The Frankenstein Rubrics
Written By David Hopes
Directed By Doug Savitt
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About the Cast
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PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTE FROM DAVID BRENDAN HOPES
My second play ever to enjoy production was Bathory, a play featuring vampires and werewolves and the like. While still in monster mode, I began working on The Frankenstein Rubrics, which after quite a long period of rewrites and reconsiderations, came together in present form for The Magnetic and Doug Savitt. I think of it partially as an experiment in form. You can put a play together as a continuing and connected narrative, or you can scatter pieces around for the audience to pick up and reassemble in their own time and by the lights of their own imaginations. I took courage from the fact that figures such as Shakespeare and Goethe were bold scatterers. Other pieces that have appeared at the Magnetic-- In the Assassins' Garden, Uranium 235-- represented this same enterprise a little further down the line. Interesting note: no historical person except Helen of Troy appeared in the original version. That's how far a story can come from the conditions of its birth.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
David Brendan Hopes has enjoyed the attention of the Magnetic Theater several times. In addition, his plays have been produced in New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, London, Australia, and Hungary. His most recent volume of poetry, The Ones with Difficult Names, as well as three novels and several collections of non-fiction, are available from Amazon and your local bookseller. A published play, Washington Place-- which premiered at The Magnetic-- is available from Sublime Publishers. Look for his 10-minute Play Bach bach Bach Bach at Magnetic's upcoming one-act festival.
Watch the Trailer for The Frankenstein Rubrics
ABOUT THE CAST
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Evan Eckstrom (Percy Shelley)
Mr. Eckstrom is thrilled to be a part of his third production with The Magnetic. Previous roles here include Roger in Beautiful Cages and as a member of the cast in Algorithm & Blues: A Dating Sketch Show. Before moving to Asheville in 2019, Evan ran a grassroots company called Strange News Theatre. Getting to know the local community has been a pleasure, and he hopes to continue growing in the arts alongside such talented individuals.
Daniel Moore (Lord Byron)
Daniel Moore is a Mars Hill based Actor & Director who studied Theatre at Greensboro College. He has been an actor in the WNC community for well over a decade. Some of his recent acting credits include; Actor in Algorithm and Blues at The Magnetic Theatre, Marvin in Dark of the Moon at Parkway Playhouse, Mendel in Indecent by Paula Vogel (NC Premiere) at The Magnetic Theatre, he was also an actor and director for the dramatic series How to be a Human, or at Least Try at NC Stage. Other directing credits include The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, both at Parkway Playhouse.
Hannah Williams (Mary Shelley)
Hannah Williams (she/her) is a director, actor, producer, and intimacy choreographer. As an actor, some of her favorite past roles include Sibella (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Parkway Playhouse) and Percy (The Spitfire Grill, Dunes Summer Theatre). Hannah can often be found working at the Asheville Symphony, Theatrical Intimacy Education, and The National Women's Theatre Festival. She is a member of the Arts Equity Coalition with the Asheville Area Arts Council and is Chair of the Disability Inclusion Committee with the Southeastern Theatre Conference. More information about Hannah can be found at https://mshannahcat.com and pictures of her cats can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @mshannahcat.
Daniel Henry (The Creature)
Daniel Henry is excited to be back with The Magnetic Theatre once again! Since his last time on this stage he has been involved with a few productions around the Asheville area, whether it be stage or film. Daniel has been acting since the summer of 2011, and plans to move to Atlanta in the coming months to take the next step in his career. Some of his favorite roles include (but not limited to): Jeff in Elipsis Theatres production of Lobby Hero, Jax in Trash Mouth Productions film Lovestruck (premiering at Cat Fly Film Festival October 2022), Tybalt in American Myth Centers production of The Ballad of Romeo and Juliet.
Strother Stingley (John Polidori)
Strother has been performing professionally for 16 yrs, ranging in roles from comedian to villain, Scottish middle aged man to Southern octogenarian to deranged dentist and so on. He's performed locally and has toured the US Northeast and Midwest. Musicals, comedies, straight plays, improv ...whatever the genre, he finds fulfillment in it. He holds a bachelor's in theatre from FSU and has learned a great deal more on various stages (and a few screens).
Morgan Miller (Claire Clairmont)
Western Carolina University MT 19’. Gretchen in Boeing Boeing at Parkway Playhouse, Nancy in Oliver and Miss Sandra in All Shook Up at HART and Lilly in Court of the Grandchildren at The Magnetic Theatre. I am so excited for my second show with the phenomenal folks at The Magnetic Theatre. I want to thank my Family and Friends for their endless love and support, I couldn’t do it without you guys. I would also like to thank the cast and crew for all of their hard work and kindness.
