Jekyll And Hyde

So... Jekyll & Hyde!

My school is putting on a production of this, and it seems really cool from the scenes I've seen from it. Has anybody else here seen it?

We did it last year for the Thespian production at my school.

It kicks ass.

That it does :3 I heard they won't let kids under 12 watch my school's production of it...

I think we only put a parental warning on our poster. Then again I didn't see kids so...

There's a song in there between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that reminds me a lot of Persona4.

Confrontation?

That's right! Now that they're making a Persona 4 anime, wouldn't an amv of that be amazing? :O

...I am proud of you.

Aw, thanks Now I have to watch the Persona 4 anime...

I haven't had the opportunity to see it live myself, but I've liked what I've seen. I hope you guys have fun

edited 23rd Oct '11 1:43:55 PM by Merlo

Question: When Mr. Hyde starts getting all rapey on Lucy, is she actually attracted to him or not?

..Debatable. I say it depends on how the director intrepts the script.

'Cause that relationship just makes Hyde look like a rapist in my school's production, but some of the lines are kind of... open for interpretation.

Yeah it can be rapey, Rape Is Love, some other trope indicating she likes it or wanted it to some extent...

Hell seeing how Lucy is a PG-13 whore you could argue even more...

I have never seen this, but I have the soundtrack. A guy did 'Confrontation' for a competition I was in once; He grew his hair long, and for Hyde's lines he flipped it forward to hang aver his face. It was pretty intense.

In my opinion there is definitely an implication that Lucy is attracted to Hyde - listen to 'Dangerous Game'.

Well this is certainly an old thread but what the heck? I might as well post my opinions here instead of creating an entirely new thread. I have to say this musical can be pretty damn amazing when it's given to the right people. For example, the CD versions featuring Anthony Warlow and Rob Evans are incredible to listen to.

However when not done properly, Jekyll & Hyde can easily be a murderous train wreck especially when the main lead is miscast.

Like say, for example casting Sebastian Bach (?!?) as Jekyll and Hyde. Or Constantine Maroulis for that matter.

Now while those singers mentioned above aren't bad on their own, they're unbelievably out of their element when they perform in this show. IMO it's because their voices are too high pitched and their style of singing isn't fit for the show. (Which is very odd, considering the version Maroulis performed was actually remade to fit his style of singing.)

The real unfortunate thing about Jekyll and Hyde is that we only have one version of the musical on DVD, and it stars David Hasselhoff as the lead...wtf?

Actually, to be honest the Hoff is actually kind of good as Jekyll and Hyde. He's not great mind you, but he does a presence on stage and is sometimes intimidating as Hyde...sometimes.

In my personal opinion, the best version of the bunch has to be The Resurrection CD starring Rob Evans as Jekyll and Hyde. It's sort of a combination of the older more traditional Jekyll and Hyde and the 2013 revival starring Maroulis. What I mean is, the tunes of the songs have the "Rock Show" like element heard in the 2013 revival but Rob Evans performance reminds me more of the older productions of the musical.

If only Evans was in the revival.

I've never liked Hoff in the role. He just... didn't do it for me. He's not the worst I've seen, but I feel his Hyde comes across as just simply creepy and insane with no real depth.

I've always wanted to do this show for High School. Sad that we never did. Then again, based off my track record, would never have gotten the lead anyway and would have had to watch someone else do a role I know to heart.

Anyway, the way I see the role is that the two characters need to be polar opposites, and not just simply Sane/Insane. Jekyll is uncertain, timid, and far more emotionally revealed/vulnerable, which is counter (In line with the theme of everyone being exactly what they don't appear to be) to Hyde being assertive, stoic, and having courage to do what he believes is the only way to go about things with a smooth coat of insanity layered for good measure.

Which leads to both sides showing a different half of the same coin. Jekyll is attracted to Lucy, but Hyde is the only person/half who would ever do anything or act on such an attraction. Hyde plays on the desires that Jekyll never would act upon; those hidden deep within. They are not two characters, but the same character from different perspectives.

Also, personal note, if I were ever to do the role, I would probably minimize the 'rapey' undertones with Lucy and Hyde as much as possible. Thankfully, most productions don't keep the 'Predator/Prey' section of Alive. Not only is it awkward and falls into unfortunate implications, its just simply cheap and boring to do that. I think its far more interesting to have Hyde legitimately care for Lucy to some extent.

