SPRINGFIELD – The Clark State Community College Performing Arts Center will welcome “Frankenstein” to the stage on Thursday, Feb. 14. This classic novel brought to life is presented by the Aquila Theatre of London.
Written two centuries ago in 1818 by Mary Shelley, Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus is the first true science fiction novel. Years ahead of its time, the story has since become the inspiration for countless film and stage adaptations. Frankenstein is a living, breathing, gruesome outcome of scientific discovery. The piece raises an important universal question about the nature of innovation.
Victor Frankenstein is a Swiss scientist with a mission to create an artificial human. Without considering the consequences of such progress, he succeeds with terrifying results. After wandering the world alone, the Monster eventually comes for Frankenstein’s family. Horrific events unfold until the doctor tentatively agrees to create a mate for the creature. Ultimately, the doctor refuses in an effort to spare humanity but bears the terrible and personal penalties of his decision.
Clark State President Dr. Jo Alice Blondin will hold a discussion of the groundbreaking Frankenstein novel and its continued relevance in today’s society prior to the start of the show. She encourages all to read the novel.
“This novel is a thoughtful examination of how we acquire knowledge – both knowledge about the world and knowledge about ourselves,” said Blondin. “While the novel has spawned many imitations, both serious and comic, the elemental truths of the novel resonate with us today, especially the way in which we see ourselves based on others’ perception of us.”
As a company dedicated to the classics, the Aquila Theatre’s mission is to make classical works accessible to many. Aquila was founded by Peter Meineck in London in 1991. In 1997, Aquila became a U.S. non-for-profit organization and is now based in New York.
“The Aquila Theatre Company of London is one of our country’s great touring companies,” said Adele Adkins, executive director of the Clark State Performing Arts Center. “Frankenstein is rarely performed as a play, so this is a unique opportunity to see a fantastic theater company performing a fantastic piece of theater.”
The pre-show Frankenstein novel lecture with Dr. Blondin will begin at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 14. The Aquila Theatre Company will present Frankenstein beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com for $25. Student tickets for $5 are available in person at the Clark State Performing Arts Center Box Office with a valid student ID.
