Jekyll & Hyde is a Broadway musical based on the novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. The original stage conception was by Steve Cuden and Frank Wildhorn. The music was composed by Wildhorn and the lyrics were written by Leslie Bricusse. The show opened on Broadway on April 28, 1997. There were 44 preview performances starting on March 21. The show ran for 1,543 regular performances, closing on January 7, 2001 and is the longest-running show in the history of the Plymouth Theatre. Note: Three versions of Jekyll & Hyde have been recorded. The first was a concept album recorded in 1990 featuring Colm Wilkinson as Jekyll/Hyde and Linda Eder singing both Lucy and Lisa (Jekyll's fiancée, later renamed to Emma). The second was released prior to the first national tour of Jekyll in 1994, featuring Anthony Warlow as Jekyll/Hyde, Linda Eder as Lucy, and Carolee Carmello as Lisa. The final recording is from the Broadway production. It features Robert Cuccioli as Jekyll/Hyde, Linda Eder as Lucy and Christiane Noll as Emma. The central theme of the show remains intact, but many of the songs have been altered, cut and/or replaced between the different versions. The following synopsis is from a script that uses parts of each. SynopsisThe show opens with Jekyll's voice saying, "In each of us there are two natures. If this primitive duality of man: good and evil, could be housed in separate identities, life would be relieved of all that is unbearable. It is the curse of mankind that these polar twins should be constantly struggling." His lawyer and best friend John Utterson is introduced, speaking of past events concerning Doctor Jekyll. Next, Jekyll is seen in an insane asylum singing over a comatose body revealed to be his father ("Lost in the Darkness"). It is Jekyll's belief that the evil in his father's soul has caused his illness. Jekyll sings 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"). Leaving the hospital, 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 ("Facade"). Afterwards, Jekyll presents a research proposal to the Board of Governors of St. Jude's Hospital: the Bishop of Basingstoke, General Lord Glossop, Lady Beaconsfield, Sir Archibald Proops, Lord Savage, and Sir Danvers Carew. All, with the exception of Danvers, are pompous, rich hypocrites. They reject Jekyll's proposal to experiment on a living human with cries of "blasphemy, heresy, and lunacy," voting five to none with Sir Danvers' one abstention ("Board of Governors"). The next scene takes place at Danvers' home, where he is holding an engagement party for his daughter Emma's engagement to Doctor Jekyll ("Facade Reprise"). The toast of society turns up, including the Board of Governors and Simon Stride, Jekyll's rival for Emma's affections. Stride speaks to Emma and tries to reason her out of her engagement, but she quickly turns him down. Jekyll (late as usual) arrives to the party just as everyone is leaving. He and Emma share a moment ("Take Me as I Am"). Danvers returns as Jekyll leaves, and expresses to Emma that he likes Jekyll but finds it difficult to tolerate his behavior ("Letting Go"). Jekyll and Utterson go to the dingy Red Rat pub (The Dregs in some versions) for Jekyll's bachelor party. They watch as a beautiful prostitute, Lucy Harris, sings and dances ("Bring on the Men" - replaced with "Good 'n' Evil" in the Broadway version). After the show, Utterson is lead away by another prostitute and Lucy and Jekyll have a drink together ("Here's to the Night"). Just as they are about to kiss, Utterson returns, and he and Jekyll leave. Jekyll gives Lucy his visiting card. As Utterson and Jekyll return to the upper-class part of town, Utterson notices that Jekyll is in a better mood. Jekyll informs him that he has found a subject for his experiments. Utterson recommends Jekyll to go straight to bed. Ignoring his friend's advice, Jekyll proceeds to his lab ("This is the Moment"). Mixing his chemicals, he creates formula HJ7 and drinks it. After a few moments, he transforms into a hideous beast of a man ("Transformation"). He goes out and roams the streets, drinking in the sights and sounds of