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Jekyll & Hyde by Starlight Musical Theatre  The dark, fog-shrouded streets of London have rolled onto
the Starlight stage in what is perhaps the most visually stunning show ever
performed in the Bowl thanks to Director Brian Wells, his topnotch
design team, and the sets from Fullerton CLO that vividly reproduced everything from the filthy, sordid alleyways of London’s seedy
side, to the aristocratic finery of the Carew family, to Dr. Jekyll’s dreary
laboratory wherein bubbles and brews trouble of the most evil nature, to the
sudden appearance of a radiant and exquisite church where the final struggle
between good and evil will play out. Eric Lotze’s sublime and sinister
lighting effects complement the set and the nearly ever-present drifts of
London fog perfectly, and Kathy Auckland’s costumes capture both the
opulence of the rich and the squalor of the poor, while always maintaining the
austere darkness that pervades the story. But is there more to this show than
what meets the eye, or are all these stunning images merely a façade?
Composer Frank Wildhorn (The Scarlet Pimpernel) and lyricist Leslie Bricusse (Victor/Victoria, Scrooge, Doctor Doolittle, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) combine for one of the darkest musicals ever written. Unfortunately their creation seems rather mediocre story-wise. Wildhorn’s music only occasionally enhances the tale, and Bricusse’s lyrics produce mostly superficial characters with the notable exception of Hyde who is very well developed. Sadly, Hyde doesn’t come in until the sixth scene. The doldrums of the first five long scenes are finally shattered when Dr. Jekyll realizes his destiny in the soaring This is the Moment – definitely the standout song of the show that captures Jekyll’s noble but misguided dream that he might save humanity by becoming his own guinea pig. After that “moment” Hyde arrives, and with him the story picks up considerably as Victorian England faces an onslaught of intense violence and sensuality. The versatile T. Eric Hart has the challenging role of playing the two disparate parts, with Hyde definitely being his “better half.” His earlier performance of this role at the Fullerton CLO earned him a Robby Award, and he does nail the crucial parts. Hart’s most magnificent work is in The Confrontation – a riveting scene in which Jekyll and Hyde denounce each other in quick succession, T. Eric Hart’s quick and deft transitions being aided by Eric Lotze’s sensational lighting effects. Starlight brought in national tour veteran Annie Berthiaume from Canada for the other major role – the only role that evokes some emotion – as the tragic prostitute Lucy. A Canadian rock star, occasionally that showed up in some vocalizations that felt a bit odd for the character, but it still sounded good. Annie’s impassioned singing helped to gloss over lyrics that were generally uncompelling, her biggest moment coming in her powerful and optimistic rendition of A New Life.  Melissa Waters makes her Starlight
debut as Emma Carew, her lovely voice helping to make her
bland and poorly written character more enjoyable. Starlight regular Ed
Hollingsworth narrates the tale with a sad, fatalistic air. The rest of the
cast is full of some of San Diego’s and Starlight’s stronger musical talents,
many of whom die in some excellently executed death scenes (although some of the
little "sound effects" Hyde makes as he playfully kills his victims
sound kind of funny). And speaking of sound effects, the fireworks could
probably use just a bit more "pop" to them. But amplification of sound
was not a problem onstage for the actors. The ensemble’s
superb voices that are filled with intensity came through brilliantly, and their somber demeanor as
terror grips the city, contribute immensely to the dark mood that makes this
play worth seeing despite its shortcomings, and helped bring a record-breaking
3,200 people to their feet on opening night.
Rob Hopper San Diego Playbill ~ Cast ~
Jekyll/Hyde: T. Eric Hart Lucy: Annie Berthiaume Emma: Melissa Walters Lady Beaconsfield: Lee Lampard The Bishop of Basingstoke: John Martin Lord Savage: William Lawrence Kerr Sir Archibald Proops: John Iocolano Nellie: Shirley Giltner John Utterson: Ed Hollingsworth Simon Stride: John Kenton Shull Sir Danvers Carew: Michael Grant Hall Bisset the Apothecary: Ken Burns General Lord Glossop: Charles Hand Priest: Sam Cavanaugh The Spider: William Lawrence Kerr Poole: Gregg Osborne Jekyll's Father: Richard Herring Clerk: Frank Remiatte Women's Ensemble: Jodie Bowman Kirsten Brandt Ria Carey Keri Cavanaugh Kym Cunningham Annette Desrosiers Adina DiFede Kathy DiFede Shauni Gerner Deborah Harvil-Ash Penny Harville Gemma Hobson Lindsay Hubbard Cailene Kilcoyne Michelle Millum Laura Montes Candice Nicole Annette Nixon Carly Nykanen Tiffany Scarritt Kelsey Venter Men's Ensemble: Ken Burns Sam Cavanaugh Phil Golden Eric Gonzalez Barron Henzel Richard Herring Trevor Hollingsworth Brian Imoto John Iocolano Jeremy McQueen Christopher Miller Kurt Norby Frank Remiatte Director: Brian Wells Musical Director and Conductor: Parmer Fuller Stage Manager: K. Aaron Blokker Costume Design: Kathy Auckland Lighting Design: Eric Lotze Set Provided by: Fullerton Civic Light Opera Sound Design: Steve Stopper Choreographer: David Brannen |