Jekyll & Hyde
Shanachie Theater Company
October 11th - October 23rd
Cast
Dr. Henry Jekyll / Edward Hyde - Asher Price
Emma Carew – Jekyll's fiancée - Tippletoe Timbers
Lucy Harris – The main attraction at "The Red Rat" - Alara Mason
Gabriel John Utterson – Jekyll's lawyer and friend - Arandir of Ilyethlin
Sir Danvers Carew – Emma's father and Chairman of the Board of Governors - Felix Bailey Simon Stride – The secretary of the Board of Governors and Jekyll's rival for Emma's affections - Doran Ilnaren Bishop of Basingstoke – A hypocritical, sadistic, sexually driven man of the cloth and a member of the Board of Governors - Hugo Durant
General Lord Glossop – A pompous retired army man and a member of the Board of Governors - Hector Brady Lady Beaconsfield – The only female member of the Board of Governors - Anya Chavez
Sir Archibald Proops – A member of the Board of Governors - Amos Maxwell
Spider – A pimp and proprietor of "The Red Rat" - Gary Poole Nellie – An attendant of "The Red Rat" - Carina Cox
Lord Savage – A member of the Board of Governors - Rolando Tucker Guinevere – The German manager of "The Red Rat" - Pearl Fand Ilnaren
Poole – Jekyll's loyal manservant - Darrell Webster
((Note: With a mostly male-dominated character list, this one was particularly difficult to cast. Please be assured that if your character was given a small role this time around, they will be given a larger role in an upcoming production. As always, PCs are in bold; NPCs are not.))
Last edited by Anthony De Luca on Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:12 pm, edited 4 times in total.
The audience is introduced to John Utterson and Sir Danvers Carew, both having been associated with Doctor Henry Jekyll. Utterson was Jekyll's lawyer and best friend while Sir Danvers was Jekyll's future father-in-law. The two gentlemen take the audience back some time to find Jekyll in an insane asylum singing over his comatose father ("Lost in the Darkness"). It is Jekyll's belief that the evil in his father's soul has caused his illness. Jekyll tells the audience about his passion to find out why man is both good and evil and his attempts to separate the good from the evil ("I Need to Know"*).
Some time later, the rich and poor of 19th century London describe how people act how they want others to see them, no matter who they really are inside ("Façade"). Afterward, Jekyll presents a research proposal to the Board of Governors of St. Jude's Hospital. Sir Danvers, the chairman of the board, is in attendance along with His Grace Rupert the 14th Bishop of Basingstoke, the Right Honorable Sir Archibald "Archie" Proops, Lord Theodore "Teddy" Savage, Lady Elizabeth "Bessie" Beaconsfield, General Lord Glossop and Simon Stride, the secretary. All, with the exception of Sir Danvers and Stride, are pompous, rich semi-hypocrites. When Jekyll proposes to test his theory and his formula on a human subject (presumably his father), they reject the proposal with cries of "sacrilege, lunacy, blasphemy, heresy", voting five to none with Sir Danvers' one abstention ("Board of Governors"). Utterson tries to calm Jekyll down, knowing that he is obsessed over his father's conditions. Jekyll feels that he could "save" those who have fallen in the same darkness. Utterson urges his friend, if he feels he is right about his theory, that he should continue ("Pursue the Truth").
Later that night, a group of high society Londoners turns up at Sir Danvers' residence at Regent's Park, which has a well-maintained facade. Sir Danvers throws a showy party for his daughter Emma, for her engagement to Dr. Jekyll, to which Jekyll is late. ("Façade" (reprise #1). During the party, the guests – which include the Governors and Stride – mention how worried they are about Emma being engaged to a "madman", but both Sir Danvers and Emma back up Jekyll. Stride, who has feelings for Emma, speaks to Emma in private and tries to reason her out of her engagement, but she quickly turns him down, saying she feels she can be who she wants to be with Jekyll ("Emma's Reasons").
