Playwright's Note
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein looms large over our collective consciousness; the story confronts us with moral quandaries and begs the question, “what would I do?” when faced with life-altering decisions. Each of the characters in this adaptation makes choices that have major repercussions for themselves, their loved ones, and even strangers. Reflecting this most is the ambitious young scientist, Victor, and his partner Elizabeth. They create a life they deem monstrous and in doing so, provoke their creation to be exactly that. But what if Victor and Elizabeth’s initial choice was kindness? I recently became a father and think about the choice to exhibit this ideal in my own life, for the sake of my daughter. It can be easier said than done to choose kindness, love, generosity, mercy, or forgiveness, but what’s the alternative? The ramifications of our choices are enormous.
I hope you enjoy my adaptation of Frankenstein. I hope it makes you think, laugh, and shiver. I thank everyone at City Gate Productions for bringing it to life, and I thank you for being a part of it. In the words of another monster-creator, Ishiro Honda, the director of Godzilla (1954): “Monsters are tragic beings. They are born too tall, too strong, too heavy. They are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy”.
~Vincent S. Hannam
Director's Note
I am thrilled to be making my City Gate debut with this production of Frankenstein. City Gate's dedication to bringing theatre to Queens and creating community among theatres across the city is nothing short of inspiring. How convenient it is that such an excellent example of responsibility and community has allowed me to present a show demonstrating the opposite—ambition and isolation.
As a progenitor of science fiction and titan of horror literature, there is no doubt that this is the best time of year for this story; and, as we as a society continue to careen into the Information Age, there is no doubt that this is the best time of our lives to tell this story. Every day, ambitious individuals seek to gain power and glory and to "shake up industries." Ambition, combined with isolation, selfishness, and the goal to derange the order of things, will lead to calamitous results. This is not to say ambition is inherently evil; it is only when it is placed above responsibility to oneself, one's family, and one's community.
As you watch this show, one-part Georgian-era horror and one-part family drama, consider what you are willing to do to get what you want. Then, consider if you are willing to take responsibility for those actions and their ramifications.
Is it worth separating yourself from your friends and family?
Is it worth hurting the stranger next to you right now?
Is it worth your own life?
~Jorden Charley-Whatley
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cast and crew bios
Austin Hust (Victor), born and raised in Southern California, is an actor based in New York City. His recent work includes a range of short films and independent projects. He extends his gratitude to the cast and crew as well as his friends and family for their unwavering support. Frankenstein marks his stage debut.
Juliet Wolfe (Elizabeth) is so excited to be making her City Gate debut! Selected Regional: Play that Goes Wrong and Laura Ingalls Wilder(Sierra Repertory Theater,) We (River Rep Theatre,) and Monkey (Lanes Coven Theater Co). Selected New York: Othello (Fools & Kings Project), Macbeth (Inkblot Theatre Co), Romeo and Juliet (CenterStage Theater). Selected TV/Film: My Best Friend’s a Zombie, Hiding Bodies, Blues Run the Game: A Portrait of Jackson C. Frank. She is a proud graduate of Northwestern University's acting program and current member of Kimball Studio. Much love to family, friends, and Codybear. julietwolfe.com @juliejuliejet
Tyler Fewin (The Monster) is thrilled to be part of this production of Frankenstein. A New York-based actor, he’s appeared in various short films and indie projects. Frankenstein will mark his theater and City Gate debut and he’s excited to bring the Monster to life. Tyler would like to thank his friends and family who’ve supported him along the way, especially those here tonight. He’d also like to thank City Gate for the opportunity to perform. Finally, a special thank you to Nisha, without whom life would be exceedingly less interesting and is the one who made this all possible.
