“Jekyll & Hyde: the Musical” has an interesting history. When after a long development period, it appeared on Broadway in 1997, the show with music by Frank Wildhorn and lyrics and book by Leslie Bricusse was savaged by critics, but developed an enthusiastic fan base and enjoyed a long successful run. The musical still draws large audiences when produced.
Buoyed by a uniformly fine cast, the current CNY Playhouse production of “Jekyll & Hyde: the Musical” explodes with energy, providing that special kind of thrill that happens when a talented community theater company is having a great time onstage.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1887 novella “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” about a doctor who experiments on himself to divide the human qualities of good and evil into separate personalities, was a taut psychological thriller, perhaps an early exploration of dissociative disorder. The subsequent stage and film adaptions of the book not only provided a dramatic tour de force for an actor, they also tipped the story into melodrama, adding female characters as victims to give the story a scandalous edge.
The show itself has a bit of a split personality. Musically, it bounces from Victorian operetta style recitative to pop music power ballads. The book shows little insight into the tortured psychology of its antihero, aiming instead for sensationalism.
At CNY Playhouse, director and designer Christopher Lupia leans into its emotional primary colors and melodramatic structure. This “Jekyll & Hyde” has the thrills of a 19th century penny dreadful. Jekyll’s laboratory glows and bubbles with demonic glee. With nary a drop of blood, the action teems with violence. The broad strokes are enhanced by Lynn Barbato King’s richly designed costumes and the effective comic book lighting by Sarah Anson.
Matthew Tenorio is galvanizing in the title roles. His Henry Jekyll is so mild mannered as to make Superman’s Clark Kent seem like a wild rebel. Edward Hyde, when he finally appears (It does take a long time), is truly frightening. In the musical, the transformation into Hyde is done without makeup, with a flip of long hair obscuring the actor’s face to create the monstrous alter ego.
Tenorio’s change is extraordinarily complete with a dramatic shift into a menacing physicality and a notable vocal illusion of moving from a tenor with the iconic “This is the Moment” to a menacing baritone in Hyde’s “Alive.”
As usual in the adaptations, the two female leads represent the sides of the doctor’s personalities. Alexandra Reilly gives a powerhouse performance as prostitute Lucy Harris. Introduced with truly sensuous choreography by Lauren Puente for the song “Bring on the Men,” the vocally superb Reilly quickly moves beyond stereotype. Her Lucy, caught in an inescapable trap, is a heartbreaking figure.
As Emma Carew, Jekyll’s fiancee, Kelsey Hall has the less showy role, but is equally effective. Blessed with a lovely soprano, Hall is thankfully not a delicate flower. Her Emma projects the strength and stability that Jekyll is desperate to return to.
The supporting characters are equally well cast. Deserving of special notice are Ashalee Caggy as the haughty Lady Beaconsfield, who features in one of the production’s most shocking moments, and Phoenix Lord as Lucy’s creepy pimp, Spider.
The large ensemble, milling impressively about the stage, threatens to spill out past the footlights, excelling in “Facade” the production number that sets up the dark duality behind Victorian life. The skilled orchestra, directed by Erica Moser, blends seamlessly with the onstage company. The CNY Playhouse production of “Jekyll & Hyde” is an irresistible package.
Show details
What: “Jekyll and Hyde:the Musical,” presented by CNY Playhouse.
When: Seen on Friday, July 10.
Where: Atonement Stage, 116 W. Glen Ave., Syracuse.
Length: 2 hours 30 minutes with one intermission.
Attendance: Capacity
Performs through: July 25.
Family guide: High school. Violence and sexual situations.
Information: cnyplayhouse.org, email info@cnyplayhouse.org, Phone: (315) 400-0990.