Jekyll & Hyde remains my favorite musical, but I was thinking about it recently and realized that, as good as the music and story is, I've never had the chance to see a version of it that maximizes its potential to the fullest degree, so I decided to sit down and think about what my * ideal * version of the show would be like musically.
- Act One - Prologue I Need to Know Lost in the Darkness Facade Jekyll's Plea Pursue the Truth Facade (Reprise) Emma's Reasons Take Me as I Am Letting Go Facade (Reprise #2) No One Knows Who I Am Good 'N Evil Here's to the Night Now There is No Choice This is the Moment First Transformation Alive His Work and Nothing More Sympathy, Tenderness Someone Like You Alive (Reprise)
- Act Two - Murder, Murder Once Upon a Dream Streak of Madness (Obsession) In His Eyes Facade (Reprise #3) Bring On the Men The Girls of the Night Dangerous Game The Way Back A New Life Sympathy, Tenderness (Reprise) Confrontation Facade (Reprise #4) Finale
What would your guys' ideal version of Jekyll & Hyde look like?
I don't personally think that song adds much to the show narrativly, but if it were to be included, it's lyrical content demands that it bridge the first Reprise of Facade with Emma's Reasons.
I was looking back over my song list and realized that there were two other songs - Reflections (Jekyll's Soliloquy) and If You Only Knew - that would fit well and enhance the narrative, but including them would mean rearranging the show's structure as follows: - Act One - Prologue I Need to Know Lost in the Darkness Facade Jekyll's Plea Pursue the Truth Facade (Reprise) Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Emma's Reasons Take Me as I Am Letting Go Facade (Reprise #2) No One Knows Who I Am Good 'N Evil Here's to the Night Now There is No Choice This is the Moment First Transformation Alive
- Act Two - His Work and Nothing More If You Only Knew Sympathy, Tenderness Someone Like You Alive (Reprise) Murder, Murder Streak of Madness (Obsession) In His Eyes Facade (Reprise #3) Bring On the Men The Girls of the Night Dangerous Game Once Upon a Dream Reflections (Jekyll's Soliloquy) A New Life Sympathy, Tenderness (Reprise) The Way Back Confrontation Finale
I dumped the fourth Reprise of Facade mainly because it seemed superfluous, and to create some symmetry between Acts One and Two in terms of the number of songs.
I think Calhoun make some good steps in the right direction (ie cutting a huge portion of the Engagement party sung dialogue), but ultimately his version of the show was trashy.
They need to find a way to make Emma more interesting - adding "If You Only Knew" gives her more to do than devoted fiance. And cut some more of the melodrama.
The show also gets its best once Hyde and Lucy come along, so I am always in favor of bringing those two out earlier.
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If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
I'm going to ask this once and once only: If you have absolutely nothing to contribute to this discussion besides negative, snarky remarks about how much the show sucks, STAY OUT!!!!!
I'm interested in seeing what your guys' ideal takes on Jekyll & Hyde would be. Anybody care to share?
Ah, what the hell, why not... I'm a casual enthusiast at best, but -- call me crazy -- I like it. And, in my opinion, only one revision came close to getting the show right. Fullerton Civic Light Opera mounted a version that involved the writing team of Jan Duncan and Paul Hadobas. Under the authorization of Music Theatre International, the licensing library, they were given the green light to compile and adapt the script for review, with the possibility of offering an alternate version for theater companies to choose. This revision would more closely follow the original work that Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden had created before Leslie Bricusse came along. MTI approved the adaptation, Steve Cuden remarked that if it had been used on Broadway the show would still be running today, and FCLO has rented its version to over 50 theater companies in the United States alone.
However, I tweaked their version just slightly. The 2012 tour (and resulting Broadway revival) of J&H was the real catalyst. I looked forward to it, hoping that we were getting something new and fascinating, a fresh approach to the show not unlike the 2006 Resurrection recording, which would cause the broad public to reevaluate the show following its original Broadway reception. We got a lightly revised rendition of the non-FCLO version that MTI licenses, with some tweaks and touches of the Broadway script. They didn't look at who they were casting (Constantine Maroulis is primarily known for rock rather than pop/theatrical sounds), or at the most recent iteration in the public eye (Resurrection), and create a show focusing on that. So, using the FCLO version as a base, I decided to do what the creatives on that tour had failed to do.
