Milwaukee, WI –Skylight Music Theatre is thrilled to announce its upcoming production of Frankenstein: The Musical, based on Mary Shelley’s classic gothic novel. This electrifying stage adaptation promises a fresh take on the timeless story of Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation.
A Story of Ambition, Creation, and the Human Condition
Frankenstein: The Musical is a thought-provoking exploration of ambition, the responsibility of creation, and the fragility of the human condition. This production delves deeper than the Hollywood portrayals, staying true to Mary Shelley’s original masterpiece.
Local Actors Bring the Story to Life
Skylight’s production features a talented cast of local actors, including Milwaukee native Seth K. Hale as Victor Frankenstein. The cast also includes Skylight favorite Stephanie Staszak and new favorite Miss Kyle Blair.
Directed by Artistic Director Michael Unger
Michael Unger, Skylight’s Artistic Director, is excited to bring this production to life. He highlights the show’s beautiful score, powerful message, and unique faithfulness to Mary Shelley’s novel.
Don’t Miss This Must-See Production
Frankenstein: The Musical opens on Friday, February 21 and runs through March 9. Tickets are available now at www.skylightmusictheatre.org.
Cast
Victor — Seth K. Hale*
Elizabeth — Stephanie Staszak
The Creature — Miss Kyle Blair
Walton/Ensemble — Joe Picchetti
Henry/Ensemble — Jonathan Riker
Victor’s Father/Ensemble — Rick Richter
Victor’s Mother/Ensemble — SaraLynn Evenson
Justine/Ensemble — Ashley Rodriguez
Young Victor/William/Ensemble — Mars Schultz
Frankenstein: The Musical
Based on the novel by Mary Shelley
February 21 – March 9, 2025
Music by Mark Baron
Book and Lyrics by Jeffrey Jackson
Directed by Artistic Director Michael Unger**
Movement Direction by Jayne Regan Pink
Music Direction by Janna Ernst
*Appearing through an agreement between Skylight Music Theatre and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, an independent national labor union.
Biographies
Miss Kyle Blair (The Creature) Second show at Skylight! Miss Kyle has spent a sizeable portion of their career in international waters, performing with Disney Cruise Line as Kings, Clocks, and Genies, and originating the role of Hook Hand in Tangled: the Musical. They have worked regionally in Chicago, Portland, Memphis, Arizona, and Colorado; with the National Players - America's Longest-Running Touring Company (Olney, MD); and sometimes performs in drag as @greatauntmavis. Love to family and forever friends. Hi, Georgia! Thanks!
SaraLynn Evenson (Victor’s Mother/Ensemble) joyfully returns after School of Rock, Xanadu, The Full Monty, Zombies… and Oklahoma! at Skylight. Recent credits are First Stage: Arthur and Friends…, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Music Theatre Madison: Hephaestus, and many appearances with Musical MainStage and SideNotes Cabaret. Other favorites include National Tour: A Christmas Carol, NYC: Urinetown, Dark Passenger, Weathervane Playhouse: Into the Woods, Secret Garden, Sweet Charity, Chicago. Love to Derek, Vivienne and Dominic! saralynnonstage.com
Seth K. Hale (Victor) is a full-time stage, screen, and commercial actor based out of Milwaukee Wisconsin. Previous Skylight roles include Clopin in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Orin in Little Shop of Horrors. Most recently he played Nick Massi in Jersey Boys at Farmers Alley Theatre and has been seen in film festivals around the country as Larry Gatlin in the short film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Last Rung on the Ladder. For more information and updates visit www.sethkhale.com.
Joe Picchetti (Walton/Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his Skylight debut with Frankenstein! Recent regional credits include Lumberjacks In Love at MKE Rep, Witch and Photograph 51 at Renaissance Theaterworks, Airness at Forward Theatre, The Lion In Winter at MKE Chamber Theatre, Preludes at Milwaukee Opera Theatre, and All Is Calm at Vanguard Productions. Joe sends his love to his family, friends, Maddy and Poe for their never-ending love and support.
Rick Richter (Victor’s Father/Ensemble) is very happy to once again be on the Skylight stage! His previous roles here have been: Mr. Brownlow in Oliver, Danny in Xanadu, Colonel Pickering in My Fair Lady & Professor Marvel/Wizard in The Wizard of Oz. A few of his other favorite roles in the area have been: Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, King Arthur in Camelot, Gaston in Beauty & the Beast and Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Thanks so very much to everyone who supports him in his passion. Follow Rick at www.rick-richter.com
Jonathan Riker (Henry/Ensemble) In 2022, Jon graduated from Bucknell University where they majored in Theatre, Political Science, and Music. Recent credits include Francis in La Cage Aux Folles at Outskirts Theatre; Walton in Anatomical Hearts at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre; u/s Danny in The Chosen at Milwaukee Rep; Anthony in Sweeney Todd at the Pennsylvania Playhouse; Bruce in Fun Home at Bucknell University. Jon would like to thank his friends and family for their continuous love and support.
Ashley M Rodriguez (Justine/Ensemble) is honored to return to Skylight. She was last seen with them in EVITA as Peron’s Mistress. Some other credits include various roles in Renaissance Theaterworks' Brink Briefs, Understudy in Almost,Maine at Next Act Theatre, Alyssa Green in PROM at Bombshell Theatre, Heather Chandler at Heathers with Outskirts Theatre Co., and Witch in Into the Wood at Forte Theatre. She completed her BFA at UW Parkside and her AFA at College of Lake County.
Mars Schultz (Young Victor/William/Ensemble) is excited to make his debut with Skylight Music Theater in Frankenstein the Musical. Recently, Mars portrayed the Miniature Nutcracker in The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium at Milwaukee Ballet. Other roles include Gargoyle in Snow White and Onion in The Adventures of Cipollino, both with Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy. Mars wants to thank his family for their support.
