Jekyll & Hyde Los Angeles

[jackhammer91406]

I saw this show last night in it's pre-Broadway run here in Los Angeles.

 

I have mixed feelings. I never saw the show in it's original run on Broadway, but I understand some songs have been cut and some new ones have been added.

 

I will say that the staging, sets and lighting are pretty good. I was also impressed with the orchestra which included a nice string section hired locally. Most touring shows utilize keyboards and synthesizers with rhythm added. This stage orchestra had a very good strong sound.

 

As for the major performances, Constantine Maroulis plays the title role. He has a very strong serviceable voice and does a reasonable job of varying it for the two different characters. I remember seeing him when he played here in Rock of Ages (which he also did on Broadway and received a Tony nomination).

 

Deborah Cox plays the fallen woman that Hyde abuses. I saw her on Broadway in Elton John's Aida and she was excellent in that . She is good in this but I believe I would have opted to forget the cockney accent which comes and goes in this performance. Her songs do not disappoint especially SOMEONE LIKE YOU in the first act and her duet with Teal Wicks (playing Jeykll's fiance) IN HIS EYES in the second act.

 

Now for the hard part. I had a hard time with the music in the first act. The best comparison I can make is with Sweeney Todd. The music in that show was somewhat discordant at first but gradually you could decipher a melody. Jeykll & Hyde does not have that advantage to my mind, and the opening few numbers were difficult for me to appreciate. With the exception of THIS IS THE MOMENT and SOMEONE LIKE YOU, I doubt I could recall a melody from the first act.

 

I much prefer the second act, which musically has more melodic structure to it. I hate to seem like an old fart (even though I probably am) but I remember when songs had melodies and I miss that.

As I mentioned the show is being retooled for Broadway so more changes could occur.

 

At the Pantages until February 28th.

[+ purplekow]

I BELIEVE THE OPENING NUMBER IS FACADE which i found very entertaining and while not a toe tapper, it had a definite melodic feel. I hope they did not cut that number. I think Murder! was also in the first act and that was very Sweeney Todd like in structure. In His Eyes was my favorite in the show though my late wife, my fiance at the time, chose to walk down the aisle at our wedding to Someone Like You. She loved that song and saw Jekyll and Hyde about 12 times as she also had a thing for the lead Robert Cucchiolli. Pardon the spelling Robert. The music for our wedding service also included My Prayer, the Platters version sung a capella by a friend of ours who had done several Broadway shows. We had an eclectic mix of music in the ceremony including a brief sample of Kiss the Prince song popularized by Tom Jones which was sung for about 30 seconds at the time to the first kiss.

 

Though my life has had its vicissitudes, I cannot recall ever being happier than on my wedding day.

[jimboivyo]

god awful show originally except for linda eder who was the saving grace. introduced me to her voice and I've seen her many times around the world since

[whipped guy]

As did PK's dear wife, quite a few women had a thing for Robert Cuccioli... aka Bob as his groupies called him. I know a couple of gals who must have seen J&H 1012 times when it was on Broadway. I recently asked if they would be seeing it in its reincarnation. The response was an emphatic NO WAY!!... and in the sense that a sacrilege was on the verge of being committed or even worse. I am not sure if the main objection was to changes in the show or Cucciolo's absence. I would guess the absence of their idle... I guess "Bob" was that good... or that HOT!! However, the response smacked of the old opera queen refusing to give up his Maria Callas recordings and memories. Well, as a Callas fanatic myself I could relate... but life goes on... shows are revived... change occurs... new artists take different approaches... It will be different... possibly even better... possibly not... It may make us appreciate the past... or even regret it... Still it always good to keep an open mind, as it is always at the very least interesting to see how things evolve.

 

At any rate, something tells it will indeed be "interesting" to see what the reaction is when the show reaches Broadway in its final form...

[+ WilliamM]

I BELIEVE THE OPENING NUMBER IS FACADE which i found very entertaining and while not a toe tapper, it had a definite melodic feel. I hope they did not cut that number. I think Murder! was also in the first act and that was very Sweeney Todd like in structure. In His Eyes was my favorite in the show though my late wife, my fiance at the time, chose to walk down the aisle at our wedding to Someone Like You. She loved that song and saw Jekyll and Hyde about 12 times as she also had a thing for the lead Robert Cucchiolli. Pardon the spelling Robert. The music for our wedding service also included My Prayer, the Platters version sung a capella by a friend of ours who had done several Broadway shows. We had an eclectic mix of music in the ceremony including a brief sample of Kiss the Prince song popularized by Tom Jones which was sung for about 30 seconds at the time to the first kiss.

 

Though my life has had its vicissitudes, I cannot recall ever being happier than on my wedding day.

