JC Chasez, Jimmy Harry Are ‘Playing With Fire’ In ‘Frankenstein’ Musical Theater Inspiration

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and producer JC Chasez and Golden Globe winning songwriter, producer and composer Jimmy Harry have announce a new musical theater concept album, Playing With Fire.

Inspired by Mary Shelly’s novel, Frankenstein, Playing with Fire marks Chasez’s first major musical theater recording project. Chasez is also featured as a vocalist alongside singers Cardamon Rozzi and Lily Elise.

The project comes on the heels of the *NSYNC reunion on the Trolls Band Together soundtrack, where Chasez lent his vocals on the group’s first song in two decades, “Better Place,” and Harry’s recent work writing and producing “Take Me Back To The Party,” the latest single from B-52’s founding member Kate Pierson.

Harry has previously worked with legends such as  Madonna, Pink, Britney Spears, Diplo, Kelly Clarkson, Weezer and more. Playing With Fire has already garnered early buzz, and Chasez made a surprise appearance at this year’s Elsie Fest and joined festival host creator Darren Criss on stage where the project was announced. Watch a video of Chasez’s appearance at Elsie Fest HERE.

Featuring a collection of 16 original new tracks, Playing With Fire first came to fruition when Harry presented Chasez the script of his late mother’s (Barbara Field) theatrical adaptation of Shelley’s story.

This reimagining of the classic tale constructs a conversation between Frankenstein and his creation, The Creature, at the grave of Frankenstein’s wife, Elizabeth, ten years after her death. Through dynamic interplay of dialogue and shared flashbacks of key events in both their lives, the concept album plunges into the heart of their intertwined destinies.

As they confront their past actions and the devastating impact they’ve had on one another, Frankenstein and The Creature gradually find understanding, sympathy, and forgiveness.

“When we first discussed creating a musical inspired by Frankenstein, obvious topics such as technology, A.G.I., monsters, immortality and death came up. However, when we began the process of writing the songs, we couldn’t help but lean into topics dealing with familial relationships, love, deceit, and denial. In the end, we flipped the technological beast on its side to reveal that, in spite of all its benefits and horrors it creates, it changes nothing about our basic humanity.”

Playing With Fire is set for release through Center Stage Records on October 25, 2024.

Playing With Fire Tracklist:

1. This Is How the World Ends
2. How Do You Sleep
3. You Used to Touch Me
4. Broken
5. The Beginning
6. One Over R Squared Part 1
7. I Found Death at the University
8. One Over R Squared Part 2
9. The Animation
10. Father
11. No One Loves No One
12. It’s Just a Dream
13. Build Me Someone to Love
14. Playing With Fire
15. The Death of the Brides
16. Don’t Go (I’m Not Ready Yet)