Stephanie Staszak (Elizabeth) This is Stephanie’s seventeenth production with Skylight! She was most recently seen performing on the Cabot Stage as Principal Rosalie Mullins in School of Rock and choreographed both Xanadu and Oliver! Nicknamed the “Swiss Army Knife of Skylight,” Stephanie also works administratively as an Artistic Associate. She feels very lucky to work consistently within the Milwaukee and surrounding theatre community, having also worked with MOT, InTandem, First Stage, Fireside Theatre and various high school and community theatres. Follow her on Instagram: @stephaniemarie11
Creative Team
Janna Ernst (Music Director) With over 25 years of coaching and music directing experience, Janna Ernst has performed at opera and theater houses all over the country. She has held teaching positions at major universities and currently resides in Shorewood with her two daughters. Janna has a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from San Diego State University, a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Vocal Specialist degree from the University of Michigan.
Jayne Regan Pink (Movement Director) Jayne graduated from The Royal Ballet School and was Principal dancer with Northern Ballet Theatre from 1986-2000. Hailed as one of the finest dramatic dancers of her generation. Jayne has worked internationally as coach and repetiteur. Milwaukee Movement director credits include Happy Days, Neat, Witch, The Wolves, The Moors (Renaissance Theaterworks); Matilda, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Elephant and Piggie, and Urinetown. (First Stage Children’s Theater); Happy Now, The Norman Conquests, and A Christmas Carol (Milwaukee Rep). Upcoming projects include Circle Mirror Transformation for Next Act Theatre.
Michael Unger (Director/Artistic Director) For Skylight, Michael has directed Dennis DeYoung’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (nine BroadwayWorld Awards – including Best Director and Best Musical), the Deaf and Hard of Hearing production of Spring Awakening, Oliver!, Juliet and Romeo, School of Rock, Noises Off, Little Shop of Horrors, A Jolly Holiday: Celebrating Disney’s Broadway Hits, as well as Me, Myself and I for Skylight’s Education program. Amongst many virtual offerings, he directed Skylight’s BroadwayWorld Award-winning Being Earnest, now available worldwide online. He was previously the Associate Artistic Director of Off-Broadway’s York Theatre; credits there included You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown and Big. For nine years, he was the Producing Artistic Director of NewArts, started with a local father in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy; directing 17 productions working with over 650 area-children. Other selected directing credits include A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theatre for 18 years), Two Point Oh (NY Times Critics’ Pick), Time Stands Still (Cape Cod Chronicle Best 2015), My Sister in This House (Deaf West, Ovation Recommended), and new versions of Kander and Ebb’s The Happy Time and The Rink. World premiere directing credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Caligula, and A ROCKIN’ Midsummer Night’s Dream (featured in the award-winning documentary film “Midsummer in Newtown”). He has directed 14 operas plus benefit concerts honoring Susan Stroman, André DeShields, Maltby and Shire, and Leslie Uggams, as well as for the communities of Sandy Hook, CT and Parkland, FL.
Susan Varela (Executive Director) Originally from Milwaukee and a graduate of UW-Stevens Point, her professional career as a performer landed her in New York City for 20 years. She performed on Broadway in Les Misérables and at Radio City Music Hall in The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Other notable performances include Jo March in Little Women: The Musical; Grizabella in Cats and Eva Peron in Evita. Susan performed in world premieres at both the Denver Center Theater (for their Tony-award winning season) and the Yale Repertory Theater. Before joining the Skylight staff, she appeared on the Cabot stage in Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, The Wizard of Oz, and Les Misérables. Susan has produced, directed, performed and written for the stage and television alongside her husband, actor Andrew Varela. Susan currently serves on the board of directors for Brew City Opera and The Historic Third Ward Association.
Mark Baron (Composer) is a renowned musician, arranger and musical director who has performed with numerous global music legends, including 48 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Currently the musical director for Grammy® winner Gloria Gaynor, he also serves as an arranger for NBC’s The Voice. His collaborations include icons such as Andrea Bocelli, Aretha Franklin, and the Beach Boys, as well as performances with the Award winning Metropole Orchestra, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and Harry Connick Jr. Mark has also been seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America, PBS, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
Jeffrey Jackson (Book & Lyrics) began his career in advertising as a graphic designer. In film, he wrote and directed the award-winning short, Our First Fight and his feature-length screenplay, White Collared, won Best Screenplay at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. His play, Two Point Oh, was a “Critic’s Pick” in the NYTimes which praised it as “smart, provocative, and funny.” Jeff also wrote, directed and produced the groundbreaking hybrid video game/movie Daemon 9 (“an astonishing achievement” —The Horror Network) and also directed and co-wrote the NYMF Festival winner Love in the Middle Ages.
Skylight Music Theatre is a professional theatre company that produces high-quality musical productions that entertain, educate, and inspire. We are committed to providing a platform for local talent and showcasing the best of Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1959, Skylight is Milwaukee’s professional Equity music theatre company and the state's largest employer of Wisconsin actors. Skylight produces the full range of music theatre from blockbuster Broadway musicals to reimagined operas, and from exciting world premieres to contemporary off-Broadway hits. Skylight’s mainstage home is the Cabot Theatre in the Broadway Theatre Center, which was built by Skylight in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward in 1992. Considered to be one of Milwaukee’s most beautiful theatres, the Cabot Theatre is based on the design of an 18th-century French opera house. With just 350 seats it offers audiences great views of the action onstage and an undeniable connection with the performers. Skylight Music Theatre marks its 65th season in 2024-2025. Skylight Music Theatre is a proud Cornerstone Member of the United Performing Arts Fund.