Justin Meyer’s spectacularly sung and acted Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, Cassandra Caruso and Rachel Franke’s breakout star turns as the women in their lives, and a look inspired by such Hollywood monster movie classics as Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Wolf Man make The Nocturne Theatre’s in-the-round staging of Jekyll & Hyde The Musical a song-and-thrill-packed treat.

Like Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella before it, Jekyll & Hyde The Musical recounts the tale of a London physician who, believing that it was the evil in his father’s soul that drove him to madness, determines to find a way to separate the good in man from the evil he believes lurking in us all.

When Dr. Jekyll’s research proposal is turned down by the Board Of Governors of St. Jude’s Hospital, he decides to test his formula on the only subject willing to be his guinea pig—himself.

Sharing the stage with Henry (and with Edward Hyde, the malevolent alter ego who emerges once “HJ7” had entered his bloodstream) are the good girl/bad girl duo of Henry’s wealthy, well-bred fiancée Emma Carew (Franke) and Lucy Harris (Caruso), the prostitute he meets at the bachelor party thrown for him by best friend John Utterson (Braydon Hade).

When the nefarious Hyde sets his sights on the voluptuous, vulnerable lady of the night, the stage is set for a to-the-death confrontation between good and evil.

Wildhorn’s songs (lyrics by book writer Leslie Bricusse, Wildhorn, and Steve Cuden) may be generic pop, but they are generic pop at its most gorgeous, and whatever nits Broadway critics may have had to pick with Jekyll & Hyde, few can deny that it offers its lead performers some terrific roles to play, its entire cast a bundle of hook-blessed songs to sing, and its audiences some truly thrilling moments of theatrical spectacle and wall-to-wall sound.

Doubling impressively as director, Meyer makes it clear from the get-go that his Jekyll & Hyde won’t be just another cookie-cutter recreation of the Broadway original, introducing the musical’s theme of good vs. evil by dividing its ensemble into warring “gangs” that I’ll dub The Umbrellas and The Masks in a show-stopping “Façade.”

And just wait until the evil Mr. Hyde makes his first appearance clad in a muscled body suit and sporting a wild mane of unkempt hair and light-emitting beady eyes a la The Incredible Hulk’s evil twin.

Audiences may wonder why Lucy doesn’t notice that her villainous suitor seems to have come straight out of monster movie hell, but it’s a look that sets this Jekyll & Hyde apart from any I’ve seen before.

Not only is Meyer’s direction as innovative as it is striking (kudos for the way he stages the musical’s climactic “Confrontation” with Jekyll and Hyde literally face-to-face in the mirror), his performance as both the heroic Henry Jekyll and the heinous Edward Hyde is every bit as commanding as his vocals are effortlessly soaring, and never more so than in a “This Is The Moment” that brought tears to my eyes.

L.A. theater newcomer Caruso is a revelation as the luscious but luckless Lucy, whether showing off her lusty side in “Bring On The Men” or her tender soul in “Someone Like You” and “A New Life.”

 A feisty, fabulous Franke graduates from featured performer to glorious leading lady (her “Take Me As I Am” and “Once Upon A Dream” are as exquisite as soprano solos get), and just wait until Lucy and Emma join voices to duet “In His Eyes” to breathtaking effect.

L.A. musical theater favorites Hade and Craig Sherman make the most of the rather thankless roles of Jekyll best friend John and Emma’s father Sir Danvers Carew.

The show’s bad guys (Troy Dailey’s Sir Archibald Proops, Joe Salling’s Simon Stride, Bedjou Jean’s General Lord Glossop, Drew Maidment’s Bishop Of Basingstroke, Brendan Lynch’s Lord Savage, and Faith Berrigan’s Lady Beaconsfield) prove appropriately hiss-worthy.

Samantha Rose’s power-piped Nellie is a featured cast standout, with Kate Clarke (Poole), Connor Bullock (Spider), and Nolan Monsibay (Bisset) ably completing the show’s ensemble, all of whom excel in choreographer Melissa Meyer’s drama-upping choreography.

Music director Monsibay elicits ravishing solos and ensemble harmonies sung to prerecorded tracks expertly amplified by sound engineer Matt Merline.

Tanya Cyr’s creature and costume designs may go rather too over the top for this reviewer’s tastes, but they’re nothing if not visual stunners (though why on earth Emma suddenly shows up in anachronistic trousers is anyone’s guess).

Scenic designer Jay Michael Roberts makes ingenious use of movable set pieces assembled and reassembled to represent asylum bars, chairs, bed posts, and more.

Eric Marsh’s lighting creates a creepy, spooky atmosphere but does performers no favors in leaving their faces largely unlit.

Micah Delhauer is stage manager.

 Jekyll & Hyde may never be a critics’ darling, but it remains an audience favorite for its drama, romance, and above all its gorgeous score.

All of these are on full display at The Nocturne Theatre, plus a strikingly dramatic look and three sensational lead performances to do Meyer2Meyer Entertainment proud.

The Nocturne Theatre, 324 N. Orange St., Glendale.
www.TheNocturneTheatre.com

–Steven Stanley
April 18, 2024
Photos: Brian Ian

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Tags: Frank Wildhorn, Leslie Bricusse, Los Angeles Theater Review, The Nocturne Theatre