Allison Fletcher (Captain Walton) is a multidisciplinary singer, actor, stage combatant and scenic carpenter recently relocated to New York City. Favorite New York credits include Lowlands (Aunt), The Jackie Mason Musical (Gayle) and First Ladies (Eleanor Roosevelt). Regional credits include four years serving as Queen María Isabella at Medieval Times D.C., The Sea Voyage (Aminta), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Helena, Titania), Dracula (Lucy) and The Prisoner of Zenda (Baroness Hentzau) in Philadelphia. Allison can be seen next in Dangerous Dames Theatre's production of Shelley and Lovelace Never Met as Ada Lovelace who posthumously meets the author of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley. For Susan. www.allisonfletcher.com
Michaela Tramuta (Rivera) is an actor, singer and dancer based in New York City. Recently a new Queens resident, Michaela is delighted to be making her play debut not only here in Queens and NYC but...for the first time ever! Represented with Bramante Artists, Michaela has had the privilege of working regionally all over the country specifically in the musical theatre realm. Some of her most recent credits include, Ensemble/ Cover in School of Rock the Musical, The Witch in Big Fish, Beth March in Little Women and Ensemble/ Cover in Cabaret featuring Michaela on the Alto and Tenor Saxophone. Check out her podcast, Dressing Room Talk (on 13 platforms including Spotify) featuring her co-host, roomie, best friend AND the costume designer of this show! So much gratitude to her family, friends, coaches and teachers for their continued tremendous support. @michaelamarietramuta
Daniel Wolfe Mitnik (Delacey) NYC – Twelve Angry Men (Juror #7), The Leopard and the Lynx (Patrick Dennis), Verbatim (Reese), The Assassination of J. Kaisar (Cassius), The Detective Story (Det. Gallagher), In the Boom Boom Room (Harold), A Lie of the Mind (Baylor), Our Town (Doc Gibbs); Regional Theater - The Bald Soprano (The Fire Chief), Much Ado About Nothing (Dogberry), Taming of the Shrew (Grumio), A Thousand Clowns (Arnold Burns), Prelude to a Kiss (the Old Man), The Comedy of Errors (Dromio): Daniel is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he studied theatre and English literature, and the Terry Knickerbocker Studio, a two year Meisner conservatory.
Jennifer Kim (Emily) is a NYC-based actress. Her recent roles include Judith Shakespeare, Puck, and Rosalind in Dream Up Festival's Tongs and Bones, Cassandra in Gallery Players' Oresteia, Beth March, Aunt March, and Hannah in First Flight Theatre's Little Women, Zubaida Ula and Catherine Connolly in St. Jean's Players' The Laramie Project, and Neil in First Flight Theatre's Valley Forge. She is thrilled to be a part of the cast for Frankenstein!
Jack Tavcar (Father/Inspector Krogh) is super stoked to be making his CityGate debut in Frankenstein!! As a Queens native, he is very excited for the opportunity to share this story with his family, friends and enemies!! Training: LaGuardia HS Vocal Studio, USC School of Dramatic Arts, Atlantic Acting School. Recent credits include Serving The Hamptons on MAX
DIRECTOR: Jorden Charley-Whatley is a member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, a NYC-based director, actor, and dramaturg, and an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. He's excited to make his City Gate debut and have the opportunity to bring this production of Frankenstein to life! Select directing credits include MY STORY IS GLUSKABE (Penobscot Theatre Company), BOTTLENOSE: A MODERN MYSTERY (The Gaze Presents), and THE COPIER (Magic Theatre). He received his B. A in Theatre with a dual emphasis in Directing and Acting from The Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film at UNL.
STAGE MANAGER: Sarah Jack (they/them) is a queer/non-binary stage manager/actor/director/occasional photographer. They studied theater at Bennington College and then went on to train in the Meisner technique at the Terry Knickerbocker Studio. They have an unhealthy obsession with Shakespeare and a slightly more healthy addiction to coconut water. When not performing, they enjoy reading, long walks on the beach, and dismantling systems of oppression piece by bloody piece. If you read this far, did you know that after her husband died, Mary Shelley kept his heart in a silk purse in a desk drawer. Wild.
COSTUME DESIGNER: Grace Wylie is a New York City based Costume Designer, Cutter Draper and Seamstress. Some of her most resent credits include: Gluskabe at Penobscot Theatre Company (Costume Designer), Little Shop of Horrors at Penobscot Theatre Company (Wig Designer), Tick Tick Boom at George Street Playhouse (Assistant Costume Designer), and The Roommate on Broadway (Seamstress). Thank you to City Gate Productions and Jorden Charley-Whattley for inviting me to be a part of this production of Frankenstien! For more information about my work follow my podcast on Spotify, Dressing Room Talk, featuring my co-host Michaela Tramuta (Rivera).
MAKEUP DESIGNER/MUA: Caitlyn Piccirillo is a NYC-based makeup artist who wears multiple hats. As a makeup artist, Caitlyn specializes in Special Effects Makeup, and has worked on several indie projects including Acolyte (which is in Post-Production) and Migrants, a comedy Web Series. Her philosophy for makeup is “finding the beauty in the grotesque.” Caitlyn is also an actor/singer, and has been seen singing at Jazz at Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall. Most recently she was a part of the choir in “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” Anniversary Concert at Radio City. You can check out more of her work on TikTok and Instagram: @caitlynpicc
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To Delve Further Into The World of Frankenstein
Resources provided by Amanda Gillespie, Dramaturg
Facts about Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley published Frankenstein in 1818 when she was just 21 years old, but she actually wrote it when she was 18.