Jekyll arrives late as usual – just before the party leaves to go see the fireworks – and shares a moment with Emma. Though he warns her he may always be busy with his work, Emma swears she will be beside him through it all ("I Must Go On/Take Me as I Am"). Sir Danvers returns as Jekyll leaves and expresses to Emma that he considers Jekyll like a son to him, but finds it difficult to tolerate his behavior at the cost of losing his daughter. Emma assures him that he will never lose her, and they should not be afraid to let go ("Letting Go").
Jekyll and Utterson later go to the dregs of Camden Town known as "The Red Rat" for Jekyll's bachelor party ("Façade (reprise #2)"). Prostitute Lucy Harris arrives late and is in for some trouble with the boss, known as 'Spider', but she dismisses it for now. Despite her position in life, she is seen to be kind-hearted and well liked by her co-workers, but has moments of contemplation about her life ("No One Knows Who I Am").
Guinevere, the German manager of "The Red Rat", then breaks Lucy's reverie and then sends her out onstage to do her number ("Bring On the Men"**), which captivates Jekyll. After the number, Lucy begins to circulate among the clientele. Spider approaches Lucy and after striking her hard across the face, threatens to kill her if she is late again. Jekyll approaches Lucy after witnessing the Spider's actions and intends to help her as Utterson is led away by another bar girl. Jekyll and Lucy are drawn to each other in a way that promises each of them a great friendship. Jekyll admits Lucy's song has helped him find the answer to his experiment. Utterson reemerges, and Jekyll tells Lucy that he must be on his way. Before he goes, he gives Lucy his visiting card and asks her to see him should she ever need a friend ("Here's to the Night").
As Utterson and Jekyll arrive at the latter's residence, Utterson notices that Jekyll is in a better mood. Jekyll informs him that he has found a subject for his experiments. Utterson recommends that Jekyll go straight to bed and departs. Jekyll dismisses his butler, Poole, for the night and proceeds to his laboratory, excited that the moment has come to conduct his experiment ("This Is the Moment"). Keeping tabs on the experiment in his journal, Jekyll mixes his chemicals to create his formula, HJ7, and injects it into the subject: himself (in some versions, he drinks the formula, as he did in the book). After a minute of the potion's side effects, he writhes in pain, and is taken over by an alternate, aggressive personality ("First Transformation"). With grim humor he notes in his journal "4:00 AM -A few slight changes" (the exact line varies, depending on the production). He gleefully goes out and roams the streets, taking in the sights and sounds of London while tormenting innocent bystanders, which includes an abusive encounter with Lucy. Jekyll's alternate personality gives himself a name: Edward Hyde ("Alive").
A week later, no one has heard anything from Jekyll. Emma, Sir Danvers and Utterson ask Poole where he is, but Emma decides to leave and believes Jekyll will come for her after his work is finished. After Emma and Sir Danvers leave, Poole tells Utterson that Jekyll has been locked in his lab all this time and that he has heard strange sounds from the lab. Jekyll, who seems distraught, emerges and impatiently sends Poole to fetch some chemicals for him. Utterson confronts Jekyll about his bizarre behavior, but Jekyll brushes this off. He instead gives Utterson three letters: one for Emma, another for her father, and one for Utterson himself should Jekyll become ill or disappear. Suspicious and concerned, Utterson warns Jekyll to not let his work take over his life. Meanwhile, Emma and Sir Danvers argue about the prudence of Emma's marriage to a man who seems to be falling into an ever-deepening abyss. Emma again tells her father that she understands that Jekyll's work is important ("His Work and Nothing More").
After Utterson departs, Lucy arrives at Jekyll's residence with a nasty bruise on her back. As Jekyll treats her wound, she tells him a man named Hyde inflicted it. Jekyll is stunned by this revelation but hides it. Feeling compassion for Jekyll for being kind to her, Lucy kisses him ("Sympathy, Tenderness"). Disturbed by his own actions, Jekyll leaves Lucy, who wonders about her love for him ("Someone Like You").
