The curtain opens to a happy scene of people at a party, where we first meet a cast of characters with whom we’ll become much more familiar over the next two-and-a-half hours. The stage is set for an evening of twists and turns, that takes us into a dark side of Victorian England.
The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is very well known – a tale of duality where the good Dr. Jekyll, through his own experimentation, finds himself battling his inner demon that physically manifests itself as the evil Dr. Hyde.
The Robert Louis Stevenson novel was adapted for the stage, and made its way to Broadway in 1997. The musical has won many accolades and awards, and has been shown throughout the world in theater runs and by traveling companies. To say that bringing it to a Grand Cayman stage was hugely ambitious, is quite the understatement. The production requires a significant amount of staging, a large, talented cast, and a great deal of intricate, long rehearsals, due to its complicated musical score. None of these hurdles, however, dampened director Teri Quappe’s enthusiasm and determination to present Jekyll & Hyde at the Prospect Playhouse Theatre.
“This show has been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager,” says Quappe. “I finally got the chance to put it on this year because I realized there were finally the right people and talent on island to pull it off.”
Playing both Jekyll and Hyde is Dominic Wheaton, who is no stranger to treading the boards. This is his first lead role, after playing the dentist in “Little Shop of Horrors,” Wilbur Turnblad in “Hairspray,” and Warner Huntington III in “Legally Blonde.”
“We would never have been able to do this without Dominic Wheaton who plays the dual role of Jekyll and Hyde,” says Quappe. “He is so brilliant that I actually find myself scared when he portrays Hyde! His ability to seamlessly switch between the roles and change himself body and voice is phenomenal.”
Sophie Gough plays the part of Emma Carew, Dr. Jekyll’s fiancée, a beautiful woman trying to understand why the love of her life is slowly disappearing from society. Gough’s lovely soprano voice really captures the emotion of her character, in contrast to Dr. Jekyll’s deeper tones. She also uses her considerable dancing background for a musical number in the show, which I’ll leave as a surprise.
The character of John Utterson, Dr. Jekyll’s lawyer and confidant, is very well played by David Verhoeven, lending his melodious singing voice to the proceedings, along with Teri Quappe pulling double duty as both the director of the musical, and one of the lead roles, Lucy Harris – a prostitute who falls for the kind Dr. Jekyll, while dreading the visits of the dangerous Mr. Hyde. It is to Quappe’s credit that not only has she taken on the mammoth task of directing this production; she has also learned a complicated part and pulls it off with the singing and dancing chops of seasoned professional.
The rest of the supporting cast is strong and properly choreographed to create a very entertaining spectacle.
One of the real strengths of the show was the decision to have a live orchestra providing the musical accompaniment, thanks to musical directors Chuck and Barrie Quappe.
Word of mouth has already traveled around the island at lightning speed, with overwhelmingly positive comments from those who have seen it.
“I thought it was the best production in Cayman that I have seen yet,” says Andreas “Zulu” Kettner of local Red Bull fame. “We really enjoyed seeing [our friend] Neil Hamaty playing the part of the bishop, and Dominic was fabulous as Jekyll and Hyde.”
Sue Howe attended the opening night, and had this to say: “‘Jekyll and Hyde’ is a directorial feat for director, actress and singer Teri Quappe. This wonderfully daring production features great performances from the cast and musicians backed by a wonderful crew; a dark and memorable tale which is made complete by the acting and vocal prowess of Dominic Wheaton. He owns, and delivers with finesse, this difficult role of a soul trapped between good and evil. It would be hard to imagine another actor doing such a superb job in this role. This show is a ‘don’t miss’.”
Buy your tickets soon, as the first three performances were sold out. ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ runs at the Prospect Playhouse Theatre every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night through Oct. 11, starting at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Visit cds.ky or call 938-1998 for information and tickets.
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