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E.L. Losada stars in Jekyll & Hyde at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. (Photo by Alberto Romeu)
By Raquel V. Reyes
Actors’ Playhouse’s musical Jekyll & Hyde with this cast is a must-experience. If you like moody, dark stories like Sweeney Todd and Jack the Ripper then this is for you.
But also notable, the 39th season opener hosted the first audience to enjoy the mainstage auditorium’s 600 brand new comfort-cushioned seats. That, along with the Bacardi-sponsored bar and Salumeria 104 nosh, made for a buzzy, happy vibe that was unbothered by the later-than-usual opening curtain. But the lights dimmed, the narrator spoke, and the audience was transported to 1884 London.
The two-act musical has a cast of twenty-one and is headlined by E.L. Losada in the title role. Anette Barrios-Torres (fiancée, Emma) and Emily Van Vliet Perea (love-interest, Lucy) play the other principals. The three actors bring powerhouse vocals that wow.
The talent doesn’t stop there. Don Seward’s baritone is perfect as the narrator and confidant friend to Dr. Jekyll. The ensemble — Lauren Horgan, Alexandra Van Hasselt, Johnathon Eisle, Cat Pagno, TJ Canlon, Logan Clinger, Olivia Hudson-Fuentes, and Luis Otamendi — provides a rich array of background characters and set dressing that make the staging feel like a Broadway-level production.
The set by Scenic Designer Brandon M. Newton is clever. The four-tiered operating amphitheater becomes everything from a laboratory to a brothel to an elegant home with chandeliers and even a church. Twelve-foot plus tall set pieces on casters, two on each side, are bookshelves on one side and two-storied buildings on the other. The Scene Shop Crew, led by Property Master Sam Sigler, have outdone themselves. Shelves and furniture are packed with books, flasks, test tubes, champagne flutes, and other details that ground the era and feel to the late 1800s.
Ellis Tillman’s costume designs aid in the immersion. One dress in particular, a pink bustled gown worn during the engagement party scene is a highlight. But equally as flawless are the costumes for the clergy, aristocrats, lower classes, and the sex workers. Thank goodness for excellent fits and body glue on the scantily clad brothel women whose corsets and thongs move nary a smidge during their choreographed gyrations.
Credit to the ensemble and Choreographer Henry Gainza for a delightful and memorable tram scene during Murder, Murder, the opening song of act two. The synchronized jiggling and jostling of the riders ignited the energy that roared through the quick-moving second half.
Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden’s Jekyll & Hyde with books and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse was developed in the 1980s, had its world premiere in 1990, and its Broadway premiere in 1997. The music and orchestration are dated because of it. There are no standout songs to become earworms.
But that in no way takes away from this vocally demanding musical. E.L Losada (Carbonell nominated for his role in last year’s Man of La Mancha) pours intense emotion into his guilt-ridden Dr. Jekyll. But his guttural-throated Hyde is where he shines. When he transforms from doctor to monster at the end of act one, it is electric. All his onstage transformations are visceral and transfix the audience with their physicality.
While there may not be any lyrically catchy songs, there are several noteworthy performances. His Work and Nothing More sung by Losada, Seward, Barrios-Torres, and Barry Tarallo (Sir Danvers) is harmonic and beautiful. Lucy’s Someone Like You and Emma’s Once Upon a Dream are memorable due to the talents of the singers. And when Perea and Barrios-Torres are on stage together for the duet, In His Eyes they lift the rafters.
Be advised, it is not suitable for young theater-goers. The violence and intimate scenes are strong. Credit to Fight Director Lee Sorko for the vividness.
Jekyll & Hyde plays through Nov. 1 from Actors’ Playhouse, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables. E vening performances will be held Wednesday through Saturday at 8p.m., with matinees on Sundays at 3 p.m. A special weekday matinee will take place on Wednesday, October 14 at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $50 to $100. Tickets can be purchased by calling (305) 444-9293, visiting www.ActorsPlayhouse.org, or at the Actors’ Playhouse box office. 10 percent off all weekday performances for seniors and $15 student rush tickets 15 minutes prior to curtain with identification
Raquel V. Reyes is the author of the award-winning Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series and Immediate Past President of Sisters in Crime
Photo by Javier Franceschi