Later, the Bishop of Basingstoke is seen with Guinevere after having a "meeting" with one of her underage attendants. He pays Guinevere and arranges to see the attendant next Wednesday. When Guinevere and the attendant leave, Hyde appears holding a swordstick with a heavy pewter knob. After insulting the Bishop, Hyde proceeds to beat and stab him to death with the swordstick before gleefully setting the body aflame ("Alive (reprise)").
Act II
Utterson and Sir Danvers speak to the audience once again of past events with Jekyll: Utterson begins to feel he was not able to help his poor client and friend, while Danvers senses that something was horribly wrong with his work, as he had not been seen or heard from for weeks.
The citizens of London gossip about the Bishop's murder as Hyde hunts down and kills General Glossop, Sir Proops, Lady Beaconsfield, and Lord Savage. By now, all five Governors who rejected Jekyll's proposal are dead ("Murder, Murder"). Later one night, Emma lets herself into Jekyll's laboratory. She finds his journal open and reads one of his entries. Jekyll enters and immediately closes the journal, preventing her from learning what he has become. Emma can see he is distraught. She professes her love for him and begs him to confide in her ("Once Upon a Dream"). He tells her nothing of his work, but says he still loves her. After Emma leaves, Jekyll writes in his journal that Hyde has taken a heavy toll on him and those around him, and that the transformations are occurring of their own accord. His entry is interrupted when Utterson arrives at the lab, seeking to find out who Jekyll's sole heir is, Edward Hyde, as referred to in Jekyll's letter. Jekyll only tells him that Hyde is a "colleague" involved in the experiment. Utterson can see that his friend is desperately ill and agrees to obtain the rest of the chemicals Jekyll requires. Jekyll, once again alone, begins to face the fact that Hyde is a part of him ("Obsession"). At the same time, both Lucy and Emma wonder about their love for the same man ("In His Eyes").
At "The Red Rat", Nellie and Lucy consider their profession and why they keep doing it ("Girls Of The Night"). Lucy is then visited by Hyde, who tells her that he is going away for a while. He then warns her to never leave him. Lucy is terrified, but seems to be held under a sexual, animalistic control by Hyde ("Dangerous Game"). As they leave together, Spider addresses the "Red Rat" attendants, warning them to always be aware of what dangers lie ahead in the East End ("Façade (reprise #3)").
Utterson comes to Jekyll's lab with the rest of the chemicals and a secret envelope and discovers Hyde, who informs him that the doctor is "not available" tonight. Utterson refuses to leave the package with anyone but his friend and demands to know where he is. Hyde replies that even if he told him, Utterson would not believe him. Utterson insists on seeing Jekyll, threatening to alert the police otherwise. Hyde angrily attempts to attack Utterson who threatens him with his swordstick. Trapped, Hyde injects the formula into himself, roaring with laughter as he reverts to Jekyll in front of an appalled Utterson. Jekyll tells Utterson that Hyde must be destroyed, whatever the cost. He then begs Utterson to deliver money for Lucy so she can escape to safety. As Utterson leaves, Jekyll mixes in chemicals and injects the new formula, fearing that he might lose himself forever, and praying that he can restore his former life ("The Way Back").
Utterson visits Lucy at "The Red Rat" with the money, along with a letter from Jekyll that entreats her to leave town and start a new life elsewhere. After Utterson leaves, Lucy wonders of the possibilities ahead ("A New Life"). Just then, Hyde returns. Seeing the letter from Jekyll, he tells Lucy that he and the doctor are "very close" and that they "share everything". In some versions Hyde reveals that he feels that Lucy has betrayed him by being in love with Jekyll and by going to see him every day. He then calls Lucy over to him and holds her very close. As he holds Lucy softly so that she does not suspect it, he slowly, angrily and savagely stabs her multiple times before slitting her throat ("Sympathy, Tenderness (reprise)"). The vile murderer runs off laughing, just as the "Red Rat" attendants find Lucy's body and carry her out on a stretcher. Covered in Lucy's blood, Jekyll returns to his laboratory and faces off with Hyde in a final battle for control ("Confrontation").
