World premieres don’t happen every day, especially here in Middle America, where swimmin’ pools and movie stars are as scarce as “bubbling crude.”

When the Fort Wayne Ballet presents the original production of Frankenstein on Sept. 27 and 28 at the Performing Arts Center, however, the eyes of the dance world will be focused on the Summit City. Dance companies from around the country have already expressed interest in the futuristic ballet and will send representatives to the world premier. Others are lining up to purchase a professionally-made video of the production.

“This has been a fabulous experience for all of us,” Karen Gibbons-Brown, artistic/executive director of the Fort Wayne Ballet, said. “From start to finish, the process of creating a new ballet has been inspiring. We are creating, not just reproducing, a work of art.”

The original story of Frankenstein was created in 1818 when a group of vacationing friends - Mary Shelley, her husband Percy B. Shelley, Lord Byron and John Polidari — sat together on a rainy afternoon and decided to see who could write the most frightening ghost story. We don’t know whose story won their contest, but Mary Shelley’s tale of a tortured monster created from body parts of the dead was the only one to be published. The novel endures today as the foundation of modern gothic horror.

So somehow it seems appropriate that the idea for a futuristic ballet based on the same novel began with a group of friends sitting and talking around a kitchen table. It was late in the evening after a performance of Fort Wayne Ballet’s Blue Jean Nite. These friends -- Lees Harris, Stephen Stone and Gibbons-Brown -- were discussing the recent adaptation of Dracula for the dance stagee when someone casually mentioned that Frankenstein would translate into a great ballet production.

“We just looked at each other, stunned, and then started laughing,” Gibbons-Brown said, chuckling at the memory. “It was perfect.”

Only two years later, that late-night creation has sprung to life and is waiting to be revealed for the first time by the Fort Wayne Ballet.

Frankenstein is set in the 25th century. The two-act, full-length ballet has a minimalist set design and is based on Shelley’s novel — not on the tale’s many film variations. Part ballet and part theater, the dance is choreographed with both in mind. The dancers use facial expressions and body language to bring the story to life while the narrator (Captain Walton, played by well-known community actor Greg Steiber) leads the audience through the tragic tale of Dr. Victor Frankenstein.

This adaptation of Frankenstein is not the horror story we’re all used to. It is a very intense 1-plus hours that touches on the relationships between God and man, father and son and the prejudices of society. And although the date of the production in late September makes it the perfect kick-off to the Halloween season, it is a touching and sad drama — not a creepy or scary ‘ghost story’ for thrill-seekers.

In this futuristic story, Victor (played by the popular Stefan Zubal) is a brilliant man who is part of a community, but existing only on the fringes of the society. He is searching for more and becomes obsessed with learning the “secrets of heaven and earth.” Finally, in madness, he takes matters into his own hands to personally experience the role of Creator by building a man from the dead bodies of convicts and the brain of a brilliant scientist.

Shocked and disappointed by the hideous mockery of humanity that he has created, Victor tries to forget the monster ... but the monster won’t let him forget.

The monster (played by Chris Knutson) is lonely and isolated. Realizing that he will never be accepted by society, he seeks revenge on Frankenstein by killing his wife (Elizabeth, played by lead dancer Elena Mourad), family and friends.

Because of the intense nature of the story, parents are encouraged to use discretion when deciding if their small children should attend.

“There are some killings onstage but they’re tastefully done,” Gibbons-Brown said. Realizing the oddity of that statement, she shrugged. “It’s not gory, not bloody, but it is very sad. Parents who decide to bring small children should discuss it with them first.”

Staging Frankenstein as a ballet is not as strange as it may seem. The ballet of Dracula was brought to the stage recently and has been a big hit with both traditionalists and contemporaries.

“Ten years ago if someone had mentioned performing Frankenstein on stage as a ballet I’m not sure I would have said yes,” Gibbons-Brown said. “It’s such a sad story and a departure from traditional ballet, but the trend in dancing has changed dramatically in recent years. Dance has become more theatrical again. Dance companies are also trying to find that fine line between what consumers want and artistic integrity with opportunity for artistic growth.”

Conceived, directed and choreographed by Lees G. Harris and Stephen K. Stone, the original musical score for the upcoming production of Frankenstein is by Michael Kallstrom.

Harris, who some may recall, has taught summer dance workshops for the Fort Wayne Ballet. She graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and was a principal dancer with the Clive Thompson Dance Company and the New York City Jazz Company. She founded the Nashville Dance Project (Tennessee) and was the assistant artistic director of Momentum Dance Company. She continues to teach around the country.

Stone graduated from the University of North Carolina and has performed around the country. He directed the dance program for the Governor’s School of North Carolina-East before joining the Towson University Department of Dance as Visiting Professor of Dance. Stone is currently Assistant Professor of Dance at Western Kentucky University and Co-Director of the University Dance Company.