This blog was written by Amy Courage. Photos by Jeannine Helen.
This October, Courage Arts will be presenting a new Frankenstein experience to Salem audiences. Courage Arts is the newly formed brainchild of Salem-based actor and writer Amy Courage. For more than twenty years, Amy has played numerous roles with several Northshore theatre companies, including History Alive!, the Salem Theatre Company, and the Mugford Street Players.
What makes Courage Arts different from these other troupes is the focus on adapting classic literary works into live performance.
Courage says, “I wanted to add to the October conversation by presenting a new work that highlighted an old story. Shelley’s Frankenstein was and is an incredible achievement by a female artist who struggled to find her place in society as a woman and as a writer. But her struggles created something extraordinary–a piece of literature that has frightened and inspired countless readers since it was written in 1816.”
When Frankenstein was first published in 1818, Mary was not listed as the author. It was assumed that her husband the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley had written it. Scholars do suggest that he quite probably contributed about 4,000 words to the 72,000-word novel. For the second edition published in 1823, she was listed as the author. During her lifetime, Mary (nee Godwin) Shelley faced family conflicts, scandal, financial insecurity, miscarriage, infant loss, and widowhood at the age of 24. She lived to be 53 years old, but never remarried. She was obsessively devoted to Percy after his death and was said to have always kept his calcified heart in a silk shroud with her. By the time of her own death, she achieved a fair level of success. In addition to Frankenstein, she wrote six other novels, various stories, and travel books.
“Frankenstein: An Evening with Mary Shelley” will be introduced for two weekends of performances. The event will offer a dramatic reading of the classic novel, a Q & A with the author, and a sparkling toast. Audiences can expect to hear the original text of the novel in an abridged adaptation, performed by Courage. “My hope with these performances is to share my love of Shelley’s work, the beauty of her writing, and to honor her life by embodying her enthusiasm and intelligence. I’ve been performing in Salem for many years, and I’m excited to finally share a performance piece of my own design.”
Courage studied Theatre Arts and English Language and Literature at Gordon College, graduating in 2002. As a student, she travelled to England and Ireland to attend and study performances in London, Stratford-upon-Avon, Bath, and Dublin. “The plays and experiences that I had in the UK all those years ago have stayed with me and served as creative fodder for my own projects over the years,” she shares.
Two weekends of shows will be held at Grace Episcopal Church on Fridays – Sundays, October 4-6 and October 18-20 at 7:00 pm. Advance tickets ($30) are required and can be purchased online. For more information, please visit the Courage Arts site:
