I was surprised when the Great American Melodrama’s newest production began and longtime emcee Alex Sheets didn’t take the stage, but instead the evening of entertainment began when relative newcomer Toby Tropper took the stage, giving the usual Melodrama introduction in character, with the sinister German accent of Dr. Polvard, the main villain in the production, Frankenstein’s Bride … Or The Girl of My Screams!
When the first scene really got going though, it was obvious why Sheets wasn’t the one up front as usual, as his introduction as Frankenstein’s monster was a lynchpin in the plot of a hilarious send-up of the famous Mary Shelley novel. The scene opens on the dark, dank dungeon of Frankenstein castle, where the dastardly Dr. Povard (Tropper) is abusing his role as caretaker over the manor to resurrect the since deceased Dr. Frankenstein’s monstrous science experiment. Povard isn’t alone though; he receives help from Frau Braunholder (Jacqueline Hildebrand) and Hans (Mike Fiore), who are reminiscent of Frau Blucher and Igor from Young Frankenstein, respectively.
Frau Braunholder informs Dr. Povard that the heir to the Frankenstein estate, Victor Von Frankenstein (Jeff Salsbury) and his new bride Elizabeth (Leah Kolb), are on their way to the castle to call it home, which leads Povard to push his plans into overdrive, powering up the dastardly machine designed to awaken the inhuman monstrosity known only as The Monster.
The Monster comes to life in a flurry of lighting and stage effects, rising in iconic fashion from his stone tomb. Sheets truly embodies the lumbering persona of Frankenstein’s Monster, complete with platform shoes and large green brow, but also reveals that the monstrosity in this comedic romp is actually a tenderhearted, misunderstood crime against nature. Povard wants none of it though, as he has malicious plans in store for The Monster before it breaks free of his restraints, fleeing Frankenstein castle.
The Monster’s escape brings us outside the castle and into the provincial German township, introducing the village and its people with a hilarious parody of the opening number from Beauty and the Beast. It also offers the audience a wonderful display of set design by Brian Williams, whose painted backdrops inject beauty and potent character to the play. One such painting, which depicts the looming, ominous towers and turrets of Frankenstein Castle, is the backdrop of the scene in which we finally meet the young Victor Von Frankenstein and his new bride, at the outdoor patio of the beer hall owned by Heir Burgomaster (Billy Breed).
Burgomaster and his blind daughter, Juliana (Mia Mekjian), serve and chat with Frankenstein and his new bride, but keep the matter of the nobleman’s troubled family history secret at Frankenstein’s behest. He wants to put the past behind him and forget his grandfather’s sickening creation, Frankenstein explains, even as the lumbering monstrosity goes unnoticed trampling through the background. Once The Monster inadvertently strikes, accidentally knocking Burgomaster’s daughter down a well during an effort to connect with the girl, Frankenstein must address his family’s troubled past and come to work with the villainous Dr. Polvard.
Frankenstein’s Bride … Or The Girl of My Screams! displays the Great American Melodrama’s knack for taking a seasonal, comedic melodrama and punching it up with plenty of topical references and song parodies of recent hits. The show also playfully lampoons German culture in time for Octoberfest, with overly tight lederhosen, The Sound of Music references, and sauerkraut fart jokes.
The evening closes with The Monster Vaudeville Review, a hilarious display of the Melodrama actors’ multi talented range, from singing to slapstick. Favorite characters such as the Wolf Man, zombies, vampires, and The Mummy all come together with their shared monsterhood to close the night with plenty of laughs and cheers, as is always the case at the Great American Melodrama.
Arts Editor Joe Payne is often mistaken for the Wolf Man. Contact him at [email protected].
