Actress Bridge Markland will bring her one-woman performance of “Faust in a Box” to USI  6 p.m. Monday in Mitchell Auditorium.

“Faust in a Box” is a modern adaptation of the early 1830s German tragedy “Faust” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in which a man sells his soul to the devil in order gain knowledge and power.

Combining elements of classic literature and music, Markland will present her one-woman puppet show in a performance that, to German assistant professor Bartell Berg’s recollection, has yet to be seen at USI. “Faust in the Box” was recommended to Berg through a colleague at another university.

“This idea of making a deal with the devil in order to somehow acquire special abilities is something very common and universal to the human experience,” Berg said. “It’s a very unique way to bring literature to the students.”

Extra credit will be given to students of Berg’s German classes.

“I think that this is an excellent opportunity for students to see something new and different, especially for a university trying to grow and expand such as USI,” theater major Emily Durcholz said. “Although I would love to go, I am not going to be able to due to the fact that I will have rehearsal that night.”

Durcholz is playing Maureen in USI’s production of “Rent” later this year.

Unlike Durcholz, theater major Alexander Hellenberg is both “intrigued” by the “Faust” story and attending Markland’s performance.

“I think that edgier performances would greatly benefit the community.People need to have experience observing such things so that they are able to explore characters like this in literature and art, characters whose lives are increasingly darkened by tragic events,” he said.

The Modern and Classical Languages Department, the Society of German Studies, Student Government Association and the Society for the Arts and Humanities are sponsoring “Faust in a Box.”

The performance is open and free to anyone.