Jekyll & Hyde — Page 3

I will probably end up buying both the digital and physical cd for this one. I hope they are selling merchandise!

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It's just under 4 hours away and the dress rehearsal for this "revisal" will begin. I'll be there and hope to post some comments later tonight.

Song list would be welcome as well.

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For now I'm just going to post the song list with no comments

Act 1
1. "Lost in the Darkness"--Jekyll
2. "I Need To Know"--Jekyll
3. "Facade"--Company
4. "Board of Governors"--Jekyll, Danvers & Company
5. "Pursue The Truth"/"Facade" (reprise)--Jekyll, Utterson & Company
6. "Take Me As I Am"--Jekyll, Emma
7. "Letting Go"--Danvers, Emma
8. "Bring on the Men"--Lucy & the Girls
9. "This Is the Moment"--Jekyll
10. "Transformation"--Jekyll, Hyde
11. "Alive"--Hyde
12. "His Work--And Nothing More"--Utterson, Emma, Danvers, Jekyll
13. "Sympathy, Tenderness"--Lucy
14. "Someone Like You"--Lucy
15. "Alive" (reprise)--Hyde

Act 2
16. "Murder"--Company
17. "Once Upon A Dream"--Emma
18. "Reflections"--Jekyll
19. "In His Eyes"--Lucy, Emma
20. "Dangerous Game"--Hyde, Lucy
21. "The Way Back"--Utterson, Jekyll
22. "A New Life"--Lucy
23. "Sympathy, Tenderness" (reprise)--Hyde
24. "Confrontation"--Jekyll, Hyde
25. "Letting Go" (reprise)--Danvers, Emma
26. "The Wedding"--Jekyll, Emma

I hope they do a complete recording with all the other songs listed. I would love that as some of the songs not on that concept recording are favorites of mine.

Also-What was the orchestration like for "Alive"? Is it like the OBC or the concept (I loved it on the Warlow concept album very much-the pulsing beat underneath was really eerie and just plain scary).

I love "Bitch, Bitch, Bitch". I was hoping that would get reinserted.

Really looking forward to some detailed thoughts!

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I wanna know too! Why can't you post them here?

^Yup! You're right. Once someone else responds that has seen it in previews then I'll make some comments. All I'll say for now is that it is exactly what Constantine has said, a reviSal with a completely new staging which I liked for the most part.

I don't know. The only versions I know are the touring from 1996 before it went to Broadway and then what I've seen on the DVD. Hopefully James885 will be able to answer that when he sees it tonight.

Spill!!!

Okay I'll spill now that the 1st official preview is underway. After James885 and the fan club president see it they can chime in as to what they think and what changes they will make. They will because it's definitely a work in progress.

Here's what I saw at the dress rehearsal:

There were 900 invited guests. The orchestra had rows blocked off and tables with tech were all over making the audience scattered about with many actually sitting in the balcony. We were lucky since we got front row seats so I saw everything and I mean everything including all the mistakes of which there were many on stage and off. This group worked in NYC in a rehearsal room and the 1st time they worked together on stage with the set was one week ago. That being said they did a great job!

The show began with the usual La Mirada welcome from Tom McCoy who then introduced the director/choreographer Jeff Calhoun who told us what to expect at the dress rehearsal. If he wanted to stop it, or the stage manager, or even the actors when something went wrong then that would happen. It did right after the first scene "Lost in the Darkness" with Jekyll, his friend Tom, and Emma's father which was really good but incomplete. The projection system was not working and they had to stop to fix it which took about 10 or 15 minutes. Jeff Calhoun had Constantine come out on stage and talk to the audience and then he talked with us till the problem was solved. It was good they stopped because projections are a big part of this staging and when they restarted the 1st scene it was shocking to see what a difference they made. Fortunately for us it would be the only time they stopped the show for the rest of the evening.

Scene 2: "I Need to Know" with Jekyll.
He was good but just not as good as others who have played the role and Constantine was hard to understand which was a problem he had throughout the 1st act. That could have been because of mic issues.

You may remember the photos that were at the La Mirada FB site that got removed. There was a reason; they're central to the stage design.


