By Hannah Cass
I had the absolute pleasure of attending the premiere of the Neil Simon Festival’s new Frankenstein On the Air, performed wonderfully at The Heritage Center Theater in Cedar City. Upon entering, audience members are delighted by the performance space and the open yet cozy feel of The Heritage Center. The stage was adorned in spider webs, pumpkins, gourds, and cornucopias, instantly setting the mood for the season and possibly encouraging cravings for a pumpkin spice latte. The set is completed by the “ON THE AIR” and “APPLAUSE” signs hanging from ceiling and the foley table centering the stage that provides all the wonderful sound effects for the show, certainly giving an old-time “on the air” radio show environment.
Directed by Peter Sham, this show has something for everyone. At the start of Frankenstein on the Air, we are graced by the three lovely “Scare-o-lette” witches (Olivia Sham, Samantha Allred, and Tammi Colombo) who perform a wonderful rendition of Frank Sinatra’s Witchcraft. Following this, we are introduced to the primary layer of the production, featuring the cast of the Frankenstein radio show before it begins. Loaded with laughs, this segment features Stu and Chick Wright (Richard Bugg and Peter Sham), the brothers in charge of the operation, Andy Foley (Robert F. Wilson) the foley artist for the show, and Keith Bradshaw, Matthew Nickerson, Kyle Bishop, and Brandon Burk as, well, themselves. Adding to the laughter, reporters Doug Graves (Ron Pisaturo), Candy Corn (Ellen Treanor) and camera guy Chester (Ryan McLean) take the stage and host the hilarious and awkward television interview of the Wright brothers.
The air becomes more serious after the radio show itself begins, telling the story as true as possible to the original Mary Shelley classic, Frankenstein. The tale features Victor Frankenstein (Brandon Burk), a brilliant scientist with a curious mind for the mystery of the creation of life. After the death of his mother (Georgia Beth Thompson) he promises to take care of his lover and cousin, Elisabeth (Allred), and he busies himself with his experiments as he deals with the loss. As a result he creates the Monster (Steven Meredith) who kills his friend Professor Waldman (Nickerson), and from then on Victor is plagued with misfortune and death as he tries to put an end to the creature he created.
The Frankenstein cast also consists of Colombo as Mrs. Percy, Olivia Sham as Justine, Bugg as the Blind Man, Peter Sham as Captain Walton, Nickerson as the jailor and bodyguard, Bishop as Krempe and a bodyguard, McLean as the 1st mate, Henry Clerval, Victor’s father and the priest, and Georgia Beth Thompson as the maid. Even with the comedic intervals of the other layers of the production, each actor takes their role seriously and provides a genuine original retelling of Frankenstein.
When the performance goes “off air” the hilarity resumes, providing the audience with more entertaining characters, like Bob Frapples (TJ Penrod), another reporter working alongside Candy Corn to deliver the local southern Utah news to the radio listeners. We also get the pleasure of listening to Chiffon Baker (Wendy Penrod) conduct a tutorial on how to carve a Halloween pumpkin safely and easily, although things don’t exactly go that way. Strange things are afoot close by Cedar City, such as crashing meteors, aliens, and…SUU student zombies? Sheriff Phil Moon (Todd Peterson) enters the theater to update us and the cast nonchalantly with this important information. Costumes by Jen Bach add to the delight of the production.
Overall, this production has something for everyone. Everything comes together beautifully thanks to the hard work of all the talent involved.
Frankenstein on the Air runs for only two more nights, Saturday, October 28th and Monday, October 30th. This is a show for the entire family that you won’t want to miss. It may just be worth it to sneak out of work this weekend for such a highly entertaining experience with hidden Halloween references and staples and humor selective to the southern Utah region.
The Simon Festival presents Frankenstein on the Air
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The Heritage Center Theater, 105 N 100 E, Cedar City, UT 84720
October 27-28, 30 7:30 PM
Call: 435-267-0194, 866-35-SIMON
Tickets: $15.00 adults. $10.00 for Veterans, Student I.D, kids under 12.
Neil Simon Festival Facebook Page
Frankenstein on the Air Facebook Event
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