London, including an encounter with Lucy. He names himself Edward Hyde ("Alive"). A week later no one has heard anything from Jekyll. Emma and Utterson ask Jekyll's butler Poole where he is. After Emma leaves, Poole tells Utterson that Jekyll has been locked in his lab all this time. Jekyll emerges demanding Poole to fetch some chemicals for him. Utterson confronts him asking him what he's been up to ("His Work and Nothing More"). Visitng card in hand, Lucy arrives at Jekyll's house with a nasty bruise on her back. As Jekyll treats it, she tells him a man named Hyde did it. Jekyll is stunned by this revelation but hides it. Obviously in love with him, Lucy kisses Jekyll ("Sympathy, Tenderness"). Disturbed by his own actions, Jekyll leaves Lucy, who sings about her love for him ("Someone Like You"). Later, the Bishop of Basingstoke is seen walking down the street with a prostitute. When she leaves, Hyde appears and beats the bishop to death with his cane ("Alive - Reprise"), ending Act I. Act II begins with the people of London discussing latest news headline: the bishop's murder. At his funeral, General Glossop and Lord Savage leave the church making snide remarks about their deceased colleague. Hyde appears again and stabs Glossop while Savage runs for his life. After Londoners begin discussing the second murder, Jekyll is seen accosting the apothecary for more chemicals. Later Savage, Sir Proops, and Lady Beaconsfield drunkenly leave a charity dinner, commenting on their disgust for the lower classes. Once again Hyde shows up, stabbing Proops and snapping Lady Beaconsfield's neck while Savage makes another miraculous escape. The city reacts to the third and fourth murders, and Danvers meets Lord Savage at the train station. Savage says he's leaving for his own safety. Danvers returns home, and Hyde returns one last time, breaking Savage's neck and throwing him onto the train tracks ("Murder, Murder"). After, Emma finds Jekyll distraught and moody in his lab. She professes her love for him and asks him to confide in her ("Once Upon a Dream"). She leaves, and Jekyll begins to face the fact that Hyde is a part of him ("Obsession"). Lucy and Emma then sing a duet about their love for the same man ("In His Eyes"). The setting returns to the Red Rat where Lucy is visited by a very possessive Hyde, who seems to have some sort of animalistic control over her ("Dangerous Game"). Utterson comes looking for Jekyll in his lab only to discover Hyde. Hyde drinks the formula and transforms back into Jekyll. He tells Utterson that he can destroy Hyde if he can get more chemicals. Utterson leaves to get them and Jekyll steels himself for the coming task ("Angst 2"). Utterson visits Lucy at the Red Rat with money and a letter from Jekyll begging her to leave town and start a new life elsewhere. After Utterson leaves, Lucy sings about the possibilities ahead ("A New Life"). Just then Hyde returns and, seeing the letter from Jekyll, slowly and savagely kills Lucy to a reprise of ("Sympathy, Tenderness") sung by Hyde. A sudden transformation occurs and Jekyll must face what he has done as Hyde. Covered in gore, Jekyll returns to his laboratory and faces off with Hyde in a final battle, where only one can survive ("Confrontation"). Jekyll apparently has won, as several weeks later, Jekyll and Emma stand before the priest at their wedding. Just as Jekyll is about to say "I do," Hyde emerges, killing Stride and taking Emma hostage. At the sound of Emma's voice, Jekyll is able to take control. He begs Utterson to kill him. Finally, Utterson shoots him, and the show closes with Emma weeping over Jekyll's dead body. CD track list
Cover from original Broadway recording
Act One
Act Two
1994 Concept Recording Track ListAct One
Act Two
Notable Celebrity AlumniJekyll/Hyde: Sebastian Bach, Robert Cuccioli, Robert Evan, David Hasselhoff, Paul Nicholas, Chuck Wagner, Jack Wagner, Anthony Warlow (vocal recording only), Colm Wilkinson (vocal recording only) Lucy: Linda Eder, Leah Hocking, Luba Mason, Coleen Sexton. Emma/Lisa: Carolee Carmello, Christiane Noll, Kelli O'Hara, Andrea Rivette, Rebecca Spencer | ||||||||||||||||
