Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde – Play – Dukesbay Productions

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde w/ Dukesbay Productions at Merlino Arts Center. Interesting to see Edward Hyde as more of a person than a monster and vice versa w/ Henry Jekyll.

Synopsis from the Theatre: In one man’s inner battle between good and evil, the lines are often blurred. Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde comes to life on the Dukesbay stage with an adaptation rarely seen, and with a few unexpected twists. With one actor portraying Henry Jekyll and four actors (including one woman) playing the many aspects of Edward Hyde, this is not your grandfather’s Jekyll & Hyde. Instead, it’s a psychological thriller about what can result when man’s darker side is left unrestrained. Don’t worry. It’s not a psychology lecture. You will be thrilled and entertained.

Reviewed Performance: 3/18/23

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings: Several

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes

Recommendation: See it if you like supporting community theatre

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show: Yes, this was actually also the first time I attended a Dukesbay Productions show

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now: Maybe if it was a full-blown professional Equity production

Rating Compared to Other Shows with the Same Production Value:
4.25 Stars (Out of 5 Stars)

Equity Actors: 0

Total Number of Actors: 6

Length (Including Any Intermission): 2 hours

Intermission: Yes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned in Elevator Thoughts

  • Injured Actor: One of the actors hurt their foot or leg at the end of the first act. Oh, the magic of unexpected surprises in live theatre! Kudos for powering through the pain during the second act!
  • Blurring the Duality of Man: It was interesting to see a conscience, feelings, and (maybe?) a soul peek out various times in Edward Hyde. Usually, he’s portrayed as the fully evil side in the binary duality of man.

Rant(s)

  • Beddings: There was a scene where an actor was making a bed with no bedding props. I know this is community theatre, but let’s bring some linens from home or buy some at Goodwill for $10!
  • Lighting: During the first few minutes of the show, the lighting was either inadequate or late. However, I recognize that this play does require some degree of darkness to convey the feeling of mystery and evil.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

  • Corpse: I’m surprised they how naked they designed the corpse dummy! But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised in the granola PNW.
  • Edward Hyde Characters: There was no single actor who portrayed Edward Hyde exclusively. Nearly every performer cast doubled as him throughout the show.
  • Spontaneous Personality Change: What caused Dr. Jekyll to sometimes spontaneously transform into Mr. Hyde without a potion/serum? Was it love? I know this also occurs in the original novella, but I don’t remember if the novella addresses the cause. Leave a comment in my social media posts below if you have any ideas!

Theatre Company: Dukesbay Productions

Venue: Merlino Art Center

Venue Physical Address: 508 S 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402

Price: Cheap

Dates: March 10 to 26, 2023

Seating: General Admission

Parking: Free plentiful street parking

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Other Video +/- Pictures: See pictures in video and under video below

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures and video below

@showsiveseen "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" #play w/ #Dukesbay Productions at Merlino Art Center. Interesting to see Edward #Hyde as more of a person than a monster & vice versa w/ Henry #Jekyll. Review: showsiveseen.com/4384 #theatre ♬ A Little Bit Dangerous – CRMNL
RoleName
Dr. Henry Jekyll W. Scott Pinkston
Edward Hyde/Utterson Jeffery Weaver
Edward Hyde/Carew/Enfield/Sanderson/Inspector Scott C. Brown
Edward Hyde/Lanyon/Police DoctorBen Stahl
Edward Hyde/Poole/Porter/Maid Jasmine Jaqua
Elizabeth JelkesChristine Choate
Surgical Student Sofia Pieralde
Surgical Student
PlaywrightJeffrey Hatcher adapting from the novella by Robert Louis Stevenson
DirectorRandy Clark
Stage ManagerTracy Engels
Scenic/Sound Design Niclas Olson
Scenic Painter Jennifer York
Set Construction Hector Juarez, Niclas Olson
Lighting Design Mark Thomason
Costume/Properties Design Jeffery Weaver
Fight Choreography Chevi Chung
Fight Captain Scott C. Brown
Assistant Stage Managers Sofia Pieralde, Ryn Smith
Photography/Poster Design Jason Ganwich
Producers Randy Clark, Aya Hashiguchi Clark

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