Chesapeake Shakespeare Company Finds Depth in ‘Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’
Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s production of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, directed by Ian Gallanar and co-directed by Lizzy Albert, uses an ominous set to explore unchecked ambition and the consequences of playing God. David Gatlin’s adaptation follows Victor Frankenstein as he creates life and then confronts the results when the Creature is feared and rejected. Fabiolla Da Silva plays Mary Shelley and Elizabeth, while Joshua Williams portrays Lord Byron and the Creature.
Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's Baltimore staging of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is directed by Ian Gallanar with Lizzy Albert as co-director. David Gatlin wrote the adaptation. The cast includes Fabiolla Da Silva as Mary Shelley and Elizabeth, Joshua Williams as Lord Byron and the Creature, Vince Eisenson as Victor Frankenstein and Percy Bysshe Shelley, Jose O. Guzman in four roles, and Dawn Thomas Ready in three. Hannah Brill designed the Creature's makeup.
The production uses a foreboding set to establish a somber mood. Its narrative follows Victor's scientific breakthrough and the Creature's painful search for belonging. Period-style dialogue adds literary texture, though the review notes it remains followable. The review was published October 11, 2026, by Constance Beulah.
This production may prompt audiences to reflect on scientific ambition, responsibility, and social exclusion. Theatergoers and students of classic literature could find new relevance in Shelley's questions about creation and belonging. By humanizing the Creature, the staging may encourage empathy toward those judged by appearance. It could also spark conversations about how communities treat outsiders, though its impact depends on individual interpretation.