Figures of Speech Theatre

Friday, January 3 @ 7:00 PM
FST Puppet Gallery opens prior to screening @ 5:00 PM
Mayo Street Arts in Portland
$8 for adults, $4 for kids 12 and under
Tickets available at the door & on Mayo Street Arts’ website

All seven episodes of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein will be shown at the premiere, with a 15-minute intermission. There will be a reception and Q&A with the director after the screening. Though the film touches upon mature subjects, it is suitable for all ages.

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.

Now in its 5th season, The FOSSE (Figures Of Speech Student Ensemble) is an after-school program that pairs professional artist mentors with high school students to create original adaptations of classic tales. 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, we will also curate an exhibition drawing on sets and puppets from The FOSSE’s Frankenstein as well as FST’s own puppet archives. The gallery will be open to the public from 5:00-7:00 PM, prior to the film.