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein as part of a ghostwriting challenge during a summer stay in Switzerland with friends, her partner Percy Shelley, and the famous writer Lord Byron.
It’s believed that Mary Shelley’s relationship with Percy Shelley bloomed mainly near her mother’s grave, which was on the property of her childhood home.
Frankenstein is considered to be the birth of literary science fiction after readers flocked to read the novel and searched for similar works about scientists and their experiments.
Mary Shelley originally published Frankenstein anonymously, leading many to believe her husband Percy had written it as he had written the foreword. It was later republished under her name in 1823 and again in 1831.
It’s rumored that after Percy Shelley’s death, Mary Shelley kept his calcified heart after it did not burn when he was cremated. She is thought to have taken it with her everywhere.
Facts about Frankenstein, the Text and Adaptations
Mary Shelley claimed that she had a dream where the creature in Frankenstein appeared, inspiring her text: “I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life. … He sleeps; but he is awakened; he opens his eyes; behold, the horrid thing stands at his bedside, opening his curtains, and looking on him with yellow, watery, but speculative eyes.”
Frankenstein shares its famous name with Castle Frankenstein on the Rhine River. There, Mary and Percy Shelley learned about the alchemist Konrad Dippel, who had lived in the castle. He was trying to create an elixir called Dippel’s Oil that would make people live for over a hundred years.
In Frankenstein, one of the main goals of the creature is to have a female version of himself to love, demanding that Victor Frankenstein create a partner for him so they may disappear into the wilderness or else. Worried that the creature and his wife might be able to have children and create a new species, Victor destroys the unfinished bride, leading to more devasting moments in the novel.
Audiences first meet the Bride of Frankenstein in the 1935 film of the same name, where she is seen being created with her iconic white-striped hair.
Frankenstein has been borrowed, adapted, and riffed on many times, causing it to be considered a cornerstone text due to the many variations and original texts that it influenced. It and the character of the creature have been adapted for books, films, television, cartoons, comics, audio dramas, stage productions, theme park attractions, and more.
Notable examples include the Universal Monsters films, Dick Briefer’s Frankenstein comic books, Mel Brooks’ movie Young Frankenstein (later reproduced as a Broadway musical), the TV sitcom The Munsters, the Hotel Transylvania movies, the musical film Rocky Horror Picture Show, and more.
The themes of the novel are believed to have also influenced Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The version of the monster in the original novel is quite different from what we often see in its other adaptations. In the novel the creature is articulate, thoughtful, and believed to have yellow skin and long, dark hair. However, the many recreated adaptations have created this image of the confused and grumbling, green creature we best know today.
The common version of the monster stumbling around and growling actually came from test audiences for the Universal Monster films. The original approach to the character included his ability to speak and his nervousness, but audiences did not enjoy these parts of his character, causing producers to cut that part of his character.
IMDB has a curated list of 47 Film adaptations of Frankenstein spanning from 1910 to the 200s: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls052277271/. This list is not complete, though, as it does not include the most recent film adaptation,2024’s Lisa Frankenstein. This film follows the love story of a teenager and her crush, who happens to be a corpse brought back to life, and her plan to keep it that way.
Academic Journals and Articles for further reading
"Frankenstein and the State of Nature" by Jonathan Bate, originally published in 2000.
"What is a Monster? According to Frankenstein. by Peter Brooks, originally published in 1993.
“Frankenstein and the Monster of Representation” by Daniel Cottom, originally published in 1980.
“Facing the Ugly: The Case of ‘Frankenstein’” by Denise Gigante, originally published in 2000.
“Sibling Revelry in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein” by Leila Silvana May, originally published in 1995.
"Frankenstein, Racial Science, and the Yellow Peril" by Anne K. Mellor, originally published in 2001.
"Possessing Nature: The Female in Frankenstein" by Anne K. Mellor, originally published in 1988.
"Female Gothic: The Monster's Mother" by Ellen Moers, originally published in 1974.
"'My Hideous Progeny': The Lady and the Monster" by Mary Poovey, originally published in 1984.