Review: Jekyll & Hyde - The Musical at Avila Spring 2012

The novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson sits on my bookshelf as one of few books I have read repeatedly over the years. Something about the story of the genuinely good Dr. Jekyll and his experiment to chemically control human nature in the ultimate human experiment of good vs. evil compels me to read it over and again. The story of dual personality is one so well known, it is recognized by most whether they have read the book or not.

"With every day, and from both sides of my intelligence, the moral and the intellectual, I thus drew steadily nearer to the truth, by whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is not truly one, but truly two."

- Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Chapter 10

This spring, Avila University tackles the musical head on in their Apr. 26-29 production of Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical. (Note: This production is only appropriate for adults as it extremely graphic in its portrayal of murder, mayhem, and lust.) The production is a challenge. The story is well known, the musical is not. I have had the pleasure of seeing the musical before and I like it a lot, and based on the reviews of the Broadway productions, I may be in the minority. The original ran on Broadway for five years, but it ultimately lost money and was often panned by critics. Why is such a classic tale so difficult to capture on stage? I believe the bottom line is that this particular play is exceptionally difficult to perform. The music is complicated, not only in its challenging melodies, but also in the attempt to portray dual personalities in song. In one moment, you have Dr. Jekyll, the gentle and considerate, in the next Edward Hyde is personified with growling, howling, and cackles. With fast-paced, complicated songs, portraying the characters as believable and not as mere caricatures is a tremendous challenge for even the most talented of performers. Stevenson's work runs the risk of being painted as melodrama on stage, but it is truly a drama, a suspense, a psychological thriller, and a literary masterpiece that leaves us contemplating human nature, good vs. evil, and whether anyone is really good- or is it a facade?

The musical begins with Jekyll wanting to chemically eliminate evil from human nature. He seeks funding and volunteers among the elite in the community and his experiment is rejected as a joke. Not one to give up, he ultimately uses himself as a guinea pig, testing a potion that leads to his living two lives... one as the respectable and kind Dr. Jekyll, and the other as the murdering, marauding Mr. Hyde.

Michael Hudgens portrays Jekyll and Hyde in Avila's production and he was an excellent choice. He is genuine and compassionate as Jekyll and truly terrifying as Hyde. His solo, "Lost in the Darkness" is extremely powerful and well performed in this version. Supporting cast members do well. Ben Auxier, plays the reliable friend, Gabriel John Utterson. Sarah McGuire played Emma Carew, betrothed to Dr. Jekyll, and loyal to him to the end, offers one of the most beautiful voices in the production. But, the show was stolen by Shawna Downing, who played prostitute Lucy Harris. Lucy is in a "bad" profession, and yet, within her Jekyll discovers good. She becomes an object of lust for both Jekyll and Hyde and this tormented relationship, she having no idea that they are in fact one and the same, is a pivotal point in the story. (Note: The scenes in The Red Rat, the local tavern and brothel, are extremely graphic and the choreography is tremendously provocative - moreso than any other stage version I have seen.)

The music throughout the production is powerful in telling the story and the cast performs well. Overall, Avila's students took on an extremely challenging musical production and they provide you with an evening of entertainment that is thought-provoking, compelling, and solid. Is anyone genuinely good, or is it a facade?

I would like to end the review there...  However, there was one point that bothered me throughout. I found the costuming for the production to be a distraction at many times. Realizing that this was a collegiate production, it may have been largely a matter of budget, but  the costumes did not adhere to the time period at all (1889). Many of the costumes were ill-fitting, and didn't seem to make sense for the time or setting. The General appeared to be wearing a recycled Bellboy costume, an upper class girl wore a corset (an undergarment for the time) over her blouse, the ladies of the night failed to represent any time period at all - some looking as if they were inspired by Pretty Woman or Cindy Lauper. I do wish the costumes had been more true to the period.

For a college theater department, this is an affordable evening of local theater for an enjoyable and engaging parent's night out.