“A lot of people think Frankenstein as a ‘monster’,” said Henry Morton, the actor playing Frankenstein in the UO Theatre Department’s production. But he seeks to redefine it.
Frankenstein is often characterized as a “monster,” but Henry Morton, the actor playing Frankenstein in the UO Theatre Department’s production, is seeking to redefine Frankenstein.
“He is actually just a guy,” Morton said.
Morton will play the latter and the end part of Frankenstein’s life when the play premieres on Nov. 8. The UO Theatre Department will be showcasing “Frankenstein” for three consecutive weekends from Nov 8 to Nov. 24 at specific times.
To create the character of Frankenstein, several actors will be playing him at different stages in his life.
Landon Kobz is an actor for “the creature,” or the older monster version of Frankenstein. It is both Morton’s and Kobz’s first time performing in a UO Theatre production, both auditioning for the play in June 2023.
Morton said the story is more than a horror creation. “It’s a lot deeper and more emotional than what people would think of as a horror story,” Morton said.
“Frankenstein felt ill for so many months because he was laboring so hard in creating this [monster] and he almost died,” Morton said. He said the play aims to illustrate Frankenstein as a human, rather than as a monster.
Michael Malek Najjar, the production director, has been working with the UO Theatre almost every year since 2011. “Working with different talents is great,” Najjar said.
Najjar said that while selecting the script, he was looking for a “producible” one with a deeper message. He described the chosen script as “more philosophical and thoughtful” in contrast to other adaptations he read through that focus on the horror side.
Najjar said the play touches on topics such as “life and death, fathers and sons” and “what we do when we hurt others and what happens to us when we hurt them.”
Speaking on the character of Frankenstein, Najjar said, “the creature was not horrible but life made him horrible. Even the most innocent people would become ugly and violent.”
To get involved with future productions, students of any major can sign up for the mailing list from University Theatre and receive information about play auditions.
As soon as the school year started, actors kicked off three-hour weekday and four-hour weekend rehearsals for five days a week.
“Many rehearsals are needed to deliver good quality,” Najjar said. He also worked with costumes and design students over the summer.
The production will take place at the Hope Theatre, a smaller black box theatre where seats surround the stage in the middle.
“I like working at the Hope Theatre because it feels more personal to the audience and intimate and much more exciting,” Najjar said. “Audiences sit on the same level as actors, and get to watch the play close up.”
Morton and Kobz enjoyed watching productions last year at the Hope Theatre as audiences. “You can see the show three times and see different shows depending on which side you sit on,” Morton said.
“Frankenstein” will be on stage from Nov. 8 and will be playing for three weekends: Nov. 8-9, 15-17 and 21-24 at the Hope Theatre at 7:30 p.m., with two matinee performances on Nov. 17 and 24 at 2 p.m.
UO students can receive a free ticket at the door one hour before the show, and it is $8-10 for other guests. The tickets will be available at the UO Ticket Office.
