Frankenstein to visit Polson

Our autumn show this year is “Frankenstein.” I’m hoping you can run the following “who what and where” information as a  cutline for the photo in the upcoming Leader and perhaps run the short (I feel) very interesting history and story of this classic piece of literature.  We certainly have the cast to pull it off! Thanks for your attention to this! -Karen

 The Port Polson Players in association with The Mission Valley Friends of the Arts present the classic and all-time thriller “Frankenstein,” two weekends at Polson’s beautiful  theatre on the lake. The show runs October 24,25,26 , October 30,31(Halloween) and November 1 and 2. Curtain time is 7:30 for Friday and Saturday performances with 2:00 matinees on Sundays. A special showing on Thursday will occur on October 30th with an early evening curtain slated for 6:00. Reservations can be made by calling 883-9212 or by going to PortPolsonPlayers.com.  The cast of twelve includes, pictured here, Kyle Stinger as the “Creature,” Forrest Niemeyer as Doctor Victor Frankenstein, and Steven Alexander in the role of Victors’ friend, Henry Clerval.

Many folks know that a woman, Mary Shelley, wrote the novel “Frankenstein.” But did you know she was only 18 years old when her novel was published? Also of interest is the fact  Mary and her husband, poet Percy Shelley, stayed a summer with fellow poet Lord Byron. Byron suggested they each write a “ghost story,” betting they

would outdo each other.”  Mary’s short story won the bet, with her husband, Percy Shelley, encouraging her to develop it into a novel. The first printing of the book was anonymously published in 1818, with the second edition, bearing Mary Shelley’s name, published in 1823.

The Players are producing “Frankenstein” in the same time period Shelley wrote the tale, using  the same type of scenery (and costumes)  they would have used in the mid-1800’s.  Director Karen Lewing commented “The adaptation by playwright Victor Gialanella is the closest to Shelley’s novel. Don’t expect a green square head monster with a bolt in his neck... that’s Hollywood’s version.” “The original story includes a “creature” and situation the audience sympathizes with.” Adds technical director, Neal Lewing, “We’ve got a drop and wing system rigged to take us to the Frankenstein castle and five other locations.... including the laboratory. “It’s truly a classic piece of literature, the granddaddy of all ghost stories.”