Cast Set for MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey has revealed the cast for its production of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, written by David Catlin, running October 22nd - November 16th at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey.

On a stormy night in 1816, Mary Shelley gave birth to one of literature's most haunting and enduring legends. In Catlin's daring, meta-gothic adaptation, Shelley herself steps into the narrative, her own passions and dreams intertwined with the fateful journey of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature.

STNJ Artistic Director Brian B. Crowe steps into the role of director for the production, voicing much excitement for the play's electrifying stagecraft. "Part gothic horror, part psychological examination of morality, this adaptation brings Shelley's masterpiece to life and infuses it with the complex world of its brilliant author. Audiences can expect all the chills and thrills that are the hallmark of Shelley's grotesque tale, as well as several electrifying surprises along the way."

The Morning Show actress Amber Friendly portrays leading lady Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (later Mary Shelley) who weaves her fantastic tale with the aid of the other notable guests on that fated evening in 1816 - Dr. John Polidori, Claire Clairmont, Lord Byron, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Neil Redfield (Gilded Age) plays Dr. John Polidori. Brooke Turner appears as Mary's stepsister, Claire Clairmont. The evening's mercurial host, Lord Byron, will be played by Chicago-based actor Jay Wade, who also embodies Frankenstein's Creature. Sean-Michael Wilkinson (American Horror Story: 1984) plays opposite Friendly in the double role of Mary's lover Percy Shelley and her titular creation Victor Frankenstein.

The production team includes set designer Sarah Beth Hall; Costume Designer Yao Chen; lighting designer Andrew Hungerford; sound designer Ariana Cardoza; intimacy and fight director Rocio Mendez; and vocal & dialect coach Julie Foh. Jackie Mariani is the production stage manager, with Alayna Domboski and Keys Newell rounding out the stage management team.