This year’s On-Screen lineup at Orcas Center kicks off this Saturday at 1pm with a replay of Frankenstein featuring Benedict Cumberbatch in Danny Boyle’s celebrated production.  Why are these on-screen events so worthwhile? They feature:

  • A diverse sampling of the world’s best performing arts–theatre, ballet, and opera–without leaving the island!
  • All the shows are filmed live with an actual audience during an actual performance.
  • You get to view these shows from the best seat in the house in the world’s most renowned theatres.
  • You watch these productions on our 24’ wide HD projection screen and full 5.1 surround sound.
  • The shows are reliably at 1pm on almost every Saturday.  Rainy day matinees all winter long!
  • We now offer popcorn and other concessions you can bring into the theatre along with beverages in our theatre cups.
  • We are pricing these world-class shows at $12 ($10 for members) to be comparable with movies. (A significant discount to previous years.)

So much goodness! And let me elaborate on just the first two shows of the season:

Saturday 10/20 at 2pm: Frankenstein (1) – This is without question the coolest National Theatre Live production to date, which is why it is STILL running years after it first aired in 2011.  This year marks the 200 year anniversary of Mary Shelley’s timeless classic, but this production is *anything* but traditional. This production is directed by visionary Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire), and starring Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange! Sherlock!) as the Creature, and Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting) as the Doctor, and a scorching score by the electronic music producers of Underworld.  Alternately tender and brutal, this show is an audio-visual feast with one of the most inspiring stage and light designs I’ve ever seen.  If you see *one* On-Screen event all year, this is the one!

Saturday 10/27 at 2pm: Frankenstein (2) – What’s just as cool as Benedict Cumberbatch as the Creature in Frankenstein?!  How about Benedict Cumberbatch as THE DOCTOR in the same production! That’s right, Benedict and Jonny alternated roles every night of the run of this show, taking turns playing the two leading roles.  So the following week, we are showing Frankenstein *again* with the two main actors in opposite roles! How cool is that!?.

And these are just the first two shows!  Later in the season we have Ian McKellen (Gandalf!) playing King Lear, The Nutcracker by the Bolshoi Ballet, and many, many more.  Check our Upcoming Events page for the entire rundown, and subscribe to our newsletter for all the updates as we roll them out.

See you at the theatre!