The original Houston production was fantastic. The Broadway version was pretty dreadful though, besides some good actors. Not the Hoff though...what a travesty. Maybe I'm just not cultured enough to appreciate The Transformation reimagined as The Worm. Dude must've stuck his hand in a lightbulb 'cause his vibrato sounded like he was being electrocuted.

For me it got way better when it was translated into German. The Austrian and German productions have been marvelous. Ethan Freeman played a quiet, sinister Hyde whose beastliness simmered until he lost it at the end. Thomas Borchert's Hyde just sounds so happy to be alive; I like his manic energy, and as Jekyll he was really likeable without seeming like a pussy. Chris Murray's Hyde is difficult to describe...corrosively charismatic, maybe. Hands down my favorite "Dangerous Game." I can't speak for the lyrics, but I was really entertained by clips of the Korean version. Hyde gets a sexy cape with a thick fur collar...instead of a purple moose coat.

edited 15th Feb '14 2:57:32 PM by Phoenixflame

lol Yeah I saw clips of the Korean one. It's a huge ass pimp coat ^^

Also founf clips of this odd and yet impressive Russian production. It was kind of period set...except that the Red Rat club was super fetishy. And Hyde wore leather pants and a ratty T-Shirt. BUT, the actor was extraordinarily athletic (most of the cast was, there was was really elaborate choreography) and he had a fantastic growl as Hyde and just was so charismatic and energetic.

I also actually saw a community theatre production recently first hand. Our Jekyll/Hyde was AWESOME. Not sure what script they were using, but it wasn't the Broadway version for sure. They took out Spider and reinstated most of Simon Stride's intended role. He wasn't a benefactor for the club, but he was one of Lucy's regular customers. He steals Jekyll's letter to her and leaves it for Emma to find after the wedding. Also Utterson DID shoot Jekyll in that production. Song-wise they cut most of the Facade reprises and used Bring on the Men over Good N'Evil. Also they opened the show with I Need to Know. I guess they were going by the Pre-Broadway script?

Also, here's Ethan Freeman dueting Confrontation with the late, great Steve Barton:

edited 24th Mar '16 8:12:02 AM by Sisi

What to do when your high school production has Jekyll and Hyde played by 2 people? Stage Confrontation as a physical/mental fight! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Iq_9BdA70c

Also, Anthony Warlow, the person who played Jekyll/Hyde on the 1994 Concept Album but never onstage, is finally going to get to do the role live for the 25th anniversary show this year!

EDIT: I found an awesome college version of Confrontation! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVFL7NfJADM

AND the original 1986 demo of Alive with different lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN5scUi2Rsg

AND a pre-Broadway video of the complete 1995 show! It has Hyde's vocals in Confrontation as a backing track. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRfov1AQs-I

DOUBLE EDIT: Found a more recent Confrontation that has Hyde briefly take over in the "Lost in the Darkness" reprise. It's the best take I've seen of that version yet! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osP9MNzctpg

I also found a high-budget high school production that changed the ending after Confrontation to have a reprise of Facade, leading into Jekyll killing himself presumably just after getting married. Both comments like it a lot more than the other endings XD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig5FC_ONPek

Their Board of Governors is really good too! That school is gonna do Les Miserables next year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxPhkoBw-AI

edited 31st Aug '16 12:18:44 AM by lalalei2001

Found a production that leans closer to the Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll movie, portraying Jekyll as older and sickly and Hyde as young and lustful... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUDT_nuvN6I

Their version of "Alive" is also notable because it has Hyde actually stealing his hat and cane from someone XD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuLz0XCW9g0

And an amazing Hyde from a school production (I think) who mixes humor and childishness with horror. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvYSBgYrg8k

He really gets into the physical part of acting, too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wvw3WjGOeM

His Confrontation keeps it up :D he makes every switch between Jekyll and Hyde painful, not just the major ones! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2YszFtY-Ac

Also, as divisive as the 2012 revival was, their Wedding scene is amazing. It goes for the wedding reception/dance route, then adds in Jekyll's reprise of Once Upon A Dream just before he stabs himself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr_pknShZ7U