Act One Prologue / I Need To Know.........Jekyll Façade.........The Company Jekyll's Plea.........Jekyll & the Board of Governors Stride's Apology.........Stride Pursue The Truth / Façade (Reprise).........Jekyll, Utterson, Company Emma's Reasons.........Emma & Stride I Must Go On.........Jekyll & Emma Take Me As I Am.........Jekyll & Emma Stride's Confession.........Stride Bring On The Men.........Lucy & Girls Lucy Meets Jekyll.........Lucy & Jekyll The Girls Of The Night.........Nellie, Lucy & Girls Now There Is No Choice.........Jekyll This Is The Moment.........Jekyll Transformation.........Jekyll & Hyde Alive.........Hyde If You Only Knew.........Emma Sympathy, Tenderness.........Lucy Someone Like You.........Lucy Alive (Reprise).........Hyde
Act Two Murder, Murder.........The Company Once Upon A Dream.........Emma No One Knows Who I Am.........Lucy It's A Dangerous Game.........Lucy & Hyde Reflections (Jekyll's Soliloquy).........Jekyll In His Eyes.........Emma & Lucy The Way Back.........Jekyll A New Life.........Lucy Sympathy, Tenderness (Reprise).........Hyde The World Has Gone Insane.........Jekyll Confrontation.........Jekyll & Hyde Façade (Reprise).........Stride & Company Letting Go.........Danvers & Emma The Wedding.........Jekyll, Emma & Company Once Upon A Dream (Reprise).........Emma, Jekyll & Lucy
Sorry ... you don't get to dictate that. That's kind d if how discussion boards work. You don't get to control the direction it takes.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
@dramamama611: Comments like "My ideal would also be to never see it again." and "The show being canceled and instead we get to watch a good musical." aren't discussion; they're trolling, and I don't want them in my thread, so, yes, I do get to ask that people stay out unless they have something worthwhile to contribute.
This is a public forum, and no one has ownership of any thread. And if you'd just ignored us, our negative opinions wouldn't have added up to anything.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
My ideal would be if the show was like The Wild Party - and LaChiusa could write a breathtaking score that takes the characters through a journey. That would make me interested in seeing a musicalization of Jekyll and Hyde again.
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium." - Patti LuPone, a Memoir
Sally, that is exactly why I hate Wildhorn so much. I think that he choses such incredible projects for musical-ization (BONNIE AND CLYDE, JEKYLL AND HYDE, and DRACULA mainly) and then mucks them up with his bland music and always horrendous book writer. Can you imagine how incredible a DRACULA musical could be if the right composer took it on? Or a BONNIE AND CLYDE musical by Kander and Ebb? Same with SIDE SHOW, though that isn't Wildhorn. There's nothing I hate more than a missed opportunity.
Anything regarding shows stated by this account is an attempt to convey opinion and not fact.
We get you do not like him. Many others do. I guess those in Europe are a bunch of illiterate morons as they love his music
Even though he has flopped on Broadway, he is laughing all the way to the bank due to his popularity elsewhere. Many Broadway classics had their detractors as well. The critics are biased against him as are many on the board.
You do not like his music so do not listen to it. No one is holding a gun to your head. Let others who do enjoy his work listen to his music.
I would take any of his shows over the absolute drivel The Book Of Mormon was.
Pretty sure he isn't keeping anyone else from listening, with or without a gun. He's entitled to his opinion.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
I have nothing against Wildhorn - in fact his melodies are often quite good. My problem is that his songs never build up character (with the exception of some songs in Bonnie and Clyde). They are all generic pop songs that change keys and end on a long belted note. I think his songs woud do much better as straight pop songs. When combining musical theatre and pop, the songs have to explore the character - look at Promises, Promises. But "Half As Big As Life", "She Likes Basketball", "Knowing When To Leave", "Whoever You Are, I Love You" and the title song tell us so much more about the characters than "This Is The Moment", "No One Knows Who I Am", or The Way Back" do. His songs sound as if they could be covered by anyone in a variety of situations - which is not always a great thing for musical theatre. Sometimes, but not always.
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium." - Patti LuPone, a Memoir
In musical theatre, yes they should. Even if the purpose of the song is not to define the character to the audience, it should still be the character singing the song. If the song is generic and vague, it's probably not a very good song for the theatre.
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium." - Patti LuPone, a Memoir
It would be cool to see a new interpretation of the source material by a different creative team. I feel like this one is the most over-hashed piece of theater in existence.
Okay, let me get at what I think DigificWriter was trying to say. It's understandable that people don't like the show or think someone else should give the source material a crack; that's fine, and you're welcome to your opinion.
But... DfW was kind of looking for what fans would do in an attempt to make the existing material work. It's abundantly clear from the nature of the OP, even if someone decided to split hairs and interpret the thread's title quite literally. So while it's your right to have negative opinions, and equally your right to express them, can we please hear as well from more people than just me and DfW about what they would do to improve the existing material that doesn't involve seeing another show or calling in a new creative team?