Grab A Shovel & Discover MARY'S MONSTER At The Know This September

On a dark night near the end of her life, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley wrestles with ghosts: her dead children, her family, her famous husband Percy, her mother, and Frankenstein, her most famous creation. Death has loomed over her entire life, and now, shovel in hand, she will make peace with it, one way or another.

Exploring the complicated biography of the woman who redefined horror, this new play written by and starring Maggie Lou Rader (Marian, Pulp, Silent Sky, Hearts Like Fists, and Know's Education Director) takes the stage for 8 performances only from September 14-23, 2018.

Taking the helm as director is acclaimed local actor and director Jen Joplin. Know's Producing Artistic Director, Andrew Hungerford, takes on scenic, lighting, and sound design duties, with costumes by Know's Resident Costume Designer, Noelle Wedig Johnston.

Says Andrew,

One of my favorite things is shepherding new work from page to stage. At the Know we're a pretty nimble organization and can get the ball rolling quickly. It's thrilling to be able to take a work from conception to audiences in just a few short months, and it's our fantastic group of artistic collaborators that make it possible.

Why a play about Mary Shelley, and why now? Here's what writer and performer Maggie Lou Rader has to say,

This is a woman who wrote the first Science Fiction novel, and, for me, epitomizes the Gothic Horror genre. Without Mary Shelley, how many of our favorite stories and fandoms simply wouldn't exist? And yet, she was forced to fight for authorship of her most famous work her entire life, not for the fame, but simply for the funds to provide for her son. It would be fabulous to say we've grown, changed, learned from the sexism of our past. We haven't. We refuse to be allocated to the romance section, because there's more to our narrative than serving as a love interest, and our stories don't end at marriage.

A woman invented contemporary Science Fiction. A woman epitomized the genre of Gothic Horror. History and pop culture bastardized her creation. This is me giving them back to her, because, it's Mary Shelley's turn.

So grab a shovel, and let's see what we can dig up this September in Mary's Monster.

Cast

Maggie Lou Rader* as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, appearing under a Special Appearance Contract.

Production Team

Director - Jen Joplin

Scenic, Lighting, & Sound Design - Andrew J. Hungerford

Costume Design - Noelle Wedig Johnston

Season Design sponsorship provided by Travis McElroy.

ickets can be purchased by visiting knowtheatre.com or calling 513.300.5669 (KNOW).