Wisconsin Union Theater presents cinematic shadow puppet and music company’s reimagining of ‘Frankenstein’
The worlds of film, music, shadow puppetry and theater combine in Manual Cinema’s performance of “Frankenstein” on Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Shannon Hall at Memorial Union, as part of the Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) 2024-2025 season.
The Manual Cinema production combines Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein” with biographical elements from Shelley’s life. The Emmy Award-winning team’s reimagining retains the original novel’s themes of life, love and death.
The idea for Manual Cinema’s “Frankenstein” began with ensemble Co-Artistic Director Drew Dir, who developed the production with Co-Artistic Directors Sarah Fornace and Julia VanArsdale Miller. Fellow Co-Artistic Directors Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter composed the music.
The Manual Cinema team describes the story of Frankenstein as showing how family, community and education shape personhood and, potentially, destroy it. The team says this 65-minute production is suitable for patrons ages 8 and up. The performance is directly followed by “puppet time,” an invitation from the artists to the audience to ask questions and view some of the ensemble’s instrumentation and props up close. The event will include loud sounds, flashing lights and haze.
“There’s a reason the ‘Frankenstein’ novel has stood the test of time in popularity and relevance; it centers around a science fiction premise, but it reflects the universal themes of love and loss and relatable experiences of rejection, seeking acceptance, facing society’s judgment, and self-discovery,” WUT Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “Manual Cinema has created a novel way to present ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Frankenstein’ author Mary Shelley’s own experiences seeking love and acceptance and the rejection she faced from her stepmother and father.”
Patrons can purchase tickets to the performance of Manual Cinema’s “Frankenstein” and other WUT seasons performances, such as jazz, theater, hip-hop and classical music events online, in-person at the Memorial Union Box Office or by phone at (608) 265-2787. Wisconsin Union members, students and patrons under 18 years of age are eligible for ticket discounts.
The WUT team creates each WUT season in collaboration with Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee student leaders. The 2024-2025 season of what’s next now brings internationally known artists and artists-on-the-rise to stages in Madison. WUT ticket purchases and Memorial Union dining options purchases help make WUT events and student leadership opportunities possible. The WUT team invites patrons to enjoy on-site dining options before each season performance.
For more information about the Oct. 17 “Frankenstein” event, visit https://union.wisc.edu/events-and-activities/event-calendar/event/theater-manual-cinema/.