They had a black curtain which had inkblots phasing in and out at the beginning of the show. During intermission it had Hyde walking back and forth in a central spotlight on the curtain which I loved.

The proscenium that you saw that was white is also used for projections and changes colors which are critical for the set design. Loved it!

Remember the paintings behind the chairs. They're the main set which is used throughout the play. There are 5 of them which are huge and move wherever they want them and can turn in different directions. They can have a white brick design of an insane asylum, or they can be turned to become part of Emma's home, or the Spider's Den for the prostitutes or the laboratory. They changed for every scene and I have to say I really like the new stage design much better than what I saw in 1996 on tour.

The 3rd scene "Facade" was genius! The 5 board of governors who will be the murder victims come out on stage in their undergarments. Between each one is one of the panels with their photographs. As they sing they get dressed for their meeting with Jekyll culminating in scene 4, "Board of Governors". I never liked the original version of "Facade"; this one was so much better!

Scene 5: Pursue the Truth/"Facade" (Reprise) which brings the Facade scenes to a conclusion.

Scene 6 "Take Me As I Am" with Jekyll & Emma (Teal Wicks).
I was shocked because she looked nothing like when she played Elphaba in Wicked in L.A. She was exquisite and for me the BEST in the show. She has a beautiful voice and her vocals overwhelmed Constantine Maroulis in this song. I'm sure they'll be telling her to dial it back or he has to sing it more powerfully which I'm not too sure he can.

Constantine was good and he really captured the essence of Jekyll and Hyde very well. Unfortunately he really will have to project better as I had trouble understanding him and if I did from the front row I hate to think how bad he sounded further back.

Scene 7: "Letting Go" with Danvers (Richard White) and Emma.
Exquisitely sung by White and Wicks but the ending when they walked off fell flat and I can't tell you why.

Scene 8: The first time we see Deborah Cox as Lucy in the Spider's Den which is the house of ill repute. This is where she sings "Bring On the Men". This needs lots of work. I was told by someone else that sat by us and works for McCoy/Rigby that this number has had lots of problems in staging and that what we saw was 1000% better than what they had done earlier in the day. I love this song but I'm wondering now if maybe there was a reason why they never put it in the OB production. Will be interesting to see how this changes when I see it again and it will. Deborah Cox was good but it seemed like she was holding back and unfortunately for me it was not in a league with what I've heard from Linda Eder.

Scene 9: "This is the Moment" sung in the laboratory and Constantine nailed it.

Scene 10: "Transformation" So different from the way it was done before. Hanging from the ceiling are 10 beakers, 5 on each side which Jekyll uses to do his experiments. Then he puts something on his neck and arm. Tubes which come out from underneath the beakers he puts into his neck and arms; the change comes and Hyde appears. Maroulis unrolls his hair which has been held back for Jekyll and becomes Hyde. The change is evident and very well-done! The new "Transformation" is 1000 times better than what was used before in my opinion.

Scene 11: "Alive" with Jekyll and Hyde.
Didn't like it at all and small applause from me and the audience. They're going to change this scene.

Scene 12: "His Work--And Nothing More" with John, Emma, Danvers and Jekyll.
Don't remember what happened here so that tells you what effect it had on me.

Scene 13: "Sympathy, Tenderness" with Lucy
Debra was good but once again she didn't sing with the authority I know she has.

Scene 14: "Someone Like You" with Lucy
She was better, but just can't get Linda Eder out of my head when I hear this.

Scene 15: "Alive" (reprise) which ends Act 1. This is when Hyde is out and murders his 1st victim, The Bishop of Basingstoke--to black and intermission. Good applause but there were lots of people who I'm sure had no idea how dark this play is and would become even more so in Act 2.

Intermission with the projection shadow of Hyde walking back and forth in the center of the curtain. Loved it especially since it was right in front of me!

