Picketwire's Jekyll and Hyde Performance Historically Brilliant

Description: Do not miss this show. It is another historically brilliant experience. The Picketwire Players production of “Jekyll & Hyde” runs from Thursday, October 12 through Sunday, October 15 at the Picketwire Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Photos by John Lockhart...

Picketwire Does It Again

Jekyll & Hyde a Huge Hit

It goes without saying that the Picketwire Players do not disappoint. Audience goers will almost certainly see a professional quality performance when they attend. “Jekyll & Hyde” is right up there with the best.

“Jekyll & Hyde” is a difficult production to mount. Based on a novella by Robert Louis Stevenson, the plot has many twists and turns. Frank Wildhorn conceived of the musical and composed the score. Books and lyrics are by Leslie Bricusse. The premise of the play is about a doctor who believes his experiments can isolate good and evil, kindness and demons in everyone’s soul.

The Picketwire production is sensitively directed by Heather Pidcock Reed. It takes a skilled director to bring these flawed characters to life.  Assistant Directors Cynthia Fazio and Jessica Rebel roles were doubly important because their director also starred in the show. Hats off to all three women for taking on such a difficult project.

The music is rich and beautiful. There is no one better to direct this very challenging score than Dean Rees. He has prepared many a musical for the Picketwire stage and transformed them into masterpieces. He has done the same with “Jekyll & Hyde."

There are probably not enough adjectives to describe the performance of Tom Seaba as Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. Mr. Seaba has thrilled Picketwire audiences with his talents in both musicals and dramas for decades. His performance in “Jekyll & Hyde” surpasses them all. His interpretation of the song “This is the Moment” was breathtaking. And his transformation from Jekyll to Hyde actually transported the audience to a depth of emotions hard to describe.

As Lucy, Ms. Pidcock Reed’s beautiful voice helps tell the story of someone who lives a dark life, but looks for good and a better life.  Her renditions of “Someone Like You” and “New Life” are stunning.

Returning to the stage after many years is Niki Haberman. Her sweet, clear soprano is perfect for the character of Emma, Jekyll’s fiancé. While depicting two different worlds, Emma and Lucy find commonality as they express their love for the same man in the duet “In His Eyes," a bittersweet coda to how their love ends.

The ensemble is brilliant. Their voices blend into a strong chorus that moves the story along. There was a compilation of decades and decades of experience and talent on the stage throughout the show. Many veterans and some new comers rose to the task. Veteran actors Grant Elliott, Tim Baublitts, Todd and Laura Hillstad deliver outstanding performances, along with young (but experienced) Kaydence Lagergren.

The set is wonderful. In fact, vintage street lights line the exterior entryway and set the mood for a story set in the 19th Century. Jason Fazio acts as the Lighting Technician and Sound Technician is Dino Salazar. Meghan Yergert and Scott Wiker serve as Stage Manager and Technician. Ashley Kelley is the Production Assistant and Kaydence Lagergren showed her creativity with the costumes.

Do not miss this show. It is another historically brilliant experience. The Picketwire Players production of “Jekyll & Hyde” runs from Thursday, October 12 through Sunday, October 15 at the Picketwire Center for Visual and Performing Arts (802 San Juan Avenue, La Junta, CO).

This community, theatre company is selling tickets for “Jekyll & Hyde” at the theatre box office or you may purchase tickets online at www.picketwireplayers.org. All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. With the Sunday Matinee at 2:30 p.m.

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