Later, Utterson tells the audience that Jekyll had given up his task of "finding the truth", condemning his father to the darkness. Yet, as Sir Danvers would put it, the doctor had returned at "the sound of wedding bells" ("Façade (reprise #4)"). Several weeks later, Jekyll seems to have regained control as he and Emma stand before the priest at their wedding in St. Anne's Church. As the Minister begins the ceremony, Jekyll doubles over in pain and transforms into Hyde. Hyde then kills Stride, a guest at the wedding, before taking Emma hostage. At the sound of Emma's pleading voice, Jekyll is able to regain momentary control. He begs Utterson to kill him, but Utterson cannot bring himself to harm his friend. Desperate, Jekyll impales himself on Utterson's swordstick. Emma weeps softly as Jekyll dies, finally free of Hyde's evil control ("Finale").
((As usual, please feel free to post for your characters below.))
This was Tippletoe Timbers' ninth production with the star, Asher Price. Perhaps her favourite production with him was Crazy For You, when she played Irene Roth and he was Bobby Child. It was fun to work with him again on this darker theme. Tippletoe appreciated the way the directors embraced her gnome identity and let her portray an adult even if she was 'child-sized'. With this in mind, she threw all she could into the song Emma's Reasons, especially the lyrics:
From the day my mother died,
My father, full of good intentions,
Treated me as though I were a young child.
Maybe his idea was just to wait
Until I grew up,
and
But when it comes to marriage,
I must pick whom I prefer!
I am not the weak young thing
You're seeking, Simon,
Someone seventeen, obedient and sweet.
I am not the protégée
To waste your time on.
I'm complete -
In Henry's eyes I see
What I am meant to be!
There were times in a man's acting career where the stars aligned ever so perfectly to grant just the right confluence of roles to fulfill an artist's mind, body, and soul. While music would always be Asher Price's truest love, the theater had proven a pragmatic paramour, and so it went that he stood upon the famed Shanachie Theater's stage to perform the role of both Dr. Henry Jekyll and the illustrious Mr. Edward Hyde. Evidently the directors had enjoyed his audition, in which he had picked from this very show a piece to perform solo. Between Alara and Tippletoe and Aran and the others, Asher tried, tried, tried to be a good co-star and share the stage but he was a method actor if ever there was one and throughout the show's duration, he swung wildly between affable Aussie and surly sourpuss.
At the least, he didn't have Hyde's outbursts.
Or murderous intent.
He always felt absolutely horrid about the brutal way poor Lucy went out. Alara was sure to find flowers (Southern Glen widlflowers with pink daisies) in her dressing room for being such a good sport about it and Tippletoe, ever the immaculate castmate, would find on their closing night, a thin box wrapped in newspaper (because wrapping paper is for the birds). Within; an enchanted fiddle bow that would never need to be rehaired, fit for the fiercest fiddling with nary a care as to maintenance. Aran (Utterson), Doran (Simon), and Hugo (the Bishop), and the other Governors, all similarly received gifts, polished flasks and a bottle of something probably older than Doran along with a note espousing his glee over having had the opportunity to kill (Simon, the Governors, and the Bishop) or be killed by (Utterson) them. And that he was sorry if he was a prick.
He sorta was.
"There are only two things. Truth and lies. Truth is indivisible, hence it cannot recognize itself; anyone who wants to recognize it has to be a lie."
--Franz Kafka
German was not Pearl's strongest or most used language, but she had a passable accent while playing Guinevere. Much of her time at the Shanachie was spent in practice rooms working with the children in the STARS program. She remembered all too well what stage fright felt like.
Before her first song, Alara could not help but hear a few voices that still reverberated in her mind from a few of her old classmates at her performing arts school.
