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Swear on My Mother's Grave

Senior Lab 2021-2022

Trailer

Images

Swear on My Mother's Grave Poster.JPEG

Photo Descriptions

Slide 1: Poster Art. With a gray background, the title is up center curved, creating a grave stone. The date and time, along with the ensemble names are mid center. The bottom has blue, orange, and white flowers with green vines and a rib cage with two skeleton arms reaching towards the center of the poster.

Slide 2: A cast photo in a blackbox theatre. Six actors are wearing street clothes and masks all standing and holding "Mott's" fruit snacks.

Slide 3: A still from rehearsal. Two actors stand in the foreground looking upstage. Two actors sit on a gray block, playing with a long veil. Two actors sit in the background on black chairs. The actors are all partially in costume.

Slide 4: A photo from tech. From left to right, the stage manager and lighting designer sit at a long white table looking at two monitors. At a separate table the sound designer sits looking at a laptop. All are lit with blue light. 

Slide 5: A photo from rehearsal. An actor stands in the foreground pointing upstage where two actors sit in black chairs. A gray cube is center stage between them.

Process

For my senior lab, I wanted to tell the biographical story of Mary Shelley using her novel "Frankenstein" as a storytelling device. I have had a long fascination with classic horror such as Dracula, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Wolfman. I am also curious about the corruption Hollywood and other media places on these texts. What is the real legacy of these monsters?

Through an ensemble driven devisement process, we were able to fulfill this vision. Every member of this process had a say in the shaping of this show. The plot, the script, and the characters were all co-created by these talented students in seven weeks.

This is a work in progress, but this version has set the stage for the future vision of this show. 

Project Description

Mary Shelley is challenged by the societal constrictions of the 19th century. In writing her famous novel, "Frankenstein" she is able to process her personal losses and rebel against the feminine framework. You may think you know everything about "Frankenstein" but you have much more to learn about Mary. 

Credits

Directed by Claire Hayes

Stage Management by Esme Burrows

Assistant Direction by Molly

Ensemble: Sierra, Paige, Gena, Iona, Kacey

Lighting Design by Oskar Westbridge

Lighting Design by Maday Favela

Marketing by Bella Cordova

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Produced by The Theatre School, Winter Lab Series

Funded by Jonny Barber

    

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