Ahead of their 50th year as a community theater group, the West Allis Players put on a grandiose show with Jekyll & Hyde. The two-and-a-half hour show includes 34 musical numbers performed by no less than 26 actors and a bona fide orchestra providing live music. West Allis Central Auditorium’s acoustics do justice to Dr. Henry Jekyll’s Hollywoodian descent to hell.
The kind Dr. Jekyll’s ideas about good and evil aren’t popular among his hospital’s board of governors; indeed, he wants to rip the evil out of a human test subject. This puts him at odds with the father of Emma (Rachel Mauney), the woman he intends to marry. He eventually experiments on himself, unleashing the beast known as Mr. Hyde, who does what Jekyll wishes he could do, consequences be damned. As Hyde, he indulges in his desires, going as far as sexually assaulting Lucy (Gwen TerHaar), a woman Jekyll lusts after, and murdering those who humiliated the good doctor.
The well-crafted costumes and dark Victorian aesthetic plunge the audience in a London shaken by Hyde’s murders. David Valdés’ direction and Valerie Dixon’s choreography put movement at the heart of the show: The actors, especially the ensemble, move seamlessly from scene to scene and song to song, bringing to life the hustle and bustle of the city that envelops the story. Using props such as umbrellas and newspapers, the dancing gives an entertaining beat to the story that starts strong and never stops.
As both Jekyll and Hyde, Eric Bergendahl is the play’s strongest asset, thanks to his crystal-clear singing and insolent charm. His transformation into Hyde is believable; his body language and voice get lower, he remains close to the ground, stalking the shadows like a predator as his long hair covers his face. The musical number “Confrontation” is the highlight of the play, a duet for one person between Jekyll and Hyde where both Bergendahl’s voice and the orchestral music soar; it is as exhausting-looking to perform as it is mesmerizing.
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Through July 28 at West Allis Central Auditorium, 8516 W. Lincoln Ave.. For tickets, visit westallisplayers.org.
