Out of the darkness and silence, an eerie light shines from a crack in the stage. Suddenly, creatures in rotting clothes crawl from the crack, shrieking and groaning in agony.

And so begins “Frankenstein,” a DVC drama production directed by Ed Trujillo that stays true to Mary Shelley’s novel and is classic horror at its best – distorted, gruesome, yet beautiful.

Telling the story of a man who discovers the secret of life only to create a hideous creature who wreaks havoc, the play is characterized by attention to detail and its use of German Expressionism, or distortion.

Each actor seamlessly melts into his or her role and connects emotionally with the audience. Kerel Rennacker, who plays Victor Frankenstein, smoothly makes the transition from a man preoccupied with his own cleverness to an agonized creator mourning the loss of his love. And Harold Hardin II, who plays the Creature, masters the anguish and sadness of an ugly being, shunned by all.

One brilliant scene is when the Creature and his Mate, played by Shelby Grunseth, share a dance that is both creepy and seductive. Both are hunched over, he in his decaying clothes and she in an old wedding dress, as they dance in a circle on a stage flooded with red light.

“Frankenstein” is different from modern horror in that the audience never sees the violence. In one scene, Frankenstein murders a young woman – but this happens behind a screen. All we see is the silhouette of his hands around her neck, but the sounds of her screams and the final crack of her neck amplify the cruelty of this act.

The clothing and make-up are also spectacular. While Frankenstein’s love interest, Elizabeth, played by Noelle Sullivan, is dressed in a respectable dress and bonnet, the Creature sports stitches and added lumps of flesh on his back and arms.

The elaborate set consists of creaky old stairs, several windows, a professor’s study and a coffin. The music varies from discordant notes to haunting melodies and Pachelbel’s Cannon.

The play moves back and forth in time, with the setting changing from the North Pole to a dream to some memory in Frankenstein’s mind.

Aside from the spectacular aesthetics and believable acting, this play effectively brings to light the dangers inherent in playing God and creating life, as well as judging others based on their appearance.

The play runs through Nov. 9. Performances are at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday in the Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $12. Contact Marsha Fulk at the box office at (925) 687-4445 for more information.