No doubt about it. We’re in the midst of a paradigm shift—a time for reconsidering old assumptions even as we hope for a long-awaited return to normal.
Consider: the past two years have seen an explosion of teleconferences, delivery services, and online commerce. Mask wearing and physical distancing effectively canceled last year’s cold and flu season, and mRNA technology has become a medical game-changer. Likewise … [Read more at The 21st Century Scop].
Ninety years ago this month, when James Whale’s Frankenstein was being made, “nobody recognized the importance of the film and the impact it would have on cinema history. It was just part of the day’s work, as far as my father was concerned.”
That’s according to Sara Karloff, daughter of the man who created one of cinema’s most iconic performances.
[Read more at The 21st Century Scop.]
Arrayed with costumes and memorabilia, the set of Karloff: The Man and the Monster presents a snapshot of the actor’s career. There’s a sheep’s wool vest from Son of Frankenstein, sarcophagus from The Mummy, gurney from The Bride of Frankenstein, wheelchair from the set of Targets. Behind it all, a projection screen displays the iconic image of a flattened head and scarred brow—instantly recognizable as that of Jack Piece’s design for Universal’s iconic monster.
Enter David Nackman. Slim, grizzled, and sporting the moustache that Karloff often wore when not playing the Frankenstein monster—Nackman effectively projects the image of the man behind the icon.
<<< Actor David Nackman as Boris Karloff, contemplating one of the platform boots that helped transform the 5′ 11″ actor into the towering monster in James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931). Photo courtesy of Prime Stage Theatre.
[Read more at The 21st-Century Scop.]
Join us for the opening night performance of Karloff: The Man and the Monster by Randy Bowser.
The curtain rises at 8:00 PM at Pittsburgh’s New Hazlett Theatre.
After the show, I’ll be joining Director Art DeConciliis and Producing Artistic Director Wayne Brinda for a discussion of the show and next season’s premiere of Frankenstein.
Tickets and information are available at the Prime Stage website. See you there!
