Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde combines the atmosphere of a thriller with a subtle horror novel while also supplying an introspection on humanity.
London is not safe. An evil madman is on the loose.
Dr. Jekyll, skillfully played by E.L. Losada, is certain he can isolate whatever it is that makes all of us evil. But having been denied permission to do his experiments on test subjects, Jekyll decides he will be the subject of his own experiment—with predictably disastrous results.
And that is where the horror and terror begin.
But atop the horror drama, there’s also a love story (it is, after all, a musical). Indeed, Jekyll has two love interests: his fiancée, and a prostitute he meets on his bachelor night right before his experiment. We watch as both women are confused and saddened by the good doctor’s erratic behavior.
Robert Louis Stevenson penned his disturbing gothic tale of a London doctor who transforms himself into an evil lunatic as a study about the good and evil that resides in all of us. The stark characterizations of the title character(s) make for good theatre, reminding us of the staying power of the powerful 1886 novella “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” So for a company to take on that kind of challenge on stage deserves deep respect.
That company you know well if you’ve lived in Orange County for the last few years. Or for that matter, LA too. Calling their home in Long Beach, P3 Theatre has been largely responsible for some very experiential theatrical productions, this one included. Recently transplanted from their original home in Long Beach due to unforeseen circumstances, P3 has been performing in Los Angeles and various places until they find a permanent home again. Los Altos United Methodist Church could very well fit that bill. And, just in time for the Halloween season, P3 Theatre surprises us all with a remarkable one-day performance of one of the master classes in theatre—JEKYLL & HYDE.
Originally conceived for the stage by Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden, JEKYLL & HYDE features music by Frank Wildhorn, a book by Leslie Bricusse and lyrics by all of them. After a world premiere run in Houston, Texas, the musical embarked on a national tour prior to its Broadway debut in 1997 (premiering at the Plymouth Theatre, now known as the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre). Several stars including Sebastian Bach played the lead from June 15, 2000 to October 15, 2000. Baywatch actor David Hasselhoff took over the lead on October 17, 2000.
Many international productions have followed including two additional North American tours, two tours in the United Kingdom, a concert version which toured the U.S. and South Korea, a revamped US tour in 2012, and a 2013 Broadway revival featuring rock star/TV actor/stage star Constantine Maroulis, who you may remember from American Idol.
As I mentioned, the action hinges loosely on a hackneyed love triangle. Jekyll is drawn to both his one-noted, goody-two-shoes fiancée Emma Carew (Kristen Tucker) and a courtesan with a heart of gold (Deborah Robin as Lucy Harris). The stakes are high between the trio, and the stencil of romantic melodrama is saturated with passionate duets, gelling with the psychological horror about to unfold.
The music creates most of the ambiance, as its moody, discordant score fills the church sanctuary. If you’re a theatre aficionado, you suddenly notice the musical has multiple similarities to Sweeney Todd, particularly the alarming crescendos that precede Jekyll’s transmogrification into the murderous Mr. Hyde.
Getting his evil on in his tormented performance as Dr. Jekyll’s dark side, Mr. Hyde, is E.L. Losada, full of swagger and style, known for his versatility as an actor on stage and screen, and as a powerfully rich tenor singer. Receiving critical acclaim and Best Actor awards for “Jekyll & Hyde,” “Romeo & Juliet” and “Bat Boy,” Mr. Losada moved to Los Angeles to expand into TV and film, gathering credits that include “Cold Case,” “Trophy Wife” and Steven Soderbergh's award winning biopic “Che: Part One.” In September 2014, he took over the lead role as the iconic Cuban band leader “Ricky Ricardo” in the 2014-15 national tour of "I Love Lucy Live on Stage."
