WARNING: This musical is a murderous tale of good and evil. If you are easily offended do not read on!
Synopsis
Henry Jekyll is a man who thinks he has found the cure for diseases of the mind and after watching the impact of his Father's illness he goes to the Board of Governors of St. Judes Hospital and asks them for permission to experiment further this time on a human subject. When he is denied (without a single vote in his favour) Henry realises that the only option is to experiment on himself. In between planning his wedding to the beautiful Emma and meeting the common but intriguing Lucy (who works in a club called the Red Rat) Henry embarks on a dangerous series of experiments which do not quite go to plan. The evil side of his personality is revealed by one of the dosages and Edward Hyde is born. Taking over Henry's body completely, Hyde is a totally different character who has a taste for blood and a lustful desire. As Hyde, he goes to the Red Rat and meets Lucy and although she is hung up on Jekyll she won't refuse a paying customer and embarks on a dangerous relationship with him. Hyde gets more and more out of control and one by one goes around murdering the members of the Board of Governers who refused him permission earlier in the story. The town is in a frenzy about the serial killer on the loose and no one seems safe. Worried about her fiance, Emma sneaks into Jekyll's lab and reads the notes from his experiment. He catches her and sends her away but she is not the only one concerned about him and soon Utterson, Jekyll's good friend also turns up with a delivery of chemicals for the next set of experiments. Finding only Hyde at home Utterson refuses to leave the lab until a laughing Hyde transforms back into Jekyll in front of him. Jekyll knows by now that Hyde must be destroyed, whatever the cost and asks Utterson to take a message to Lucy with some money, telling her to leave town immediately. Utterson agrees and Lucy has a moment of pure escapism, singing about the new life she will now be able to have. Sadly her joy is short lived when, in the morning, Hyde turns up, sees the money and kills Lucy for betraying him. Jekyll is shocked at what he (as Hyde) has just done and the pair have an argument, switching back and forth between the characters at pace. The transformations are out of control but there is still the wedding of Henry and Emma to happen. Will it all end happily ever after or will Hyde reappear and cause havoc? I'll not spoil the ending for you!
Characters
- Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde - played by the same actor. The good and evil side of one personality split apart and competing for control
- Emma Carew - Henry's fiance. A posh girl!
- Lucy Harris - A girl of the night who works in the Red Rat and falls for Henry but has a dangerous relationship with Hyde.
- John Utterson - Henry's friend, a lawyer.
- The Board of Governors - Sir Danvers Carew (Emma's father), Simon Stride (loves Emma), Lord Savage, The Bishop of Basingstoke, Lady Beaconsfield, Sir Archibald Proops, General Lord Glossop
- Spider - The owner of The Red Rat
- Nellie - Lucy's friend and colleague
Popular Songs
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The rich and the poor sing about how everyone is hiding something at the beginning of Act 1.
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Creators
Frank Wildhorn - Music/Lyrics
Frank is an American composer who was born in 1959 in Harlem, before moving to Hollywood at the age of 14. He taught himself how to play the piano and soon realised that he wanted to compose music. He spent much of his high school years playing in and writing music for various bands. He is best known for writing Jekyll & Hyde which he started with Steve Cuden when Frank was a student and Steve was working at the University of Southern California. In 1999 Wildorn was the first American composed in 22 years to have three shows running on Broadway at the same time (Jekyll & Hyde, the Scarlet Pimpernell and The Civil War). As well as musical theatre, Wildhorn has had success in popular music, writing Whitney Houston's international number one hit "Where do Broken Hearts Go.
Frank is an American composer who was born in 1959 in Harlem, before moving to Hollywood at the age of 14. He taught himself how to play the piano and soon realised that he wanted to compose music. He spent much of his high school years playing in and writing music for various bands. He is best known for writing Jekyll & Hyde which he started with Steve Cuden when Frank was a student and Steve was working at the University of Southern California. In 1999 Wildorn was the first American composed in 22 years to have three shows running on Broadway at the same time (Jekyll & Hyde, the Scarlet Pimpernell and The Civil War). As well as musical theatre, Wildhorn has had success in popular music, writing Whitney Houston's international number one hit "Where do Broken Hearts Go.
