{"id":360709,"date":"2024-10-21T21:54:49","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T01:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/?p=360709"},"modified":"2024-10-21T21:54:49","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T01:54:49","slug":"little-theatre-of-alexandria-has-a-hit-in-jekyll-hyde-the-musical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2024\/10\/21\/little-theatre-of-alexandria-has-a-hit-in-jekyll-hyde-the-musical\/","title":{"rendered":"Little Theatre of Alexandria has a hit in ‘Jekyll & Hyde The Musical’"},"content":{"rendered":"

A wonderful surprise awaits music lovers in Alexandria this Halloween season and beyond. The Little Theatre of Alexandria\u2019s presentation of Jekyll & Hyde The Musical<\/em> is one of the best musicals I have ever seen, or so my wife keeps telling me. She is the singer in the family. She and the rest of the packed opening night audience loved it. The acting, dancing, killing, music, singing, and set design all deserve awards as does director Jennifer Hardin for bringing this all together.<\/p>\n

Jekyll & Hyde The Musical<\/em> is based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson. The book is by Leslie Bricusse, who wrote most of the lyrics; the music is by Frank Wildhorn.<\/p>\n

From reviews I read beforehand of previous local productions, I brought earplugs in my pocket expecting a loud rock opera such as Jesus Christ Superstar. <\/em>That would never work in this little theater. Instead, the crew made marvelous use of the space they have.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Shelby Young as Emma Carew and Michael McGovern as Dr. Henry Jekyll in \u2018Jekyll & Hyde The Musical.\u2019 Photo by Mark Armstrong.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Michael McGovern plays Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Henry Hyde extraordinarily. The researcher in him wants to save the world. He doesn\u2019t listen when the learned brain trust tells him his plans are dangerous, immoral, and mad. Instead, Jekyll experiments on himself and crosses the line from sanity to madness never to return.<\/p>\n

In the opening scene, Jekyll visits his father (Micheal Blinde), sitting in a wheelchair oblivious to his surroundings. The loving son sings \u201cLost in the Darkness\u201d and promises to find a cure for whatever has happened to Dad\u2019s brain.<\/p>\n

Before Jekyll injects himself with his untested potion, the doctor croons \u201cNow There Is No Choice\/This Is the Moment.\u201d One lyric says \u201c… now the time has come to prove to them I’ve made it on my own!”<\/p>\n

The audience loved a counterpoint featuring Hyde\u2019s fianc\u00e9e Emma Carew (Shelby Young), her father Sir Danver Carew (Brian Ash), Gabriel John Utterson (Matt Yinger), and Hyde at the conclusion of \u201cYour Work and Nothing More.” The technique brought four voices singing different lines in harmony at the same time. The crowd went crazy.<\/p>\n

\"\"
TOP: Lexi Mellott as Lucy Harris; ABOVE: Michael McGovern as Mr. Edward Hyde, in \u2018Jekyll & Hyde The Musical.\u2019 Photos by Mark Armstrong.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lucy Harris\u2019 feelings for Jekyll are exposed toward the end of Act \u00a0One as she sings \u201cSomeone Like You.<\/em>\u201d Performed by Lexi Mellott, the song emphasizes the profound impact Jekyll has had on her opening his door and nursing her wounds. Their \u201clove\u201d makes Lucy believe her dreams could come true and bring newfound happiness.<\/p>\n

The chorus singing and dancing to \u201cMurder, Murder\u201d as Hyde avenges the hospital board\u2019s rejection of Jekyll\u2019s research is an example of how deep the talent is in this production. Prostitutes, merchants, and high citizens mourn the death of a not-so-saintly Bishop of Basingstoke (Andrew Cosner). The other members of the board are laughing at the bishop being patronized when Hyde finds them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou never promised me the journey would be easy or pleasant, only we would take it together,\u201d Emma says after Jekyll finds her in the laboratory reading his journal. The classically trained soprano then wows the audience with \u201cOnce Upon a Dream\u201d as she attempts to settle the obviously troubled doctor.<\/p>\n

Young as Emma joins Mellott as Lucy seeking Jekyll\u2019s attention in a duet, \u201cIn His Eyes,\u201d as they fantasize love, safety, and the future. \u201cEverything worth living for is there within his eyes,\u201d they sing.<\/p>\n

Lucy joins Hyde in a tantalizing song and dance with \u201cDangerous Game.\u201d The way Mellot plays the character I wondered if Lucy played the game out of fear or if at some level she enjoyed the danger. Either way the scene is erotic with class.<\/p>\n

Skip Gresko\u2019s set was most pleasing to me. Little Theatre of Alexandria used a traditional upstage, backstage format and added a second floor that housed the orchestra backstage right. Lucy\u2019s bed downstage right was a singing platform. Center stage was a platform for character movement. A series of cabinets rested side by side backstage center on the ground. The cabinets had multiple swirling sides in them so stagehands could easily move them to establish a London street, a drawing room, a laboratory, or roll them out of the way to create more space. I have never seen community theater this creative or innovative.<\/p>\n

David Correia\u2019s sound design was good. I don\u2019t know if McGovern shouted playing Hyde as an emotional gimmick or if the sound was turned up, but it was a little much. Some of us in the military were taught to break necks as a silent death technique; Correia\u2019s crackle of the neck snapping could be heard for miles.<\/p>\n

Mark Deal\u2019s 14-member orchestra was exceptional. It hit every note perfectly in the 42-piece musical. An imporant army of volunteers brought the show together.<\/p>\n

Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes, with a 20-minute intermission.<\/p>\n

Jekyll & Hyde The Musical<\/a> <\/strong><\/em>plays through November 9, 2024 (Thursdays\u2013Saturdays at 8 pm, Sunday matinees at 2 pm), at The Little Theatre of Alexandria<\/a>, 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA. To purchase tickets ($36 for reserved seating), go online<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0or contact the Box Office via phone (703-683-0496) or email (boxoffice@thelittletheatre.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Not recommended for children under 12.<\/p>\n

The program for Jekyll & Hyde The Musical\u00a0<\/em>is online here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The acting, dancing, killing, music, singing, and set design all deserve awards, as does director Jennifer Hardin. By ANDY ARNOLD<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":360729,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[1601],"class_list":{"0":"post-360709","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-community-theater","8":"tag-jennifer-hardin"},"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nLittle Theatre of Alexandria has a hit in 'Jekyll & Hyde The Musical' - 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