Frankenstein featured on Providence College's homepage and across social media platforms! To read the article written by Michael Hagan, please click here!

Director's Note

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has transcended limitations and become one of the most profound novels in the English literary canon. It is the most widely taught text in American colleges and universities for a reason, and I am proud that we are telling this astonishing story by performing Peggy Webling’s 1928 adaptation.

Frankenstein is a story which can be analyzed through many perspectives. It is a story about innovation, and the fatal repercussions of Henry Frankenstein’s work serve as a warning against the ambitious use of modern technology. It is a story about pride, and how ego can be the downfall of even the most intelligent, capable individuals. Most of all, though, Frankenstein is a story about what it means to be human. Are we human beings just because of our genetics, excluding Frankenstein from personhood because he was molded and shaped in Henry’s laboratory? Or is being human about something more complex, more emotional, more genuine? I believe that, at the end of the day, loving others is what really makes us human. Looking at it through that lens, what does that say about Frankenstein? About Henry?

Though Shelley and Webling couldn’t have possibly known what was to come in terms of technological advancements and social change, I believe that both writers understood the serious danger that unchecked pride, selfish ambition, and infinite possibilities of invention pose to all humankind. I also believe that both valued the power of love and human connection, that which Frankenstein yearns so ardently to achieve. 

Those who attend Frankenstein are not simply viewing a play. Truthfully, we are all engaging in a moment of human connection together. There is no experience quite like that of visiting the theatre, and I deeply appreciate everyone’s willingness to participate and their enthusiasm about this project. It has been an honor and a joy to adapt and direct Frankenstein, and I am infinitely grateful for every person who has contributed so meaningfully to this wonderful play. Now, let us, like Henry, bring Frankenstein to life!

Written by Christina Schwab February 2025