New College Students Adapt Classic ‘Frankenstein’ For Social Network Era

New College of Florida’s “Frankenfest” – a series of events based on Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 novel – concludes with a modern-day dramatic adaption titled Frankenstein; or the Postmodern Prometheus. 
The play will be performed in New College’s Black Box Theater at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, April 26, 27, and 28, and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 29. Admission is free and open to the public. The event is made possible by a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The production follows the story of a contemporary Victor Frankenstein existing in the age of technology. Socially incompetent, Victor places his efforts to find companionship within the realms of the Internet. Failing to make any friends, however, evokes in Victor a brilliant idea: to create the “perfect profile,” so that he may garner all the relationships he is unable to achieve on his own.
When all goes awry and the profile begins to go against his wishes—Victor comes face-to-face with his creation, the consequences of his actions, and struggles to find a place of his own in a world where his biggest obstacle is everything he’s ever dreamed of, feared, and envied—manifested.
The production is created and presented through a collaboration of New College courses. Students adapted the script from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus in an independent study project under the direction of Professor Andrei Malaev-Babel. Students in the “Technical Theater” course, under the direction of Professor Monica Cross, created the technical design.
The actors are members of Professor Maleav-Babel’s “Theatrical Adaptation” course. This class gives students the opportunity both to act and to participate in the greater process of making a production. In addition their role in the play, each actor has taken a job on the technical side of this process, filling the roles of directing, publicity, dramaturgy and stage management.
The methods of Russian theater theorist Nikolai Demidov have been studied and practiced under the guidance of Professor Maleav-Babel to bring to life this original adaptation of a classic work.
Frankenstein; or the Postmodern Prometheus
Presented by New College of Florida’s Windmill Theatre Company
and the “Theatrical Adaptation” class
Written by Eric Auerbach and Alison Libby
Directed by Rosemary Stevens
New College’s Black Box Theater, inside the Hamilton Center
7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday April 26, 27, and 28, and at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 29.
Admission is free and open to the public.
Tickets can be reserved on Eventbrite via the Windmill Theatre Company Facebook page.
The event is made possible by a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.