Loving the Monster

1. What was your favorite moment in the Frankenstein script?

My favorite moment in the script is Elizabeth’s death scene. Not only was the scene so fun to perform, but I felt it conveyed the Gospel so beautifully not only through the words Elizabeth spoke to the monster, but also through the interactions the three characters have. The moment Elizabeth dies in the script and on stage is the moment when all good seems to be lost. She was the one person willing to love the monster and forgive Victor, an archetype of Jesus who loved the sinners and even died for them. I think it is a beautiful, somber, and moving moment.

2. What was your process for discovering Elizabeth?

My process for discovering Elizabeth was quite hard to find at first to tell the truth. The character has so many deep levels to her and I really had to deep dive into the script to pursue all of them. I like to method act so I really had to get into the mindset of Elizabeth, a woman who was orphaned and adopted by the Frankensteins, who formed a deep bond with and selfless love for Victor, who believes most strongly in forgiveness and self-sacrificial love. I had to put myself aside when on stage and take on the embodiments of Elizabeth. Her relationship with Victor is such a defining characteristic of the show as well, so forming that connection was incredibly important. Before going on stage, I would ask myself (in the character of Elizabeth) simple questions like “why do you love Victor,” “what do you think of his experiments,” “why do you feel this way about the Monster,” etc, and I would answer them in character in order to get in the mindset.

3. What was the most challenging scene for you to act?

The scene where Elizabeth first meets the monster and is amazed by the creation, yet Victor is horrified at what he has done and admits to the true cause of William’s death. This was probably my favorite scene to act but it did take the largest toll on me emotionally. Zebee and I had to show through this argument our relationship and the stark contrast of beliefs. When Elizabeth finds out that Victor’s creation killed William and that Victor willingly let Justine die for the act, there is a sudden change in her attitude at Victor which determines their relationship throughout the rest of the show. This break in trust hurts Elizabeth so much that she loses her temper with Victor yet still goes on with the marriage. It was challenging at first to find those emotional depths in the lines that I had, I had to really search for my subtext. That and my death scene were the most fun scenes for me to act.

4. What is your favorite memory of the production?

There are so many, I cannot choose! I think one of my favorite memories would be the senior prayer circle before the final performance. Having acted with Drama People all of my high school years, it was so sweet to be able to be prayed over with my fellow seniors as we entered our last closing night. Standing on stage behind the curtain, moments before the doors opened, Ivey, Zebee, Josiah, and I were gathered around by our peers and teachers as they prayed for us. I left the stage sobbing and immediately had to redo my face of makeup but it was such a sweet time to cherish one of the many lasts of senior year. I also have innumerable funny stories from the week like the story of when Zebee got a black eye on stage, when my quick change did not go as planned and I had to walk on stage with a dress loosely hanging off me (which we eventually had to cut off) under my wedding dress, and the stories of when a group of us went to Waffle House after rehearsal and stayed there till midnight telling stories.

5. What would you like people to remember about the show?

I think I would like people to remember that, like Victor created the Monster, God created us one by one. The difference is that God loved each of us and called us by name. He did not look on us with disgust even when we sinned, but He sent His one and only son to die for us. Like one of Elizabeth’s lines says “sin invades us all, but of a man’s heart his sin is not the sum.” No matter the evil that invades our hearts, we always have a creator and Father who is calling us by name to come and surrender to Him. We do not have to find our own way because He has created us with a purpose: to glorify Him in everything we do. So, even though we are wearing costumes and taking on characters upon the stage, God can use the story we tell to ultimately bring glory to Him.

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