Steve Cuden - Lyrics
Steve was born in Pittsburgh in 1955. He graduated from the University of South California in 1978 with a BA in Theatre and became the School of Theatre's Master Electrician. As well as his work on musical creation, Cuden is well known for writing episodes of television animation. Some of the many shows he's worked on are X-Men, Iron Man, The Mask, Goof Troop, The Pink Panther, RoboCop, Stargate Infinity, Beetlejuice and The Batman. In the 1980s Cuden won many awards for his lighting designs for stage show in Los Angeles. He worked at Universal Studios in Florida from 1989 to 1990 as the Supervisor of Ride and Show Lighting.
Steve was born in Pittsburgh in 1955. He graduated from the University of South California in 1978 with a BA in Theatre and became the School of Theatre's Master Electrician. As well as his work on musical creation, Cuden is well known for writing episodes of television animation. Some of the many shows he's worked on are X-Men, Iron Man, The Mask, Goof Troop, The Pink Panther, RoboCop, Stargate Infinity, Beetlejuice and The Batman. In the 1980s Cuden won many awards for his lighting designs for stage show in Los Angeles. He worked at Universal Studios in Florida from 1989 to 1990 as the Supervisor of Ride and Show Lighting.
Leslie Bricusse - Lyrics/Book
Leslie is an English composer and lyricist, born in 1931 who works mostly on musicals and film theme songs. He attended Cambridge University where he was Secretary and later President of the famous Footlights Dramatic Club. His musical successes include "Stop the World - I Want to Get Off", "Pickwick", "Doctor Dolittle", "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory", "Victor/Victoria" and Scrooge. His film song credits include Goldfinger (with John Barry and Anthony Newley), You Only Live twice (with Barry) and Christmas at Hogwarts (with John Williams) which appeared in the Philosopher's stone film. He won an Academy Award in 1967 for Best Original Song for "Talk to the Animals" from Doctor Dolittle.
Leslie is an English composer and lyricist, born in 1931 who works mostly on musicals and film theme songs. He attended Cambridge University where he was Secretary and later President of the famous Footlights Dramatic Club. His musical successes include "Stop the World - I Want to Get Off", "Pickwick", "Doctor Dolittle", "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory", "Victor/Victoria" and Scrooge. His film song credits include Goldfinger (with John Barry and Anthony Newley), You Only Live twice (with Barry) and Christmas at Hogwarts (with John Williams) which appeared in the Philosopher's stone film. He won an Academy Award in 1967 for Best Original Song for "Talk to the Animals" from Doctor Dolittle.
Notable Productions
The first production of Jekyll & Hyde The Musical was in May 1990 at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. It broke box office records and the run had to be extended twice. The lead roles were played by Chuck Wagner. Emma's character was called Lisa in this prodction.
In January 1995 the show returned to Houston and ran for a month at the Music Hall before moving to the Avenue Theatre in Seattle for a three week stint. A nine month national tour of North America followed these succesful productions.
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The original Broadway production premiered at the Plymouth Theatre on the 21st of March, 1997 for previews with the official opening on the 28th of April. The muscial enjoyed a run which lasted almost four years with 1543 shows, making it the longest-running show in the history of the Theatre. The performers playing the roles of Utterson, Sir Danvers Carew and Spider were involved in the entire run, an impressive feat. A recording of the final cast (which included David Hasslehoff as Jekyll/Hyde) was made in 2000.
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The production enjoyed tours of North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Abu Dhabi.
The Broadway revival opened in the Marquis Theatre on the 5th of April 2013 for previews and although it was due to run until June 30th announced soon after the opening night that it would be closing after only 15 previews and 29 regular performances on May 12th.
The muscial has also been adapteed into a concert version which has toured North America and South Korea. |
Interesting Facts
- Jekyll & Hyde has never been performed on the West End. The only performances in the UK have been as part of tours, the first of which began in Eastbourne.
- The film rights to the musical were purchased in 2013 and at the time it was announced that a 2015 release date was the aim. Unfortunately this doesn't look like a reality and news has been rather quiet since the initial announcement. The only official recording of the musical (clip above) is the one made in the Plymouth Theatre staring David Hasslehoff.
Am Dram Corner
I had never even heard of this musical before early 2014 when my musical theatre group announced that it would be their next production. I had so much fun learning the songs and performing with such a talented group of people. Here are just a few short clips from our production which was staged in March 2015 and which I was in the chorus for.
The girls of the Red Rat sing about the loneliness of their lives and their dreams for the future.
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The two ladies in Jekyll's life sing a song about him during Act 2 when Hyde is beginning to take over.
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Hyde has just killed Lucy and Jekyll is devestated. This split personality song is almost the final showdown between Jekyll and Hyde.
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