‘Frankenstein’ hits the trail in outdoor production at Chautauqua Park

Arts in the Open wraps its 2022 season with a horror classic stunningly staged in the Flatirons

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a seminal piece of horror fiction and a favorite of English teachers across the globe (I read the novel in both high school and for two different classes in my undergraduate studies!) Once texts are canonized by the school system and talked to death, it can often be difficult to bring anything new to the work. But Boulder’s Arts in the Open revitalized this story in a unique theatrical experience unlike anything I’d ever attended. This production of Frankenstein takes place outdoors at Chautauqua Park and takes audience members on a two-hour immersive hike through the play.

The play follows Victor Frankenstein (Justin Davis), who is grief-stricken after the death of his mother (Astilia Chokanu-Wenholz). Furious with the natural world, Victor seeks to reverse death and bring back those he’s lost. While away at school, his father (Tess James) and lover, Elizabeth (Hannah Embree), begin to worry about him. Victor appears to be spending more time in a cemetery than in his classes and has developed an unnatural obsession with the macabre. Victor has created a creature from body parts he dug up at the cemetery and used his scientific skills to bring life to this humanoid Creature (Marlene Hall). Yet, instead of his success filling him with joy, Victor is disgusted by the ugliness of his creation. He spurns his creation and sets in motion a series of world-altering events that challenge all truths posited by the natural world.

For Frankenstein purists, you’ll be happy to hear that R.N. Sandberg’s script is an incredibly faithful adaptation of Mary Shelley’s original work (the play even includes Justine and Captain Walton, whose subplots are frequently removed from Frankenstein adaptations). The script is one of the few conventional elements of this production. Though it is billed as a “theatre hike,” it challenges the contemporary theatrical form in interesting ways. For one, it is performed outdoors with no scenery to direct the audience’s attention. There is not one intermission, but rather four walking breaks in between every scene that take you out of the world of the play. These hiking breaks between scenes subvert the typical audience role from passive observer to active participant on the journey.

Frank Astilia Chokanu-Wenholz, Marlene Hall, Justin Davis, and Hannah Embree in ‘Frankenstein.’ | Photo: Joaquin Aviña

Over a decade of open-air theatre

Arts in the Open has been producing theatre in this style for 11 years in various locations throughout Colorado. The organization adheres to the seven principles of Leave No Trace (lnt.org) and focuses on how to produce sustainably. All productions use minimal props and costumes. Arts in the Open seeks to help the audience connect with local talent and understand the importance of preserving the outdoors. Artistic Director Matthew Davis says he wants audience members “to take pictures and leave only footsteps.” The group’s mission is to fuse nature with live performances and invite the audience to experience the best of what Colorado has to offer.

Veronica, the hike leader, greeted me upon arrival at Chautauqua Auditorium and was friendly and informative. Through our conversation along the hike, I learned that she is a board member for Arts in the Open and has worked as a hike leader since 2017. Veronica told me the key to a good theatre hike is finding the right pace: not too fast, not too slow.

Not for everyone

A quick note about the hike itself, this experience may not be accessible for everyone. The hike is on the Enchanted Mesa Trail, a 2-mile loop that exposes participants to natural conditions for two hours (during the opening performance, audience members were treated to on-again, off-again rain courtesy of Mother Nature). The trail begins with a steep incline, there are rocks along the path, and you are asked to sit on the ground for long periods of time. If any of these things are issues, I would consider reaching out to the organizers to see if accommodations could be made in advance.

Be sure to wear comfortable hiking clothes and, if you don’t bring your own chair, I would highly recommend grabbing a blanket that the organization provides for free so you don’t have to sit directly on the ground.

After a lengthy initial hike up the mountain, the audience completes a turn to see the five-person cast standing like statues in a field. Our hike leader instructed us to take a seat and announced the start of scene one. Music then began playing from two speakers, and the five-person cast launched into action.

The performers all expertly capture the piece’s melodramatic tone. Justin Davis is deeply compelling as Victor Frankenstein. Davis is a physical performer whose erratic movements and intense gaze help him fully embody the madness of Victor. His speech is guttural, and he excels at portraying Victor’s temperamental fits. Marlene Hall rivals Davis as his spurned Creature who just wants connection. Hall expertly evolves the Creature’s walk from stumbling newborn to domineering throughout their performance. Hannah Embree was very charming as Elizabeth and was a generous scene partner throughout; her active listening was engaging to watch and helped her fellow actors immensely. Astilia Chokanu-Wenholz and Tess James round out the ensemble and play multiple characters that are easily recognizable through smart costume and vocal changes.

A nonbinary twist

My favorite part of this experience was seeing how director Joaquin Aviña used the physical environment of each location along the trail to help tell the story. Actors would hide behind trees before entrances, use rocks as tables, and created beautifully varied stage pictures within the wilderness. Aviña blocking is sparse aside from transitions and includes no flashy spectacle; instead, all the focus is put on the performers and the natural environment they inhabit (amusingly, at the end of scene one, the hike leader thanked the set designer while gesturing to the beautiful landscape). This approach works best in dialogue-heavy scenes, which Aviña’s actors handle with grace, but falters a bit in moments that require more precise staging, such as the show’s multiple death scenes — which are more awkward than horrifying.

A single stage manager (Patti Murtha) helps move the actors from each of the five scene locations and runs the show’s sound cues from an iPad to two speakers placed on the ground. Actors are outfitted in simple but distinct garments by costume and prop designer Rebecca Aviña. The few props are integrated effectively and help communicate the story. Mercies May is credited as the piece’s composer, and his music really enhances the work. He creates an ethereal soundscape that is integrated into key moments throughout the show. There are pieces of classic melodies and jigs mixed with techno beats and computerized effects that create a unique blend of classic and modern sounds whose origins you can’t quite place. It’s fitting for a story about a Creature who is made from multiple sources.

Despite its spooky elements, I would say the performance is suitable for people of all ages. The horror elements in the play are more existential than violent; just don’t hold me responsible if after attending this performance your kid gets all angsty and emo. If you’re in the mood for a classic story performed in an unconventional setting, then hike on over to Frankenstein at Arts in the Open, where this horror classic plays through the weekend before Halloween.