Three Gothic Doctors and Their Sons: A Novel and Musical

 

In 2014, the theatre company I co-founded in 2004 and served as artistic director for, was invited to be the house theatre company for the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, WV, the second largest hand cut stone building on Earth after the Kremlin.

Also known as the Weston State Hospital, it was built over three decades and used during the US Civil War. In the 2000s it was bought and reopened as a museum, education, and event facility.

It has been featured on several shows on the paranormal, as it is said to be haunted (members of my theatre company, including myself, did have some very odd experiences there).

I wrote, directed, and/or acted in several of my original works there over the course of several years, including my one-man show about Edgar Allen Poe. 

One of the works I wrote (and acted in) was Three Gothic Doctors and Their Sons, with music by my longtime collaborator, composer and Indie Lo-Fi artist Knight Berman, Jr. 

It's premise was based on the simple question, "What if a single ambitious scientist had the journals of doctors Frankenstein, Moreau, and Jekyll?" 

We were able to work with an excellent team of set designers, special effects artists, and a great production team and director to make the show a big success.

In 2021 I decided to adapt the musical script into a novel and incorporate it into the world of The Stanton Chronicles (see my previous blog at about this history meets mystery and the paranormal series at https://joeymadiastoryteller.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-stanton-chronicles-historical.html).

Shortly after, I was approached by the Independent Producers Guild and their the Virtual Theatrical Program at Stage and Screen Innovations, led by Shadow Dragu Mahai, who were interested in creating a hybrid event that would be part theatre performance, part international livestream, and part cinematic event (using numerous cameras during tech week and live performances to record the material for later editing and distribution).

In was encouraged to add additional characters (the original was from solely the male perspective and their are now four female characters) and scenes/locations. I was also hired to direct the project, which is slated to debut at the end of 2025.

You can learn more about Virtual Theatrical and Stage and Screen Innovations at:

                                                                            stagescreen.org

And consider joining this free virtual open house, where I will be speaking on March 13 about adapting Three Gothic Doctors and Their Sons for Virtual Theatrical.