Extension Announced for The Wallis & Four Larks' FRANKENSTEIN

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and Four Larks World Premiere production of FRANKENSTEIN, created by Four Larks after Mary Shelley's classic novel, has just announced an extension by popular demand through Saturday, March 7, 2020, in The Wallis' Lovelace Studio Theater.

This unusual Frankenstein, commissioned by The Wallis, is an exuberant amalgamation of dynamic physical theatre, live music and experiential design that brings the tale to life in a modern take that spotlights the dangers of unregulated technology. Sourced predominantly from Shelley's novel in conjunction with its 200th anniversary, the production awakens new questions about moral responsibility for each generation. Featuring a cast of twelve, all doubling as musicians, the show is directed, created, staged and composed by Four Larks' Mat Sweeney with design and choreography by Sebastian Peters-Lazaro, the show's creative producer, both of whom created the adaptation with Jesse Rasmussen.

Four Larks' Sweeney and Peters-Lazaro, who have been creating together since 2008, combine immersive design with innovative orchestration and dynamic choreography in work that continually evolves as they explore new forms. Most recently, they presented a piece for a roving audience across the grounds and gardens of the Getty Villa, which No Proscenium called "triumphant...a high water mark for site-specific theatre," and they designed and curated a pop-up performance space out of a downtown L.A. flower shop. NPR affiliate KCRW described them as "eschewing the confines of theater architecture and creating their own performance spaces. These are more than shows, they're experiences."

"With Four Larks' Mat Sweeney and Sebastian Peters-Lazaro, two artists whose boundless artistry has made its mark on Los Angeles's creative landscape for many years, we have partnered with the ideal team to build this extraordinary piece of work," says The Wallis' Artistic Director Paul Crewes. "We invite audiences to join us for a very unique interpretation of Frankenstein.

According to Sweeney and Peters-Lazaro, "Four Larks has been working primarily in downtown L.A. off-the-grid spaces and we're thrilled by the invitation to create a brand new piece at The Wallis. Mary Shelley's story, one of the greatest ever told, ushered in new genres, and its ethical questions continue to resonate with new advances in science and technology. In an adaptation unlike any that's come before it, we're dissecting and collaging its parts to create a brand new creature with an incredible ensemble of virtuosic physical actors and musicians surging new life into Shelley's nightmare."

Audiences are asked to note this warning:

This production utilizes a strobe light effect, flashing lights, theatrical haze and contains partial nudity.

Ticket prices are $60 (subject to change). The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills. To purchase tickets and for more information, please call 310-746-4000 or visit TheWallis.org/Frankenstein.