PicksInSix Review: Jekyll & Hyde - Kokandy Productions - Broadway in Chicago
Kokandy’s Triumphant “Jekyll & Hyde” Returns!
PicksInSix® Gold Review | Ronald Keaton
There really is a glorious triumph with all the signs of a runaway hit playing at Broadway in Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place already extended through November 8.
It's an impressive, heartfelt downtown transfer of the Kokandy Productions show from last fall of “Jekyll & Hyde,” the Frank Wildhorn/Leslie Bricusse telling of the legendary Robert Louis Stevenson novel that examines the dichotomy between good and evil. It is a magnificent production in professional demeanor, in quality talent both onstage and off, and, despite the original concept's best efforts to derail itself, in musical storytelling from this ascending organization.
So let us begin there.
The real, overwhelming star of the evening appears in a large upstage open window with his back to the audience the entire performance. There is no way this giant monster of a musical score could have been guided for the cast in such an accessible, poetic way without the musical awareness and expertise of conductor and musical director Nick Sula. Mr. Sula has taken melodies that challenge opera singers in their length and constancy of motion and laid down a wonderfully eloquent path for the performer and the audience to follow. His sense of dramatic impact and empathy in working with those onstage overcomes the constant walls that arise in the score, and his musicianship is second to none now in Chicago these days. He leads a robust 15-piece orchestra that works with him at that same high level.
The multi-level scenic creation with a bit of steampunk influence by Tony Award-winning artist Sotirios Livaditis is a kind of tribute to old Shakespearean design, holding stairs and doors and ramps of varying degrees. Choreographer extraordinaire Brenda Didier always has a magic in accepting such challenges, as her charges seem to effortlessly move and move again in providing a constant visual variety. The sharp shafts of light, coupled with a moody sense of time and place in its layout are thanks to G. "Max" Maxin's wonderful ideas in allowing the action to dictate the shading—really great stuff to see.
Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham has a way of creating stage pictures, whether in tandem with Ms. Didier or in intimate scenes of two people, that become a kind of storytelling layer in themselves. And he has guided, along with Mr. Sula, this story of a man who has worked for years on the idea that humanity has contained inside each person two entities—one good, one evil. Mr. Van Barham has done two really nice things here. One is allowing his Jekyll/Hyde actor David Moreland—whose work here is full and accomplished—to seemingly improvise his growing change from the studious-minded Henry Jekyll to the murderous monster Edward Hyde in small increments. It was a marvelous thing to see the subtlety in Mr. Moreland's conversion. And the man has a fabulous singing voice.
Speaking of... If there is anyone else whose star rapidly ascends in this production, it's the golden voice of Ava Lane Stovall. She has vocal range galore. She has her own unique sense of dramatic realism and purposeful character in her scene work that overcomes any book challenges presented here. Her work in "A New Life" is a proper Act II showstopper.
The rest of the cast is first-rate and deserve recognition. Emily McCormick as Jekyll's fiancée Emma owns a voice of operatic stature. There is yeoman work from Nathan Calaranan as Emma's father Sir Danvers. As Jekyll's peer and best friend Utterson, Kevin Webb is a solid, reassuring supporter of Jekyll's dangerous work. This outstanding ensemble becomes the literal creative building block for the audience to lean on in understanding the actions onstage. Bravo to all!
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. Coming soon, his new solo play about Ben Franklin, THE FIRST EMBASSY. www.solochicagotheatre.com.
PHOTO | Amy Boyle Photography
Broadway in Chicago
Kokandy Productions
present
JEKYLL & HYDE
Broadway Playhouse
Water Tower Place
EXTENDED through November 8, 2026
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