This version of Alive is also neat because it has a brief fight scene. I've seen others that do that at different spots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvfKLHxURQc

This one has Hyde be with Lucy for the last half of the song. I SWEAR I've seen another that does that but also keeps the heartbeats from the concept album version but i can't find it off the top of my head. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeYAmlCnNyA

edited 30th Aug '16 10:32:44 AM by lalalei2001

I just found a really good college version of Murder, Murder! Sadly, this was the only video of the production they uploaded. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmUjYLFNHQo

And a different school production has a really funny Simon Stride in the Board of Governors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8jMaXyBMhU

I also found a really good Confrontation from a live show that had a variety of songs from musicals! He makes every switch between them painful, at least until it gets too fast to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QMB2GZT-rk

I also found a full show that uses the "Complete Gothic Thriller" format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUSkr6OQUb4

And a full taping of the 1997 Broadway version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcYz-_PNTGY

And a high school version that had Hyde and Jekyll as two people and also staged Confrontation as a fight. They also kept "Girls of the Night." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOSEntch2qk

There's also an amazing 4-part series of videos that were posted 3 days ago. They have a REALLY scary Hyde! Part 1 is here and the rest are in the sidebar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoWL2V1YePg

And here's a 2-part series of another school show. The best part is in Act II when Utterson confronts Hyde and he's tearing pages out of Jekyll's notebook, crumpling them, and making paper airplanes and origami XD

Act I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P59YdYzKDdg

Act II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY8BZReRTRM

edited 14th Sep '16 3:47:25 PM by lalalei2001

Found a really good Confrontation with an AWESOME evil laugh! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z09FyorLo3g

And a person who the video title says is "THE BEST JEKYLL EVER!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkZ_mrtjCmw

And a low-budget high school production that had Hyde run around in Jekyll's clothes and snap people's necks. It's somewhere between horrifying and hilarious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO8JA_FlvYo

And another really good high school Confrontation! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2cLN9SS8Xc

I found a really scary two-person Confrontation where Hyde takes a knife to himself/Jekyll. I think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-gVw_nrJVM

And a Confrontation performed at a drama banquet that ends with Jekyll picking up a chair and smashing a mirror XD It was dramatic when i saw the whole video but when i paused it i cracked up laughing. It's really good, though! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uDiiGaAxeY

This one is also neat, it uses prerecorded lines as a projection AND flipping back and forth live to switch between Jekyll and Hyde. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gl52vlBcmA

And a couple videos of two full high school shows. They had Jekyll and Hyde be separate people and also staged Confrontation as a fight, with different stagings each show! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3xLWaz8cUo&t=2417 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOSEntch2qk&t=1170

I found another really good Confrontation that's one guy but they sound like 2 different people! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzvZrLrSUGM

DOUBLE EDIT: Can we discuss other versions of the story onstage? The Noah Smith one is really fun; Hyde gets some really nice one-liners and the ending has him trying to inject Utterson with the same stuff that made him. You can read most of it here; the only part it doesn't have is the ending. https://www.playscripts.com/sample/183

There's some productions floating around on You Tube, too. This one's the whole thing. it uses instrumental music from the musical at certain points, as well as music from other sources. it has a really good supporting cast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFaqt4OrSOE

This one is in two parts and has a scene or two missing from part 1 to part 2, but they have a FANTASTIC Jekyll and Hyde. (Enfield and Utterson are also gender-flipped in this one!)

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63slra1OmU0

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htCjX3shjXE

The Jeffrey Hatcher one is neat as well. It has multiple actors playing different aspects of Hyde. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSc2jhG5ihc

And finally, here's a scene from the original play, taken wholesale from the book. I think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jwxOQJ_djw

edited 6th Oct '16 8:49:03 PM by lalalei2001

According to this originally Hyde met Utterson and transformed back into Jekyll after Lucy's murder, and Jekyll told him to run and find the letter he gave her before the police did. (I think afterwards Simon stole the letter and planted it for Lisa to find.)

I also found someone who put EVERYTHING from every version of the show together, making a four-act five-hour monstrosity. http://holyguyver.deviantart.com/art/Jekyll-Hyde-Completist-script-208056196

edited 5th Nov '16 3:56:57 AM by lalalei2001

I've read that script...it's awesome af