By Maddie Orton, JerseyArts.com
originally published: 10/16/2025
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Frankenweenie, Poor Things... the story of Frankenstein has been adapted many times over and continues to find new relevance with each interpretation. Playwright David Catlin's version, called Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, does double duty by presenting a story within a story.
The show depicts both the tale of Frankenstein as well as the famous spooky storytelling competition that inspired it–giving audiences a look into the making of Victor Frankenstein's creature and the making of the novel itself.
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from October 22 through November 16, 2025 at F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre (36 Madison Avenue) in Madison, New Jersey. Tickets are available for purchase online.
About the author: Maddie Orton is an Emmy-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker. She has worked on several PBS shows including: "Take on Fake," "NJTV News," "MetroFocus," "WLIW Arts Beat," and "Treasures of New York." A life-long theater lover, Maddie created the documentary "I Can't... I Have Rehearsal," exploring New Jersey's arts education through high school musicals. She studied theater and American Studies at Rutgers University, and lives in the great Garden State with her husband and kiddo.
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Discover Jersey Arts, a project of the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation and New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
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