West Fort Worth theater’s cancellation of ‘Frankenstein’ production prompts questions

After one of Fort Worth’s most established theaters shelved its final production of the season due to “recent high profile events,” some cast members of the canceled show are left with unanswered questions about the show’s future. 

Hip Pocket Theatre postponed its stage adaptation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” as the company’s artistic management and board of directors felt that given the national and local reactions to unspecified events, the timing of the production was “now inappropriate and could lead to unintended further trauma,” according to a Sept. 16 social media post announcing the cancellation. 

Artistic director Lake Simons declined to comment. Hip Pocket board president Holly Ellman, managing director Gianina Lambert and play director Christina Cranshaw did not respond to requests for comment.

“We know this is disappointing news, and we sincerely apologize for any disruptions to our guests’ plans,” Hip Pocket officials wrote on Facebook.

It’s unclear what specific events theater leaders were referring to or whether the show will be performed at a later date. 

Claire Fountain, who was set to appear in the stage production, said the show’s cast was notified of the cancellation one hour before the public announcement. 

Safety concerns related to the script’s material prompted the decision, Fountain said board members told the cast. The leaders didn’t point to anything particular in the script they believed would be a cause for concern during the rehearsals that had begun a week prior, Fountain added. 

Cast members had received only the first completed act of the play’s adaptation, which explored themes of religion and science but relied on the same concepts as Shelley’s book, she said. 

“It didn’t make any reference to any specific religion and no character was written to be a representation of any particular political figure in the news,” she said. “At the end, it was just Frankenstein. There weren’t any guns. … It’s kind of a timeless piece.” 

“Frankenstein,” which was set to run Oct. 10 through Nov. 2, was to loosely pull from the 1818 classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who builds a creature with scavenged body parts in an unorthodox scientific experiment. 

The theater’s adaptation, billed for mature audiences aged 18 and up, was promoted on its website as: 

“Are we the true monsters, or do our creations reflect our deepest transgressions? Rip apart what you thought you knew about love and face the monster you’ve created.” 

Kim Winnubst, a fellow cast member, told The Dallas Morning News that she’s sympathetic to Hip Pocket’s decision but was sad that “presenting thought-provoking ideas is actually a cause for concern for possible violence.” 

Fountain said she hasn’t received further updates from Hip Pocket’s management. Actors were paid a stipend that covered the scheduled run, she said. 

In the days after making the public announcement, Hip Pocket was active on its social media pages, encouraging patrons to support the theater through “North Texas Giving Day” donations.

Founded in 1976, Hip Pocket Theatre has been known for its experimental outdoor plays, performances and musicals under the Texas stars. Theater leaders posted on social media that they are focused on the annual community art experience “Twilight Soiree” in late October as well as planning the 50th season next year. 

Fountain hopes the far west Fort Worth theater continues its experimental approach and engages with its audience “more effectively” in the future. 

“People have been coming to Hip Pocket for decades, and they expect to see something weird,” she said. “I hope that they let work like this be finished before they decide that it shouldn’t be produced.” 

David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.

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