‘Monstrosity!’ Measures Man Versus Monsters

RaeAnne Carlson and Brett Gustafson of the Worst Ever Productions staging of "Monstrosity!" at the Two Roads Theatre in Studio City, Calif. / Photo by Jessica Peralta

The new live theater production of “Monstrosity!” toys with the question of which is worse, humanity or the fictional monsters we’ve created to scare ourselves?

Ultimately — and it’s not giving too much away here — we don’t fare well. But that doesn’t stop this conjuring of six single-scene short plays from melding into one meaningful and entertaining horror-themed night at the theater.

Utilizing familiar characters from Universal’s classic monsters of the 1930s and 1940s, it examines how different characters, both villagers and soldiers, experience World War II in the kind of European Neverland the studio created as the backdrop for most of its classic horror films.

The breezy 90-minute production never lingers too long on the points it tries to make or the characters and situations. If you are in a theater seat, you should already be quite familiar with them and because you are, various Easter eggs are littered around for those who want to find them. Regardless, even theatergoers new to Universal’s classic characters will be able to keep up.

For a small theater, it’s a big group production. The plays written by Michael Knowlan, Andy Shultz, Heather Lehigh, Anne Arreguin, Mia Geere, and Tyler Bianchi zing along with the direction of Kate Greico, Kaitlin Triplett, Heather Lehigh, Andy Shultz, Jennifer Novak Chun, and Jeremy Barbee; and cast of Lulia Brezeanu, Jerry Donahue II, Rizzy Fuentes, Ryan Wayne, Sean Szarkowski, Dija Dowling, Cate Kessler, Simon Gissler, Rachel Becker, StaggerLee Cole, Theresa Ireland, RaeAnne Carlson, Gabi Feingold, Brett Gustafson, K.B. Dulude, Ron Gabaldon, Richard Large, Cameron Currie, Lancaster Duplechin, Hudson Long, and Jeremy Ridnor.

Production on the show began back in 2019, but COVID shut things down and also sent Worst Ever Productions looking for theaters. Fortunately, the intimacy of Studio City’s Two Roads Theatre ended up being the right place. And it’s so rare monsters get such a happy ending.

“Monstrosity!” runs through Aug. 21. Tickets are available online and at the box office. 

The Two Roads Theater
4348 Tujunga Blvd.
Studio City, Calif. 91604

Brett Gustafson and Rachel Becker of the Worst Ever Productions staging of “Monstrosity!” at the Two Roads Theatre in Studio City, Calif. / Photo by Jessica Peralta
K.B. Dulude, Richard Large and Ron Gabaldon of the Worst Ever Productions staging of “Monstrosity!” at the Two Roads Theatre in StudRaeAnne Carlson and Brett Gustafsonio City, Calif. / Photo by Jessica Peralta

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