San Francisco Ballet to Revive Liam Scarlett’s ‘Frankenstein’ at Segerstrom Center

Lauren Harvey
14 hours ago
5 min read

San Francisco Ballet’s Joseph Walsh and Lauren Strongin, entrusted with Liam Scarlett’s choreographic legacy, lead the revival of his “Frankenstein” ahead of its Southern California debut.

Wei Wang as the Creature and Max Cauthorn as Dr. Victor Frankenstein in Liam Scarlett’s “Frankenstein.” Photo courtesy of San Francisco Ballet/Erik Tomasson

When Liam Scarlett died in 2021, Joseph Walsh and Lauren Strongin of the San Francisco Ballet received unexpected news: The British choreographer left artistic control of his entire body of work to four people, including them.

So when SF Ballet artistic director Tamara Rojo decided to bring Scarlett’s “Frankenstein” back to life for the 2025 repertory season, the married couple, who danced in the company's original cast as Dr. Victor Frankenstein and Elizabeth in 2017, were tasked with staging the production.

“I found that the group was so warm and welcoming to Lauren and I coming in to run the rehearsals, and we just tried to keep those vibes going and continue with such a heavy storyline that can really dampen the mood if you don’t rehearse it correctly,” Walsh said. “There’s a moment where you say, ‘OK, full out with feeling.’ But until you really need that moment, you just want everyone to be physically there, present, knowing what they're doing …. That’s kind of my approach to any role, so I’ve just tried to dole out that knowledge to the rest of the group to keep the lights on in a dark situation.”

The Ballet presented “Frankenstein” at the War Memorial Opera House in March and again in April for a series of encore performances. Now, the company is preparing for the ballet’s Southern California debut Oct. 2-5 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, with accompaniment by the Pacific Symphony. While Strongin retired as a soloist in 2019, Walsh remains a principal dancer at the company and is set to reprise the titular role.

Joseph Walsh as Dr. Victor Frankenstein in Liam Scarlett’s “Frankenstein.” Photo courtesy of San Francisco Ballet/Erik Tomasson

“‘Frankenstein’ was beloved by our audiences in San Francisco earlier this year, and we are thrilled to give audiences in Southern California the opportunity to see this monumental production on the Segerstrom Center stage,” Rojo said. “Liam Scarlett's mesmerizing classical choreography combined with the striking stage design and haunting score truly draw the audience into the gothic landscape of Mary Shelley's monstrous tale. The story told on stage is extremely relevant to today’s complex world of technological innovation, and I believe it will resonate deeply.”

A co-production between the Royal Ballet and SF Ballet, “Frankenstein” had its world premiere in London in 2016 and its U.S. premiere in San Francisco in 2017. Choreographer Scarlett, then considered a rising star in the ballet world and the Royal Ballet’s artist-in-residence since 2012, was praised for the rich storytelling and ambition of his narrative ballets, with “Frankenstein” seen as a bold example.

But in August 2019, the Royal Ballet suspended Scarlett following reports of sexual misconduct with some of the school’s male students, which became public in January 2020. SF Ballet subsequently replaced its planned performances of Scarlett’s “Hummingbird.” Though the Royal Ballet’s investigation found “no matters to pursue,” the company ultimately parted ways with the choreographer in March 2020.

Scarlett, 35, died by suicide on April 16, 2021, the same day the Royal Danish Ballet announced it would be canceling its “Frankenstein” performances. The 2025 season marked SF Ballet’s first return to Scarlett’s work since these events.

For Walsh, who began working with Scarlett shortly after joining SF Ballet in 2014, revisiting “Frankenstein” for the first time since 2018 has proven both challenging and meaningful. He wants to bring back Scarlett’s work “in the most respectful way for the dancers, the artists involved, the dancers,” he said in an interview with website 48 Hills.

Frances Chung as Elizabeth dances with her leading men, Joseph Walsh as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, left, and Wei Wang as the Creature in Liam Scarlett’s “Frankenstein.” Photo courtesy of San Francisco Ballet/Lindsey Rallo

“Knowing that it was coming back and that I would have this other role to participate in was the biggest mountain to climb, as well as the emotional side of things,” Walsh said. “It was just a lot of maneuvering emotional boundaries, and how much I was willing to give into the process.”

Wei Wang – who plays Frankenstein’s monster, or the Creature – has valued revisiting the role with Walsh and Strongin. Wang was also part of the original cast, dancing opposite Strongin’s Elizabeth and Max Cauthorn’s Dr. Frankenstein. But for the Costa Mesa shows, he’ll take the stage with Walsh and Frances Chung.

“Joe’s like, ‘You’ve done this role so many times. You’ve performed so many times. But how do you not only dive deeper, but also express freely within the character? To let yourself completely go?’ ” Wang said. “He and Lauren really gave me the space to go further with it.”

Transforming into the Creature is no simple task. It takes about two hours to get his makeup done and the mold glued to his head, Wang said, and another hour to remove it all at the end of the night.

“In the moment when the makeup is finished, I don’t even want to look at myself and then to translate that to how other people view me,” Wang said. “Not only that it looks hideous and scary and intimidating, but also the feeling that I get from other people looking at me, it is truly vulnerable.”

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The bronze ballerina joins the visual art found across Segerstrom Center’s campus, on view all season.

SF Ballet and Segerstrom Center are going all-in with the spooky atmosphere for the October performances. Darkroom, a restaurant and wine bar in Santa Ana, will be serving a “night of monstrous flavors” with a four-course meal inspired by “Frankenstein” and author Mary Shelley. Walsh also encourages guests to come to the performances in costume. “It could be a little trial run for what you’re working on for the 31st,” he said.

Meanwhile, SF Ballet is heading into “Nutcracker” season and preparing for the world premiere of Yuri Possokhov’s “Eugene Onegin” – its first co-production with the Joffrey Ballet. Strongin, who shares a 3-year-old daughter with Walsh, has also worked closely with the Chicago-based company to stage the U.S. premiere of Scarlett’s “Carmen,” which ran at the Lyric Opera House Sept. 18-28, as well as “Hummingbird,” part of Joffrey’s 2024 season.

Together, Walsh and Strongin are passing down Scarlett’s work, which has played a pivotal role in both their careers, to the next generation of dancers.

“The response to ‘Frankenstein’ has been really healing for those that knew Liam,” Walsh said, “and inspiring for those that are just getting to know him.”