Concept & Cue Samples

Design Statement

"Inspired by the distinct melodies and usage of lyrical songs found in the music of franchises such as Final Fantasy, the use of Valentine Wolfe's music in this production of Frankenstein creates an unsettling atmosphere fitting for this chilling story of a creature that was rejected by his creator and the world at large. As the sound designer, my job involved taking the music provided by Valentine Wolfe and utilizing it in unique ways that enhanced the story being presented. My job also included utilizing various sound effects, such as electricity, wind, and rain to help this classic story from the creature's perspective. Through the use of 125 sound cues in total, I was successfully able to tell the story of this rejected and despised creature in search of love through the use of sound." -Seth Furr, Sound Designer

Music and Effects

At certain moments in the play, music was utilized in tandem with various sound effects to immerse the audience in the play's world and narrative. Some of these moments are described here.

The Creature Escapes

At the beginning of the play, the creature comes to life and manages to escape the cage he has been confined to. As a production team, we wanted this to be an iconic moment in the play, almost like our own version of the chandelier falling in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera.

With the sound design for this particular moment, I chose to use the ending of Valentine Wolfe's "Samael," in tandem with sounds of electricity crackling and an explosion when the top of the box was blown off, allowing the creature his freedom.

The Creature Escapes.mp3

Ingolstadt

After the creature is cast out by his master, he wanders through the streets of Ingolstadt, overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the city around him. To recreate this feeling of being overwhelmed for the audience, I utilized the sounds of various machinery, horses & carriages, and smithing. Additionally, I chose to keep Valentine Wolfe's "All My Nights were Trances" playing during this scene, as it began during the prior scene, when Frankenstein first cast out his creature.

Ingolstadt.mp3

Illustrating Concepts and Ideas through Musical Cues

Throughout the play, there were certain scenes where I chose to use instrumental music to illustrate a particular concept or idea. Some of these moments utilized different sections of the same song to highlight a particular concept or idea as it was presented at various points in the narrative.

"Helel" & Foreshadowing

This song played during the transitions between scenes featuring The Creature and De Lacey as well as Felix and Agatha. I wanted to utilize music that captured a peaceful present moment while also foreshadowing an ominous future, as the relationship De Lacey has built with the creature during their time together will eventually be shattered by Felix and Agatha's horrific treatment of him.

Helel.mp3

"Spirit 1885" & Dreams

Early in our design process, the director and movement choreographer asked if we could use the end of Valentine Wolfe's "Spirit 1885," a track they originally only released for their Patreon supporters, for the dream sequence where the creature dances with the female creature; this was a request I happily agreed to, as I felt it perfectly encapsulated the feeling of this dream.

However, as I was going through the process of selecting what music to use, I realized I could use this song again when Victor later has his dream about William. Utilizing this song again during this scene, combined with a dramatic shift in lighting, clearly communicated to the audience that this was a dream, so that they were not confused as to why William was suddenly alive again.

Spirit 1885.mp3

"The Color of the Grave is Green" & Grief

This song was used twice during the production to highlight the grief Monsieur Frankenstein felt over the losses of his family. It was first used when William's corpse was discovered to illustrate the grief felt by everyone who was there.

The song appeared again when Victor and his father had a heavy conversation about Victor leaving his home behind to leave and work on the female creature. During this conversation, the song brings attention to the grief both men feel surrounding the loss of Victor's mother.

The Color of the Grave Is Green.mp3

Lyrical Songs

Although most of the music used in this production consisted of instrumental tracks, there were three lyrical songs also used at very specific moments to convey very specific ideas to the audience.

"Symphony of Sorrow"

"Symphony of Sorrow

Tears apart my heart

Fractured into pieces

Blown into the wind"

While an instrumental portion of this song was used when the creature was attacked by Felix and Agatha, it also appeared at the end of the following scene, where the creature destroys their home. This time however, after the creature makes his declaration of revenge, we immediately hear the song's final chorus, symbolizing the hurt the creature felt over how he was rejected by De Lacey's family. Any semblance of a metaphorical "heart" the creature had was destroyed in this moment, as he avenges himself and seeks out his creator.

Symphony of Sorrow.mp3

"Last Kiss"

"Last kiss

Soft touch

Gentle storm

Heralding

Shadowy

Billowing

Mind is caving in

Changes without end..."

This song plays at a pivotal moment in the narrative, where Victor and Elizabeth share a kiss before Victor leaves his home to work on the female creature. As Victor exits and the scene ends, this song fades in, foreshadowing that this will be the last kiss we see between Victor and Elizabeth. The lyrics speaks to Victor's continual descent into madness throughout the play and the last time the person who loves him will be able to show him what love truly is.

Last Kiss.mp3

"Hours of Sorrow"

"Lashing out in anger, my soul is fractured fragments

This haunted world is littered with the ghosts of the past

Everywhere I turn there’s a part of me in all of them

Eventide reflection sings the Hours of sorrow

Hours of sorrow

Hours of sorrow..."

This song's intense opening kicks in as soon as the creature pulls back the curtain and sees that Victor has destroyed all of his work on the female creature. This opening, combined with the strobing lights, illustrate to the audience the overwhelming emotions that the creature feels in this moment; what he believes was his only chance at love has been destroyed by someone he trusted. As the lyrics come in, the audience is given a window into the creature's thoughts; he's both enraged and sorrowful that he sees a part of himself in humanity (that being an ability to love) that he can no longer share with someone of his own kind. As the chorus begins, the enraged and vengeful creature begins to choke Victor before promising to take revenge and running away, cuing the song to fade out as Victor's father and others barge in to confront him.

Hours of Sorrow.mp3

Other Notable Songs

Below are some examples of other song choices I made that I felt should be shared for various reasons.

"Softly Shall You Sleep"

This song plays during the scene between the creature and William. Similar to "Helel," it has a peaceful yet ominous feel to it, showcasing the difference between William's innocence and the creature's thirst for vengeance while the ominous instrumentation foreshadows the murder of William at the end of the scene.

Softly Shall You Sleep.mp3

"I Will Be with You on Your Wedding Night"

While the full version of this song does contain lyrics, I opted to cut out the lyrics and loop an instrumental portion of the song during this particular moment when the creature murders Elizabeth. This was done to keep the intensity of the scene even as the music slowly faded out without having to worry about the timing of the lyrics.

I Will Be with You on Your Wedding Night.mp3

Let the Silence Speak

Despite the large number of sound cues present within this production, there were still several moments throughout the play that were performed without the addition of any music or sound effects. These moments of silence, such as when the creature was first learning how to move after escaping his cage, were a deliberate choice on my part as a sound designer to solidify certain moments in the audience's memory for various reasons. In the previous example's case, the silence surrounding this crucial moment in the creature's development led to the audience feeling uncomfortable and disgusted as what is essentially an infant in an adult's body slowly learned how to navigate his surroundings.

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