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Pedar Benson Bate and Rachel Herring

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by Bob Weesner

When entering the auditorium from the rear, you are immediately drawn toward the massive concrete wing flats that dominate both sides of the stage. Moving forward, you become aware of the vague streaks and stains, aged and hoary, on and in the surface of these walls. Nearer still, the mottling becomes clearer, and amid the grime are definite spatters of something darkish red.

Blood?

Welcome to Emerald City Players production of Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical. Playing now through December 5th, this setting is perfect for the familiar morality tale of science and good intentions gone horribly wrong.

In the lead role of Jekyll/Hyde is Pedar Benson Bate. A daunting characterization for any performer to attempt, Bate roars – sometimes literally – through the show with seeming ease, high energy, and (as Hyde), a skewed charm that attracts and repels simultaneously. Many of his soliloquies set to music are angst driven and introspective, yet effectively varied just enough to remain interesting. And his change from Jekyll to Hyde – mid stage, in full view of the audience … friend, that alone is worth the price of admission.

Supporting Bate in this production is Kate Mock Elliott, as Jekyll’s long suffering fiancé. Frankly, I felt that the character was not well written, in that there was more reaction than action as motivation, and any pretense of chemistry between the two was, at most, implied. Still, Elliott has great personal charm and a sweet clear soprano voice. These, plus her great attention to detail and nuance, served her well in creating a solid-as-a-rock character.

A better written character is Hyde’s supposed girl friend, Lucy, portrayed by Rachel Hering. From the first moment Lucy takes the stage, you know instinctively  that she’s not going to be around for any supposed happy ending. Yet, even knowing that, you can’t not watch. The talented Ms Hering projects great warmth on stage. She also appears to have a strong alto singing voice. Unfortunately, on the night I saw the show she talked her way through several song sequences. I was somewhat disappointed – there’s an obvious duet between the two women I would like to have experienced.

If Bate, Elliott, and Hering had been alone in this production, it would have been every bit a good show. Jekyll & Hyde, however, is written for a large cast, and this production has a solid core of supportive performers. All did well, but Paul Lee, Tommy Thurston, Dawn Farrell, and Nikki Rehmert had stand alone moments that were memorable.

And finally …

Jekyll & Hyde was directed by Ryan Scarlata, one of the most talented directors I’ve seen in a long time. The blocking was well motivated, the pace was fast, and the over-all effect was very fluid. His choreography avoided the insipid dance attempts so typical of Columbus community theatre. Instead, movements were simple, leading the group from one brief tableau to another. In general, his style of moving people around the stage changed constantly from realistic to the presentational, more often seen in opera. The program notes say he is now in New York, looking there for work as a director. Watch for his name. He just might make it.

With all that, I’m not saying this production was perfect. There were two slight problems.  First, the orchestrations were pre-recorded, and occasionally they were as loud as the singers. This I observed, and easy to fix.  Second, many of the cast members were wearing microphones, and there was a difference in the “presence” of the favored voices over the unfavored. Can anything be done about that? I don’t know. But in a show that is near flawless, it bothered me.

Jekyll & Hyde The Musical plays Thursday, December 3 through Saturday, December 5th at Emerald City Players. I warn you – the memory will stay with you long after the final curtain.  All performances begin at 8pm at 6799 Dublin Center Dr. in Dublin, OH.  Order tickets here or by calling 614-470-1525.  $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors, $7.50 for CSCC students with vouchers.  Visit Theatre Vault’s Columbus Theatre Calendar or www.emeraldcityplayers.com for more information.

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For most of his career, Bob was employed as a television director, working for stations from Los Angeles to Columbus. During this same time period he wrote and directed plays for theatres all over the Midwest. For several years he was the drama critic for the Spectator newspaper chain and for channel 6 here in Columbus. Bob has won numerous awards, including two Emmy awards, A Freedom’s foundation award, and two recent awards from the National Writers Digest Playwriting Competition.