The graying skies and falling leaves in Eugene offer the perfect time to explore the dark and dramatic relationship between a creature and his creator in University Theatre’s next production, Frankenstein: Playing with Fire. The play, featuring a cast and crew of University of Oregon students, is set to run three weekends in November, starting Nov. 8.  

A retelling of Frankenstein, the play examines the dark interior of humanity’s quest for immortality and the dangers of scientific experimentation when done without consideration of the consequences.  

"Students voted last year to include Frankenstein in our 2024-2025 season.” said Michael Malek Najjar, director and professor in theatre arts in the College of Arts and Sciences. “I found this excellent version by Barbara Field that is an artful response to the play that offers great roles for student actors and excellent design opportunities for student designers as well." 

At the North Pole, Victor Frankenstein has finally caught up with his Creature with the intent of killing him to right his wrong of creating him in the first place. Before he can, the Creature asks, “Why did you make me?”  

This simple question launches a journey back in time to Frankenstein’s childhood, his education, his desire to create life and the horrors the Creature wrought upon him.  

By playwright Barbara Field, the play is described as a stirring dramatic interpretation of Mary Shelley’s haunting 19th century novel. It is also a response to the novel, forcing Frankenstein to confront his motives and his responsibility.  

"The play is very timely given our current fears concerning the ethics of nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence and genetic cloning,” said Najjar. “In addition to being a great horror story, the play is also a philosophical examination of how and why humans have the extraordinary capacity to create technologies that have the potential for both scientific innovation and mass destruction." 

The cast includes third-year cinema and theater arts student Akash Dhruva playing Victor, the younger version of Frankenstein; second-year business administration major Landon Kobz playing the Creature; third-year applied voice major Henry Morton playing the older Frankenstein; theatre major Carina Bellendaine playing Frankenstein’s Bride; Isabel Holmes, a senior majoring in family and human services, playing Elizabeth; junior theatre major Trevor Tarantino playing Adam; and fourth-year English major Paris Woodward-Ganz playing Professor Krempe.  

Students on the crew include senior Chase Foster Adams as lighting designer; senior Ian Cash as sound designer; senior Tessa Douangaphaivong as an assistant stage manager; master’s theatre student Douglas Killingtree as the movement coordinator and an assistant director; senior Laura Leader as the stage manager; third-year master’s of fine arts student Graham Mauro as the scenic designer; junior majoring in cinema studies Makayla Mealson as an assistant stage manager; and theatre arts doctoral student Peyman Shams is an assistant director.  

The play, produced by University Theatre, runs in Hope Theatre on the UO campus Nov. 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 17 and 14 are matinee shows at 2 p.m. Tickets are available through the University Theatre box office.