STAGE ONE PLAY CHOSEN FOR

CHILDREN’S VIDEO SERIES

October 20, 1997, San Francisco, CA – Globalstage Productions announced today that it has signed a contract with Stage One Theatre of Louisville to film their production of Frankenstein for a series of family home videos. The subscription series is a collection of the finest live theatre from the United States and Europe. This stage play thriller based on Mary Shelley’s novel is an original adaptation by playwright Nick DiMartino.

Globalstage has selected the BBC of London to film the Stage One production. J Clements of San Francisco will direct. The video will be released in January of 1998.

"I had heard that Stage One does great work. And when I saw Frankenstein in person I was very impressed. This is just the kind of family theatre we are looking for, exciting special effects, innovative set design, and thought provoking subject matter," said Globalstage president Libby Pratt.

Complimenting Stage One’s stellar production, Globalstage has invited well-known educator Elizabeth McNamer to introduce the viewer to Frankenstein’s historical and literary significance, and to provide light-hearted, enlightening commentary about the play. Reminiscent of a Gothic mystery, Dr. McNamer and Preston Blakeley, her eleven-year-old assistant, begin their discussion of Frankenstein in a historic Louisville cemetery.

"There is no better way to introduce children to the art of critical thinking than through plays," says McNamer, "Hamlet tells us ‘the play’s the thing wherein we’ll catch the conscience of the king.’ Historically drama has served as a catharsis, helping the viewer to sort out his/her own conflicting emotions. Frankenstein deals with the immortal theme of life and death, and with the very modern dilemma of the unpredictability of science."

Playwright and author Nick DiMartino created this stage play adaptation specifically for children’s theatre. He has written 18 plays that have been full-run productions.

"Frankenstein is the first of a series which includes the Scottish favorite, A Stranger Came Ashore, a Belgian production of Cyrano de Bergerac, and Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Our goal is to provide families with a variety of first-rate theatre from around the world," says Ms. Pratt.