backdrops as the production follows Shelley’s narrative from place to place, the technology will be kept deliberately low. “Theater fails when it tries to be film on stage,” he explains. “Frankenstein will celebrate what makes theater magical—what’s theatrical about theater.”
The musical’s authors will be in town for the production and the cast mixes national and local talent. Frankenstein: The Musical is the latest world premiere or debut revamping at Skylight under Unger’s leadership. “Milwaukee is putting its stamp on work that will go on and be seen in theaters throughout the country,” he says.
Feb. 21-March 9 at the Broadway Theater Center. For tickets and more information, visit skylightmusictheatre.org.
