Frankenstein Starred Big at the Seminole

“NIGHT TWO IS OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT! What a beautiful way to close out the run of Frankenstein tonight! While the show has just started, we’re feeling all the love and excitement for this incredible production! Let’s give a huge round of applause to our amazing cast, crew, and production team for bringing this story to life!”

The Facebook post for the Saturday, October 17, 2026, performance of Magic Arts Studios and Seminole Theatre’s play, “Frankenstein,” summed up the night of continuing bursts of applause from the audience. The cast of 13 actors and nine production team members, plus three La-Bar-Atory experience cast members, exemplified high-quality community theater. “Fantastic show! Actors were magnificent!” was one such comment posted later.

Francisco (Frankie) Navarro, founder of Magic Arts Studios LLC, as well as director, performer, and artist, stepped onto the stage to welcome the house and speak about bringing another classic play based on last year’s success with “Dracula.”

He had previously explained the purpose behind Magic Arts Studio. “As you know, The Seminole Theater Players has entertained our community with great musicals and children's programming, but I wanted to explore non musicals and reintroduce a few of the classics to our local audience.

“It was also a way to feature great talent from our actors that normally don't sing and dance but can really act their parts with serious dialog and nonverbal performance. I also believe that we can reintroduce classics like Dracula to our younger generation by encouraging them to read more books.

“Telling stories is as old as time and our descendants would gather around a fire to tell stories of great deeds, morals and cautionary tales to the young as a way to teach them of past deeds (or misdeeds).”

Magic Arts teams with the Seminole and Katherine Rubio, Seminole Theatre director, serves as the play’s producer. Sets and costumes have always been a hallmark of productions and the transformation of Eliezer Iiizarry into “the Creature” was superb. Performing as he did in such cumbersome circumstances spoke of definite dedication to the role. Special effects of lightning and “mad” surges of electricity in the “laboratory” were part of why applause frequently broke out.

The curtain call was met with cheers as Navarro introduced the cast, production team, and everyone involved. A special element for him was to have his daughter in the play. There was enthusiastic applause for his plan to bring another classic next year, perhaps featuring “The Werewolf.” In response to a question following the praise, he wrote, “Just happy to do this magic with my family in my hometown.”

Of note, the separate event, the “La-Bar-Atory Experience,” was held upstairs an hour prior to the Friday and Saturday shows. These events always sell out quickly and provide specialty cocktails in an immersive setting aligned with the play and a cast to perform short sketches related to the play.

The Seminole Theatre has other new offerings this year with vocal lessons, Salsa, Heels, and Line dancing classes, musical performances, and more. They also provide a venue for the City of Homestead Artist in the Spotlight program to feature local and area artists. The current exhibit, “Images of Homestead,” has works by numerous members of Homestead Center for the Arts and will be up through the end of December.

To learn more, go to seminoletheatre.org or visit the Box Office, 18 N. Krome Ave., Homestead, Thursday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Telephone: (786) 650-2073.