Skylight’s ‘Frankenstein’ Is Powerful Musical

Skylight Music Theatre’s Frankenstein: The Musical. Photo by Mark Frohna.

Though originally created for off-Broadway, this new version of Frankenstein: The Musical has the Skylight Music Theatre stamped all over its future showings, which I genuinely expect. Technically and in singing it has been put together so craftily that it is two-thirds of the way toward important theatrical recognition.

First, though, forget the movie versions of Frankenstein, including the comic film. This is based closely on Mary Shelley’s original 1818 novel and might more correctly be known by her subtitle The Modern Prometheus, which is also one of the better musical thematics that veteran composer Mark Baron and lyrics-book writer Jeffrey Jackson have used in improving the show during their Milwaukee visit.

The Creature that Victor Frankenstein brings to life destroys much of his family and sets him to wandering the world in the original work, which also has a problem with romantic repetition of the idea that the creator is inextricably linked to and condemned to chasing after the monster he created.

At the start the musical forecasts the strange Arctic conclusion of the original work but it also establishes the character of Victor, played well in all his moods (romantic and gloomy) by Seth K. Hale. Victor is the budding scientific genius of the well-to-do Frankenstein family, with a loving younger brother William and a good friend Henry.

During his university studies he decides to bring the dead to life via electricity. The monster incorrectly referred to in popular culture as Frankenstein is actually The Creature. With clangs of sound, flashes of lightning, projected thunderbolts, a huge shadowy figure under a sheet on an operating table, with whiplashes of projected images and phrases, the audience is chilled more deeply and differently than in those typical movie horror effects.

Artistic director Michael Unger along with lighting/projection designer Smooch Medina (with credited projection concept design from book writer Jackson) set the tone of 18^th century darkness, aided by a squad of costume people under designer Misti Bradford. They embody the period and Gothic novel dress while scenic designer Jonathan Berg-Einhorn buries us in shades of blue, ladders to climb and giant portals to sidle through or shoot videos around.

The music is both harsh and harmonic with sweeping lines and intersections for this good cast of singers. You will not leave this show humming the tunes, though they are easy to listen to. The music functions largely as recitative for the plot.

The emotional balance between dark and light is provided by contrasting melodic and chorale lines, such as a lyric soprano rising in normalcy against the violent backdrop. The soprano is mainly from Skylight veteran Stephanie Staszak as Victor’s sweet (and doomed) love interest. Also having strong uplifting vocal effect are young Mars Schultz as the boyhood member of the Frankenstein clan and Jonathan Riker as Victor’s best friend (and ignored conscience).

But the standouts are Hale as Victor, compelled by his science ego to play God in creation, and Miss Kyle Blair as The Creature, who is brought back to life by Victor and pursues him with feral snarls and clutching hands.

Hale is vocally strong as Victor moves back and forth from catatonic guilt to anguished defiance, continuing his operating room experiments despite his remorse.

Blair (after mike problems were corrected) sings magnetically as he contorts, stares the audience down and kills those his creator loves. It is a hulking twisting performance that drives the show.

The last quarter dissipates. First there is a more forced contrast between the dark and light of the music, with some dragged in musical numbers that barely fit the theme. There is too much reliance on overly familiar ballad patterns. It is also harder, despite committed singers, to believe the extended operatic death throes or the arias built for the main protagonists.

There are nevertheless strong vocal moments from SaraLynn Evenson in several motherly roles and from Ashley M. Rodriguez as the maid who suffers a fate worse than death. The entire crew is worth praising as is the small orchestra under music director and keyboardist Janna Ernst.

Though it flattened for me toward the end, the production should be recognized for how it often sweeps us up in its technical skill and storytelling.

At the handsome Cabot Theatre in the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway, this production continues through March 9. See https://www.skylightmusictheatre.org/frankenstein for ticket info.

Dominique Paul Noth served for decades as film and drama critic, later senior editor for features at the Milwaukee Journal. You’ll find his blog here and here.