Jon Stockdale (Victor Frankenstein)
Jon Stockdale appeared earlier this year as Demetrius/Oberon in Midsummer 4 Haters at the Magnetic, in collaboration with Nemesis Theatre Company. He's happy to be back! Other of his favorite past roles include Hamlet with the Montford Park Players, Danny in The Submission with Different Strokes!, Roland in Constellations at 35below, and Oliver and Silvius in As You Like It with NC Stage.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director…………………………..…………………..Doug Savitt
Stage Manager………………..………………Dakota Mann
Set Designers………………………..……………Tyler & Jess Johnson
Set Builder…………………………………………Tyler Johnson
Construction Assistant…………………Walker Linkous
Props Designer………………………………..Richard Savitt
Sound Designer………………………………Doug Savitt
Lighting Designer………………………….Abby Auman
Costume Designer………………………..Will & Kyrstin Ezzell
Makeup Designer…………………………..Will & Kyrstin Ezzell
Dramaturgy………………….…………………..Jess Johnson
Intimacy Coach……………………………….Lilly Mills
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION TEAM
ABBY AUMAN (Lighting Designer) - Abby is the Technical Director of The Magnetic Theatre. She also works as a lighting designer in theaters all over WNC.
KYRSTIN & WILL EZZELL (Costume & Makeup Designers) - Kyrstin & Will Ezzell are a married couple of visual and performing artists who are thrilled to be working on their third show on the Magnetic Stage. Previous Magnetic productions include “The Most _____ Time of Year” and “Court of the Grandchildren”. When not performing or designing Will is the Managing Director at Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre and Kyrstin is a grad student working towards her degree in Expressive Arts Therapy. Will can currently be seen on stage in Assassins at HART in Waynesville while Kyrstin works to prepare their home for the birth of their first child.
JESS JOHNSON (Set Designer & Dramaturgy) - Jess has worked in theatre since the early 2000s, primarily as a stage manager, but also as a director, props and scenic designer, and dramaturg. In addition to her behind the scenes theatre work, she has a background in nonprofit development, works for the nonprofit software company Neon One, and currently serves as the Co-Artistic Director of The Magnetic Theatre.
TYLER JOHNSON (Set Design & Construction) - Tyler Johnson is a woodworker and furniture designer who moonlights as a set designer. When not figuring out ways to transform spaces, he’s busy taking big pieces of wood, turning them into smaller pieces of wood, then sometimes turning them back into big pieces of wood. You can see some of his work on Instagram at @tothebonewoodworking.
DAKOTA MANN (Stage Manager) - Dakota Mann has worked both on and off stage throughout the WNC region, working with theatres such as Haywood Regional Arts Theatre, Parkway Playhouse, Anam Cara, the Magnetic Theatre, and the Sublime Theater and Press, as well as performing overseas in Scotland in a devised piece based around John Cage and the students of Black Mountain College in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He received a B.A. in Drama from the University of North Carolina – Asheville. This is Dakota’s tenth production with the Magnetic Theatre. Previous works include Director of No More Waiting (Magnetic), Assistant Director for Sixteen Years Tried (MPP), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (MPP), and Stage Manager for In the Middle of Nowhere (Magnetic), Kore (Magnetic), The Sparrow and the Whippoorwill (Magnetic), TRNZ (Sublime), Brilliant Traces (35below), and Nocturne (HART).
LILLY MILLS (Intimacy Director) - Lilly is beyond grateful to have been able to immediately bring her intimacy training to the theatre community she grew up in after having just moved back to Asheville in early February. She has over 100 hours of training through the SAG-AFTRA accredited Intimacy Directors and Coordinators organization (formerly Intimacy Directors International) and has loved every second of learning how to create safe and beautiful consent-based theatre. She is incredibly grateful to have already Intimacy Directed seven productions this year so far with her next project being Frankenstein Rubrics here at the Magnetic Theatre!
DOUG SAVITT (Director) - Doug (He/Him) is an Actor/Director currently living and working in the Western North Carolina area. He holds a B.A. in Theatre from UNC Charlotte and spent a few years exploring Chicago before returning to the mountains. You may have previously seen his direction in Nocturne and Gruesome Playground Injuries at Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (HART). He last appeared on stage in The Magnetic Theatre’s Indecent. He would like to thank his cast/crew for all their hard work and his wife and son for their support while he pursues his dreams. Special thanks also go to his cats for keeping him company while he stayed up late researching Frankenstein. Thank you for supporting The Magnetic Theatre and enjoy the show!
RICHARD SAVITT (Props Designer) - Richard is an artist, graphic designer, and art director originally from New York. His interest in creating theatre props and fabrications started when his children attended North Buncombe High School and became involved in acting. He began to make many props for the high school and found it rewarding. He recently started volunteering at HART in Waynesville creating props, most recently for their production of The Music Man. This is the first time he has done work for the Magnetic Theatre and is excited to see how his props and the work of the other members of the production team will come together and add to the enjoyment of the show.
PHOTOS by CHEYENNE DANCY
GALLERY
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THE MAGNETIC THEATRE STAFF
CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR…….……JESSICA JOHNSON
CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR…………..KATIE JONES
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR………….…ABBY AUMAN
BOX OFFICE MANAGER……………TIPPIN
MARKETING MANAGER……………CHEYENNE DANCY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
GEORGE AWAD
ERIN MCCARSON
ELIZA HEATH
JASON PHILLIPS
MAX REID
JOSH SULLIVAN
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Aaron and Gus Ballard