 

Thanks so much for such a nice and informative post. I somehow missed the original Jekyll and Hyde, so I will not be bothered by the revival cast. I did buy the CD. I should know this, but have Robert Cucchiolli or Linda Eder ever had a break-out hit Broadway show? They are both talented performers.

[bostonman]

god awful show originally except for linda eder who was the saving grace. introduced me to her voice and I've seen her many times around the world since

 

Agreed about the material - it's a very mediocre score at best (Bricusse's cliche-filled lyrics are DREADFUL and Wildhorn's sappy unremarkable sing-song ballads are, well, sappy unremarkable sing-song ballads). The "confrontation" number where the lead plays both Jekyll and Hyde at the same time is laughable. That "Facade" number (which seems to have about 20,000 reprises in the show) is annoying.

 

Eder? Well, perhaps I'm biased because (much like the ever-so-bland Sarah Brightman) she's been stuck doing so much of her ex-husband's sub-par material for me to be able to tell if she really IS any good. I don't think she's bad, but I don't think she's really *distinctive* in any way either. Maybe at some point she'll land a role that will allow her to really make an impression.

[whipped guy]

Robert Cuccioli Update

 

Not being an expert on the subject, I did consult a friend who has been following his career.

 

Since leaving J & H he has been performing throughout the country doing a variety of roles in plays and musicals where he has been nominated for a number of acting awards. He has worked in the New York area where he has not only been doing Shakespeare and musicals, but also has been directing plays in addition to musicals. Furthermore, he has appeared coast to coast in two different cabaret shows as well as concerts... some of which have been solo efforts. Last year he made his solo debut CD, The Look of Love. He is currently working as Norman Osborne/The Green Goblin in Spiderman on Broadway.

 

 

So not exactly a breakout career, but being a talented guy he has indeed been quite busy...

[jimboivyo]

Eder? Well, perhaps I'm biased because (much like the ever-so-bland Sarah Brightman) she's been stuck doing so much of her ex-husband's sub-par material for me to be able to tell if she really IS any good. I don't think she's bad, but I don't think she's really *distinctive* in any way either. Maybe at some point she'll land a role that will allow her to really make an impression.

 

Brightman can't sing live anymore. when she tries, she sounds like the dribble piss that happened at the phantom 25th concert. it was bad

 

eder otoh sounds great live, can sing all of her old stuff still and does a lot more than her exs material. her album of Garland was superb

 

the thing about eder is that she's a singer in the clasic tradition, not a broadway actress. Concerts and cabaret are where she shines and she knows it

[+ WilliamM]

 

eder otoh sounds great live, can sing all of her old stuff still and does a lot more than her exs material. her album of Garland was superb

 

the thing about eder is that she's a singer in the clasic tradition, not a broadway actress. Concerts and cabaret are where she shines and she knows it

 

These are not meant as anti-Linda Eder comments because I enjoy her singing. I saw Judy Garland perform three times in the 1960s (once in 1961, twice in 1967). Eder has a better voice, but Garland was very much a singer & an actress. She also had a witty and vivid persona, but her talent as an actress was the key to her success. Without Garland's advantage in name recognition, I give Eder credit for enjoying such a solid fan base. They both have (had) the ability to give memorable concerts

[jackhammer91406]

Facade is still in the show although not sure it is in the same form. To me it was hard to understand a bit. Murder is also in the show but again, not sure they are both used the same as in the original.

[jimboivyo]

These are not meant as anti-Linda Eder comments because I enjoy her singing. I saw Judy Garland perform three times in the 1960s (once in 1961, twice in 1967). Eder has a better voice, but Garland was very much a singer & an actress. She also had a witty and vivid persona, but her talent as an actress was the key to her success. Without Garland's advantage in name recognition, I give Eder credit for enjoying such a solid fan base. They both have (had) the ability to give memorable concerts

 

love hearing about those who saw Judy. I saw her years back at sahara. she was a real talent for sure

 

didn't mean to compare eder and garland. no real comparison to me. just mentioning that eder did a garland tribute album which was decent, but no real judy

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

Saw the show last night. Although I had not seen the show previously, I did have the first cast's CD and am familiar with the score. Maroulis as Jekyll was fine, but really had anger in his voice as Hyde. There was no difficultly keeping track of who he was portraying. In the Confrontation Jekyll/Hyde duet, they used a recorded video for the Hyde part to help portray the inner conflict. I felt several of Maroulis' numbers were stylistically a little more rock-style than I expected for this show.

 

Lucy was played by the understudy Emmy Raver-Lampman. I'll thought she gave a fine performance and she nailed A New Life.

 

I found Teal Wicks in the role of Emma was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed her solo moment singing Once Upon a Dream.

 

The sets and lighting were effective and the ensemble cast was fine. (Although a soprano in Murder stood out distractingly.) The orchestra was excellent.

 

While I left the show thinking it was good, but not one I would rush back to see again.