University of Indianapolis Department of Theatre presents Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, adapted by Austin Tichenor
INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis is bringing Austin Tichenor’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to life as part of a statewide initiative celebrating the classic novel and funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
With performances beginning Friday, Oct. 27-Nov. 11, the University’s Department of Theatre presents a fully staged production of this classic novel. This adaptation by Austin Tichenor closely follows the original novel and is performed as part of UIndy’s Communiversity: Frankenstein course, a one-credit online course designed to encourage students to think more deeply about the relationship between science and society.
The University of Indianapolis is one of 14 colleges and universities around Indiana participating in One State /One Story: Frankenstein, an Indiana Humanities program. Written by teenage Mary Shelley in 1818, Frankenstein tells the story of a young scientist who created a grotesque living creature through a scientific experiment and was horrified by what he had made.
Director Brad Wright, associate professor and chair of the Department of Theatre, said Tichenor’s adaptation stays true to Shelley’s novel while delivering the thrills that audiences have come to expect from the classic story. The play also explores themes that still resonate with current events.
“There’s this sense of the ‘other’ and the creature feeling discriminated against because he’s different. Another significant theme is the whole debate about scientists ‘playing God’,” Wright said.
“Although the book is 200 years old, Frankenstein is still relevant today. We still wrestle with limits of science, the consequences of technology and how we treat people who are different than we are,’’ said Keira Amstutz, president and CEO of Indiana Humanities.
Communiversity: Frankenstein is made possible in part through a Shaheen grant from the Shaheen College of Arts & Sciences.
See ticket information and schedule.
About the University of Indianapolis
The University of Indianapolis, founded in 1902, is a private, liberal arts university located just a few minutes from downtown Indianapolis. UIndy is ranked among the top Midwest Universities by the U.S. News and World Report, with a diverse enrollment of more than 5,200 undergraduates, 1,300 graduate students and 400 continuing education students. The University offers a wide variety of study areas, including 100 undergraduate degrees, more than 35 master’s degree programs and five doctoral programs. With strong programs in the health sciences, engineering, business and education, UIndy impacts its community by living its motto, “Education for Service.” www.uindy.edu.
About One State / One Story: Frankenstein
One State / One Story: Frankenstein is an Indiana Humanities program and has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and in partnership with the Indiana State Library and Indiana Center for the Book. One State / One Story: Frankenstein is part of Indiana Humanities’ two-year Quantum Leap initiative, which encourages Hoosiers to celebrate what happens when we bridge the humanities with STEM.
About Indiana Humanities
Indiana Humanities connects people, opens minds and enriches lives by creating and facilitating programs that encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk. Indiana Humanities is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and Lilly Endowment, Inc. Learn more at www.indianahumanities.org.