Here, Mr. Losada sings like an angel…and a demon, to rapturous applause (“This is the Moment”), powering through a dramatic descent into obsession and madness. He’s matched by Ms. Tucker and Ms. Robin, both slightly flickering between sinner and saint with plenty of seductive songs. Kristen Tucker conveys Emma Carew’s wholesome purity with a breathy, youthful vocal style. Looking every bit the glamorous society heiress, Ms. Tucker delivers a solid performance, singing with a sweet passion (“Take Me As I Am,” “Once Upon a Dream”).
And, a choice leading lady, local artist Deborah Robin takes her status to the next level with a stunning performance as vulnerable lady of the night, Lucy. Where other singers have a tendency to belt Lucy’s songs with reckless abandon, Ms. Robin delivers the hits with finely calibrated precision, finding much more power in tenderness and subtlety, owning the theatre with the soaring passion of “Someone Like You” and the piercing heartbreak of “A New Life.”
They’re ably assisted by an illustrious supporting cast, from Philip Sanchez as a lecherous bishop to Jon Peterson as Gabriel John Utterson, Jekyll's concerned but helpless lawyer and friend, fragile sweetness of the music bringing out all the stormy derangements that eventually engulf it. As such, the musical rides on the success of its power ballads and duets, each one building to a Great Big Finish and swirling with romantic imagery.
Other top-class performers, leading players in their own right, include Emerson Haller as Sir Simon Stride, Eric Romero as Lord Savage, Jennifer Kersey as Nellie, Ella Nelson as General Lord Glossop and Kelly George as Sir Archibald Proops. Sherri Vasquez brings a spicy undercurrent to Lady Beaconsfield, and baritone Christopher Showerman gives Sir Danvers Carew the requisite air of austerity.
Co-Directors Jon Peterson and Christy Mauro-Cohen makes grand use of space, with the action primarily confined to the chancel. Ultimately the show is very nearly the equivalent extent of a fully staged production, with the streamlined staging allowing the storytelling to be made even clearer. Unlike previous adaptations, such as the overblown 2013 revival, Directors Peterson and Mauro-Cohen simply trusts the material and allows the cast to give natural performances, successfully playing down the potentially camp or over the top aspects of the show. Laugh lines are practically non-existent, except for a minutia of pitch-black humor.
Despite the seeming diametric opposition between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, their relationship in fact is a complicated dynamic. The two personas seem nothing alike—the well-liked, respectable doctor and the hideous, depraved Hyde are almost opposite in type and personality. That marked contrast, according to the author, is the point: every human being contains opposite forces within themselves, an alter ego that hides behind one's facade. And, in order to fully understand the significance of either personality, we must consider the two as constituting one single character. It’s the nature of their interrelationship that gives the story its paradoxically gripping power.
P3 THEATER PRESENTS, JEKYLL & HYDE, THE MUSICAL, in concert @ Los Altos United Methodist Church in Long Beach; One Performance Only - Saturday, October 26th @4pm; Based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson; Conceived by Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden; Book and Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse; Music by Frank Wildhorn, Orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg; Arrangements by Jason Howland. Directed by Jon Peterson and Christy Mauro-Cohen; Musical Direction by Jon Peterson; Choreography by Betsy Paull-Rick.
STARRING: E.L. Losada as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Deborah Robin as Lucy Harris and Kristen Tucker as Emma Carew.
WITH: Christopher Showerman as Sir Danvers Carew, Jon Peterson as Gabriel John Utterson and Emerson Haller as Sir Simon Stride, Philip Sanchez as The Bishop, Sherri Vasquez as Lady Beaconsfield, Eric Romero as Lord Savage, Jennifer Kersey as Nellie, Ella Nelson as General Lord Glossop, Kelly George as Sir Archibald Proops, Rachel Chapman as Ensemble, Theresa Espino as Ensemble, Marty Florence as Ensemble, Jack Sequeira as Ensemble, J. Rikki Taylor as Spider, Kristy Takacs as Poole/Bisset.
Los Altos United Methodist Church is located at 5950 E. Willow Street, Long Beach, CA 90815.
Chris Daniels
Arts & Entertainment Reviewer
The Show Report
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