FOSSE Frankenstein Premiere and Art Opening
January 3: FOSSE Frankenstein Premiere and Art Opening
7:00 pm
$8 adults/$4 students 12 & under
“FRANKENSTEIN” PUPPET MOVIE PREMIERES AT MAYO STREET ARTS
The FOSSE (Figures of Speech Student Ensemble) will release its long-awaited puppet film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein on Friday, January 3 at Mayo Street Arts in Portland. Doors open at 6:30 PM for the 7:00 PM premiere screening of the film, which will be followed by a reception and Q&A with the director and students.
Now in its 5th season, The FOSSE is an after-school program that pairs professional artist mentors with high school students to create original adaptations of classic tales using Figures of Speech Theatre’s (FST’s) signature blend of puppets, masks, shadows, music, actors, dance, and more. The FOSSE’s Frankenstein interprets Shelley’s original text with Victorian-style Toy Theater puppetry, Silent Film-inspired live action shots, shadow puppetry, pen & ink illustrations, and post-production magic in a seven-episode portrayal of this classic tragedy.
18 students and 6 professional artist mentors collaborated side-by-side on the project for a year and a half under the direction of FST’s Education Director, Ian Bannon. The project was funded in part by grants from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Maine Community Foundation, and other private sources. As a venue, Mayo Street Arts is a perfect fit. This small community-based arts organization has quickly become a hotbed of puppet activity in Portland, hosting a series of puppet slams, screenings of puppet short films, and touring productions from national and international puppet troupes. To coincide with Portland’s First Friday Art Walk, FST will also curate an exhibition drawing on sets and puppets from The FOSSE’s Frankenstein as well as FST’s own puppet archives highlighting 30 years of award-winning productions. The gallery will be open to the public from 5:00-7:00 PM, prior to the film. All seven episodes of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein will be shown at the premiere, with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets are available for $8 for adults, $4 for students 12 and under. Though the film touches upon mature subjects, it is suitable for all ages.