Act 2:

Scene 16: "Murder" with the company.
This was something that went on way too long at least in the version that I saw, but the way it's done here is really good. We're back to the five huge hanging panels for the forthcoming murders and beginning with the left panel the song is sung and Hyde murders each victim. Company members singing come out with dollies and each murder victim is placed on a dolly in front of their photo panel until all five have been killed.. After all the murders suddenly each one got up off of their dollies which were taken away by company members and then sang the end of the song. LOL! Scene ended with stage going dark. I went WTF and have to say not hearing all the lyrics which may or may not have had significance it ended for me with a THUD, but I still liked it!

Scene 17: "Once Upon A Dream"--Emma.
Teal Wicks nailed it. I was NOT a fan of her Elphaba in Wicked L.A., but now I am. She had the best acting, correct dialect diction unlike others and singing of anyone in the cast.

Scene 18: "Reflections"--Jekyll in the lab dealing with what he's done. Like the way that whatever Jekyll wrote in his diary was reflected on the screen throughout the play.

Scene 19: "In His Eyes"
At last the song I was waiting for came and it was even better than I ever hoped for. Lucy and Emma were on stage with the panels now being used as house fronts and sang while walking without ever looking at each other. OMG! Teal Wicks and Deborah Cox were phenomenal! It was the 1st time that I hooted for any song in the show and it got a thunderous ovation!! Definitely the best number of the show!!! Unfortunately it was followed by the worst song and scene of the night!!

Scene 20: "Dangerous Game"--Hyde and Lucy. I absolutely hated this scene and my friend said to me that was STUPID and it was. Have no idea why it was but it has to be changed or I say, get rid of it.

Scene 21: "The Way Back"--Utterson and Jekyll in the lab.

Scene 22: "A New Life"--Lucy
It was Deborah Cox's time to shine alone when she sang this song as I wish she had the others. 2nd best song in the show that I saw and also from the audience applause.

Scene 23: "Sympathy, Tenderness"(reprise)--Hyde
I've drawn a blank as to what happened here unless it was the killing of Lucy right after her big song which I think it was?

Scene 24: "Confrontation" = GENIUS!
Takes place in the lab and how it was done here is 1000 times better than what I saw originally. Hyde sings his parts in the laboratory panels which are bathed in swirling red tones. Jekyll is on stage singing his parts. The end of the experiments occurs here. Loved it and this scene got a thunderous ovation which it deserved!

Scene 25: "Letting Go" (reprise)--Danvers and Emma as they wait for the reappearance of Jekyll in

Scene 26: "The Wedding"--Jekyll, Emma
This is where Hyde reappears and Jekyll dies and it ended with a THUD! Don't know what they can do but just don't remember the finale in the version that I saw in 1996 ending as badly as this.

Curtain down and good audience applause until it went up for curtain call which got S/O's. The cast members were just standing around on the stage and then Jeff Calhoun said they hadn't practiced the curtain call yet. Finally introduced Deborah Cox and Constantine again who got huge ovations but no one else. Cast was waving to people in the audience and seemed very glad with what they had done for their 1st fully-formed show as well they should have been.

After the show stage people were all over the orchestra and in and out from backstage talking about the show. My friend talked with Frank Wildhorn and Jeff Calhoun giving suggestions which they welcomed, but I didn't. During the previews Jeff Calhoun is in the lobby at intermission and asked that people talk with him.

Casting Impressions:

Liked both Constantine and Deborah but they need to project better and Deborah definitely needs to sing more powerfully.

Teal Wicks with just her few appearances in the show was the STAR in this cast at my performance!

Laird Mackintosh was good as John Utterson

Jason Wooten who I had seen in "The Rocky Horror Show" at the Old Globe really stood out maybe because he had dreadlocks which we couldn't figure out why. He's one of the understudies for Jekyll/Hyde; the other is Aaron Ramey who plays one of the murder victims, General Lord Glossop.

Blair Ross who played another murder victim, Lacy Beaconsfield also stood out. The rest of the company not so much, for me at least.

The person who got us our tickets said that no press reviews will be given until the show debuts in San Diego. I think that's a wise choice since this ReviSal is still a work in progress. I'm hoping this show succeeds and hopefully will build up a huge fan base before it reaches Broadway where the Wildhorn critic haters will have their chance to rip it apart. It's dark and not a musical for everyone but the score is definitely a winner and I liked it!