ANN ARBOR, Mich.–“I am not your enemy,” says Anton, aka, The Monster in Joe Zettelmaier’s The Gravedigger, now being produced by the Penny Seats Theatre Company here. The simple five word proclamation is at the core of this story, based on Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein.”

Zettelmaier’s story gives voice to Shelly’s monster, here named Anton (David Galido), whereas we have in the past relied largely on facial and physical acting when, for example, Boris Karloff gave life to the man/beast that took form after Dr. Victor Frankenstein stitched together body parts from a graveyard and electrified the sum of parts into a breathing, feeling man.

The simple words, “I am not your enemy,” has such resonance today. We are in this place in our history when cultural and political tribes are in a cage match. People of color are being demonized by the regime in power, not for weakness of character but for inconvenience of circumstance. Anton was created by Victor Frankenstein (Daniel Hellmer) as an exercise to try and prove his genius, to create celebrity for himself as the man who could most closely emulate God as a creator. Our Anton is a good bloke, with a sense of humor and capacity for love. But he is scorned and rejected for what he looks like, how he was made. He’s even rejected by his creator ostensibly because he is not the compliant pet the doctor wishes him to be.

Mr. Galido’s face is covered in rags in Act One as he forges a friendship with Kurt (Robert Schorr), the gravedigger and comes to know gypsy girl Nadya (Annie Dilworth). In the second, Anton is unsheathed, ugly with scars and his obvious jigsaw puzzle makeup out for all to see.

You don’t have to think very far to see Anton as ourselves. We are all “made up” of many parts. We all have a creator, but we are all works in progress–etched, sculpted, broken, patched together by others.

The setting for The Gravedigger, one of Zettelmaier’s very best plays, couldn’t be more perfect. Shows in West Park begin at 8PM, and by 9:30 when the action returns to the graveyard, the natural light, artfully augmented by a bit of theatrical lighting, the outdoor performance space sets the perfect mood for what is unfolding. Too, Penny Seats has utterly figured out the sound engineering for this outside space they have inhabited for a few years now, so all the actors are heard perfectly.

This summer’s offerings from Penny Seats is truly monstrous. Next month, the troupe will stage Mel Brooks “Young Frankenstein” in the same space.

Bring your law chairs and a jug of something and some snacks, a can of bug spray (though they were not bothersome on my night), and enjoy an exceptionally good performance and production of a terrific play. But no smokes. West Park is a smoke-free zone, at least during performances.

Click here for show information.