“It’s not really even Acting when she can literally just shift and become anyone else. How is this not freaking anyone else out?
“It is disturbing. How did she even get in here? Family connection? Some of us actually had to work to get into this school.”
“Oh she’s ‘worked’ for it from what I’ve heard. Tuition doesn’t pay itself.”
“Those are just rumors. Stop being petty because you’re bitter about Sweeney Todd. She’s got a great voice. You can’t take that from her.”
“Yeah? How do you know it’s even hers? All I know is, this is an actual craft the rest of us are serious about and here to study. She doesn’t belong here.”
When Alara stepped onto the stage for her very first song, it was in her own skin and with her own skill as she sang the words to Lucy’s “No One Knows Who I Am” that resonated so deeply within the shifter.
“Look at me and tell me who I am, why I am, what I am. Call me a fool and it’s true I am, I don’t know who I am…”
It’s such a shame, I’m such a sham. No one knows who I am.
Nobody knows, not even you. No one knows who I am.”
There was a distinct melancholia to the song and a very faraway look in those golden eyes till she shifted gears to shamelessly shine in all her glory to become the sultry “star” attraction of The Red Rat, as she owned the stage with a sinfully sensual siren’s song quality to her voice all laced up in that tightly drawn bustier with a more than a touch of cheeky sass as she connected with each patron—especially Jekyll.
There was utter and unapologetic ownership of her femininity as she belted out “Bring on the Men.” The number was an undeniably fun one and there was no one actually grabbing at her, or slapping her at the song’s finale. Alara trusted the safety of the stage choreography and the professionalism of her castmates implicitly and so she could work without worry or anxiety within the safety of the newfound safety Shanachie Stage.
It was that safety and trust that allowed Alara to give over to Asher’s unnervingly visceral and poignant performance as both Jekyll and Hyde. The method actor could go to tender to savage with an uncanny ease that did well to heighten the audience’s emotional investment in him as he took on the extremely difficult challenge as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde waged war with each other. An experiment gone terribly awry.
“A Dangerous Game” Lucy and Hyde played with each other had a palpable push-pull between the actors that kept the audience at the edge of their seats and lent itself to the ominous chill in the air as Samhain approached in Rhydin and many lines were blurred between worlds.
Her audition song, “A New Life” had Alara coming to life beautifully as it was her favorite and there were so many parallels to her own life and coming to Rhydin after leaving her old one behind.
“In His Eyes” was an absolutely soaring duet that Alara cherished singing with the lovely Tippletoe as Emma. The harmonies between the two women who loved the same man reached new heights and brought the audience to their feet on many a night.
“Someone like you” struck a special, private, chord with Alara that had a combination of intertwining hope and wistful longing in its delivery.
The beautiful pink daisies and wildflowers Asher gifted her were cherished, no matter how mercurial his moods were during the run. There was most certainly a method to his madness, but no one could argue with the results of his performance.
No matter how many times during the run they did the scene between Hyde and Lucy, the “Sympathy, Tenderness (Reprise)” after Hyde drew her close in a moment of faux tenderness to get her to trust him as he coos a song previously sung to her by Jekyll in a moment of trust, it left Alara visibly shaken after she left the stage. Subconsciously buried memories unwittingly surfacing on more than a few nights.
The fake blood within the chamber of the prop blade lent itself to more than a few gasps in horror from the audience, after Hyde ultimately slit Lucy’s throat for her perceived betrayal and threw her from the bed.
Rather retreat to the dressing rooms after Lucy was carried off, Alara remained in the wings to watch Asher’s incredibly complex and riveting performance of “Confrontation” that is to date one of the most difficult songs to perform of any actor in musical theater. The applause was so loud each night, it was deafening—Alara’s included.
The musical was the ideal show to kick off the spooky season leading up to Samhain, each cast member playing their individual roles to the hilt. It was also a new start of her own choosing at Shanachie for Alara.
