Monsters of the Villa Diodati

Music and Lyrics by Matt Conner
Book and Lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith
An electrifying musical that examines the nature of creativity itself and the inner demons that materialized in two of the most iconic monsters in Gothic literature: John Polidori's The Vampyre and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
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Mary Shelley sits down at her writing desk to compose the forward to the 1831 edition of Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus (“Prologue”). In assembling her memories of the creation of her famous monster, Mary also conjures figures from her past, all of whom have their own recollection of the summer of 1816 (“Pieces of You”).

We are transported back 15 years, when Mary and her lover Percy Shelley have fled to Europe with her stepsister Claire Clairmont in tow. On the stormy shores of Lake Geneva, the threesome encounter Lord Byron and his personal physician John Polidori, in exile from the conservative moral attitudes of England. Sizing one another up, each wonders whom to distrust and whom to seduce (“What Now, What Next?”).

Byron has rented out the Villa Diodati, a mansion near the lake, and invites the Shelley group to stay so long as they abide by his rules (“What Do You Want”). Polidori tries to interest Mary with tales of stealing from the grave to acquire subjects for medical school. Claire, eager to impress the famous Byron, recites one of Percy’s poems (“Soul Meets Soul”). When Byron takes Claire to his chambers, Mary and Percy are finally able to enjoy a private moment together. Polidori is left alone to pray about the forbidden desires which plague him (“Directions for John”).

The next day, Byron and Percy sail together upon the lake and argue over the merits of free love. Byron presses Percy to talk of the close relationship Percy shared with another man (“Julian and Maddolo”). A storm rolls in and forces everyone indoors, where Byron produces a book of ghost stories to read in the “Darkness”.

When Percy returns from his room with an electric device he uses for personal experiments, Byron issues a challenge: they are each to write their own new ghost story. With the device as inspiration, Mary is struck by the vision of a dead man reanimated by electricity (“Act I Finale”).

Mary of 1831 is struggling with the emotional toll of exhuming the past (“Forgetting and Remembering”). She returns us to 1816, where tourists have swarmed the shores of Lake Geneva, hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous literary figures through a “Telescope”.

Meanwhile, each of the authors is attempting to translate their story to the page. Byron’s inspiration seems to be one of the other guests (“She Walks in Beauty”). Mary and Polidori stay indoors to shape their stories (“What Now, What Next? Reprise”), while Byron invites Percy for another private excursion on the lake (“You”).

Claire reveals to Mary she is pregnant. Fearing that the child may be Percy’s, Mary strives to reconnect with him (“Bring Me to Life”). Polidori, having been mistreated by Byron and ignored by everyone, commits suicide. Furious at Byron’s behavior, Mary confronts him with the possibility that he is the father of Claire’s child (“Monster”). As Percy and Byron discuss the child’s fate, Mary blames Claire for the time Mary’s father exiled her to “Scotland.”

Byron decides to send Claire’s daughter away to be raised in a convent, and the ensuing fight sends the Villa into chaos. Mary of 1831 intervenes, destroying everyone’s journals from that summer in order to rewrite history (“Epilogue”). In control of her legacy at last, Mary foresees that her creation will live on forever (“Breathe In, Breathe Out”).
Two Acts
1 hour, 55 minutes
PG-13
Cast/Characters
3 Males, 2 Females
Lord Byron
20s Rock Baritenor.  The famous and infamous poet.  Sexy and arrogant
Percy Shelley
20s Baritone.  Sensitive and eager young poet.
Dr. John Polidori
20s Rock Tenor.  Byron's personal physician, eccentric and tormented.
Mary Shelley
20s.  Soprano with pop mix.  Young writer struggling to find her own voice.  Also plays Mary as an older woman remembering the events at Villa Diodati.
Clare Clairmont
20s.  Belter with pop mix and light soprano.  Beautiful and opportunistic half-sister to Mary

REVIEWS

"Monsters of the Villa Diodati delivers a powerful spark to all of the senses, leaving behind a subtle reminder of the potential monsters within us all."

​- DC Metro Theater Arts
"Conner and Smith know how to brave the dark and dusty spaces of the human soul and, no matter how twisted a tale, imbue it with compassion to invoke sympathy."

-DC Theatre Scene
"With its vibrant cast, electric visuals, and thought-provoking themes, Monsters of the Villa Diodati is a must-see for fans of Gothic literature and anyone who appreciates an intimate theatrical experience."
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-Broadway World
"Conner’s score flirts with camp in its strutting, Jaggerlike Byron, played with devilish screeches by a leering Ludwig"

-The Washington Post