The Green Room

As the air grows crisp and shadows lengthen, it’s time to embrace the spirit of spooky season! 🎃This month on Thursday, Oct.17, join us at Shannon Hall for a night of thrilling artistry as Manual Cinema presents its captivating adaptation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.”

In this unique production, love, loss, and creation intertwine in unexpected ways. Manual Cinema, the Emmy Award-winning performance collective based in Chicago, imaginatively combines shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, sound effects, and a live orchestra to deliver an experience like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

“Brimming with accomplished performances and imaginative images, colored with sights and sounds, light and shadow…a majestic accomplishment that boggles the mind.” - Chicago Theater Review

The performance stitches together the classic tale of “Frankenstein” with the biography of its author, Mary Shelley, to reveal a powerful narrative about the beauty and horror of creation. This dual storytelling approach exposes how family, community, and education shape personhood — or destroy it by their absence. Through this lens, the real-life and fictional journeys of Shelley, Victor Frankenstein, and the monster converge in an exploration of identity and belonging.

Since its world premiere at Court Theatre in Chicago in November 2018, “Frankenstein” has captured the hearts of audiences, making its way to the New York premiere at The Public Theatre’s “Under the Radar” Festival in January 2019, followed by an international debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2019.

Founded in 2010 by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller, and Kyle Vegter, Manual Cinema has redefined storytelling for stage and screen. Its signature blend of handmade shadow puppetry, innovative sound design, and live music creates immersive experiences that blur the line between theater and cinema. With awards like an Emmy for “The Forger” and recognition as Chicago Artists of the Year by the Chicago Tribune, Manual Cinema continues to push creative boundaries.

Don’t miss your chance to witness this breathtaking adaptation of “Frankenstein” on Oct. 17. Tickets are on sale now, so grab yours before they disappear into the night! Join us for a night of spine-chilling storytelling that promises to be a highlight of your spooky season. 👻

Run time is 65 minutes.

Recommended for ages 8 and up. There are loud sounds, flashing lights and haze.