Frankenstein | |
---|---|
A New Musical | |
Music | Mark Baron |
Lyrics | Jeffrey Jackson |
Book | Jeffrey Jackson Gary P. Cohen |
Basis | Frankenstein by Mary Shelley |
Productions | 2007 off-Broadway International productions |
Awards | Kenny Award for Best Show of the Year |
Frankenstein – A New Musical is a musical with music by Mark Baron, lyrics by Jeffrey Jackson, and a book by Jackson and Gary P. Cohen, based on the Mary Shelley novel of the same name. In this version of the famous story, when Frankenstein rejects his hideous Creature, the Creature takes its revenge on his creator's family; eventually both creator and Creature learn a lesson about love.
The musical premiered off-Broadway in 2007, with a cast including Hunter Foster and Christiane Noll. Tours, regional and international productions have followed.
Geneva, 1769; a child prodigy, Victor lives a happy and privileged childhood with his father and mother. When Victor is seven years old, his mother gives birth to his brother, William. By 1789, Victor has grown into a vibrant and incredibly intelligent young man. He is accepted to the University of Ingolstadt, where he decides to study science. Victor's mother dies of scarlet fever, inspiring him to research the secrets of life and death ("A Golden Age").
Victor decides to leave home to further research his theories. He bids farewell to his family, his best friend Henry, and his cousin, also his fiancée, Elizabeth. Victor makes a promise to Elizabeth that he will return to her. ("Find Your Way Home"). Victor visits his mother's grave before he leaves, and declares he shall see her again for he has discovered how to reanimate the dead. Victor demonstrates this by successfully bringing a dead sparrow back to life. At Ingolstadt Victor's theories are met with outrage, labeled as "Madness, folly, and insanity." Determined to prove his theories to the world Victor attends the hanging of an unnamed, condemned man and, after the man is dead, claims the body for his experiment ("Amen"). Inside his lab at the University, Victor comprises a man, approximately eight feet in height, of carefully selected limbs and organs. Harnessing the power of a ferocious lightning storm, he tries to endow his creation with life ("Birth to My Creation"). At first, the experiment seems unsuccessful and Victor feverishly looks over his notes to see what could have gone wrong ("1:15 AM"). Elizabeth has been writing to Victor constantly, although he has never written back. As Elizabeth writes her last letter back in Geneva, Victor finally looks over the letters he has ignored. Realizing he has been neglecting his loved ones, Victor longs to return home and forget about his failure. Suddenly, a loud scream emits from the laboratory and Victor rushes in to investigate. He discovers that his creation has indeed come to life, but it is so hideous in appearance that Victor, terrified, sets fire to his laboratory, and believes the Creature has perished in the flames ("Dear Victor/Burn the Laboratory").