with

Raymond had the first inkling of what the piece wanted to be. I did not have a prior relationship with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. And then, of course, I read the book. I loved the book. I still adore the book. Because it’s not what you think. If you haven’t read the book, it’s not what you think. I found it deeply moving and profound and beautiful and tragic. Beautiful and dark, which I’m always attracted to. So, once I read it, of course that’s what we were doing. And I think it’s interesting that, when she published it, it first appeared anonymously. I find that interesting as a woman. That she couldn’t put her name on it.

It was published anonymously in 1818 when Mary was only 20 years old. In 1823 it was published under her own name.

A textual and graphic representation of themes that occur throughout the work.

Holly Holsinger has been a Cleveland theatre artist for twenty-five years. She has created over twenty original plays in collaborative partnerships, serving also as performer or director.  Holly recently co-wrote and directed Ancestra at Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT), a play about women’s rights in Ohio, which grew from community explorations and historical research. Another recent work, Insomnia: The Waking of Herselves, co-devised and performed at CPT and North American Cultural Laboratory, examines concepts of female identity and unity. Holsinger’s work has been described by critics as “magic,” “captivating,” and “a tour de force.” Her one-woman performance, Frankenstein’s Wake, received critical raves and audience acclaim in New York, Cleveland, and Chicago, and was featured at theGrotowski at Irvine and Beyond Conference at UC Irvine. Her performance in the groundbreaking work Blue Sky Transmission: A Tibetan Book of the Dead (at CPT and La Mama ETC in New York) also earned her rave reviews, most notably in American Theatre Magazine. Holsinger’s work has been featured in Canadian Theatre Review, Theatre Journal and in Lisa Wolford’s book Grotowski’s Objective Drama Research. She has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Romania, Belgium, and Brazil, and has shared her performance research with artists in Denmark, Colombia, and Spain. An Associate Professor at Cleveland State University, Holsinger specializes in acting, voice, movement, and devised theatre. She recently received a Distinguished Faculty Award, the University’s top honor for teaching. Holly has a special interest in the power of theatre for marginalized artists and minorities at all levels of craft. She participates in CSU programs designed for disadvantaged students and continues to teach in education programs at CPT for “at risk” teens and for children in public housing. Holsinger received an MFA in Acting from the University of California, Irvine where she studied with Robert Cohen and Jerzy Grotowski. She was a four year participant in Grotowski’s Objective Drama Research.  Holly is a certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework.

In 1994, Raymond initiated the Student Theatre Enrichment Program, a job training program that engages at-risk youth in writing, producing and performing new plays. Raymond was also the first director of CPT’s Y-Haven Theatre Project. Under his leadership CPT has eliminated significant debt, run consistent operating surpluses, and formed both a Building Reserve and an Innovation Reserve. This financial advancement was a result of mission-focused programming including a strong emphasis on supporting new works and local artists, a bold aesthetic vision and CPT’s educational and engagement programs.

Raymond is a two-time recipient of the Creative Workforce Fellowship (2010 for theatre, 2014 for music composition), a program of the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture funded by the Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. He is an alumnus of Theatre Communications Group/Pew Charitable Trust’s National Theatre Artist Residency Program and the TCG/NEA Career Development Program for Directors. Raymond was Acting Artistic Director of CPT (1995-1997) and served CPT in many roles including Stage Manager, Guest Director, Associate Artistic Director, Education Director and Resident Director at various times since 1991.