Review: JEKYLL & HYDE: IN CONCERT Thrills Full House At 54 Below

“WOW.”

That was a woman seated four rows from the stage, unable to contain her awe, in that sweet, magical, quiet moment when all but two people in the room have stopped clapping and the singer is about to say or sing their next line.  This one patron was the only person to speak at that moment, but she spoke for everyone in the room.

Ben Jones had just finished singing “This Is The Moment” at the JEKYLL & HYDE: IN CONCERT show at 54 Below.

On September 5th, Scott Siegel presented one of his productions, and the room was at capacity.  Tables had been added to accommodate the demand for tickets.  Indeed, this guy gave up his seat, unable to shoot photos around the crowd and preferring to stand, and some lucky person was able to purchase the seat and get in to see the show that people were clambering to see.  Was it the reputation of the Siegel productions?  Was it the Frank Wildhorn/Leslie Bricusse score?  Was it Ben Jones singing the Jekyll/Hyde track?  Was it Christianne Noll revisiting the role that she originated on Broadway?  Yes, yes, yes, and yes.  It was all of the above, and more: and the throng of patrons was not disappointed.  They were right to make this a priority, and they were more than rewarded for their efforts to get there.  The Jekyll & Hyde concert was spectacular.

Starting with the obvious - we are all so lucky to have Scott Siegel working to provide us with entertainment.  And it isn’t just entertainment we get because he is a font of facts and when he puts on a show, he curates the histories and trivias in an enjoyable and concise manner.  Let’s tell the truth: narrating the story of J&H is no easy task and could have been a rather rambling one, but Mr. Siegel deftly delt with the storyline in ways both economic and comedic - His was a most pleasant oration that put the audience in the scene without putting them in a coma, often with amusing asides eliciting gales and giggles.  He got in, got the connective tissue out, and got the singers in place for one breathtaking performance after another, bringing the train into the station on time, when it could have gone over - Jekyll is not a small show, and there was precious little trimmed from the concert, even though they could have made cuts.  But no.  No fan of J&H was going to be disappointed.  There was a bang-on ensemble of talented singers to cover the ensemble tracks that the Jekkies, so, loved back in the day.  Chances are everyone would have been happy with a Henry/Edward, a Lucy, and an Emma singing all the power numbers that became the hits, but by including the proficients presenting the group numbers, Scott made the experience a full one, for all, which is as it should be. (Jason Howland is credited with the arrangements, and credit is due.) The names of the gifted performers in the ensemble track are (in order that they, most often, appeared on the stage) Luke Bob Robinson, Hannah Bank, Jillian Mitchell, Siva Lissette, and Graham Dallas and they all had a command of the stage, an investment in the story, and masterful skill at vocals and harmonies.  It was especially fun having the ladies of the ensemble stationed around the room for the “Bring on the Men” number - very atmospheric and effective.

As for the Divo and Divas, it’s difficult to find enough superlatives to describe their work on the presentation.  Having a night in which Ms. Noll would be reunited with Emma Carew was enough to get the bumms in seats, luv, (particularly this bumm, because I saw Ms. Noll in the role more than once, back in the day, setting me up for a lifelong admiration of the actress who would be a Tony nominee for the first revival of Ragtime).  But once word got out that Ben Jones would be singing all of the Jekyll/Hyde compositions, that he would not be sharing the collection with any other boy singers, the die was cast.  It would not surprise me to hear that other people had the same reaction to the news - Ben Jones is the best boy voice in the business, and he has built up an impressive following of people who would turn up to hear him sing anything (raises hand), so the prospect of a Ben Jones “This Is The Moment” was all it took to get a reservation on the books, and the goings on in the imagination of Noll and Jones in action were merely a promise made that was, most definitely, kept.  Both Ben and Chistiane brought their all to their performances, to the delight of their audience (which featured some of the original Jekkies, and one of the original creators, Steve Cuden).  It was a night to remember, made more so by Amanda Raymond and Becky Morris, whose work in the light and sound booth added ambiance and atmosphere to the proceedings.  .

Now, having discussed the Divo who would deliver, and the OG J&H star, we must turn our attention to the actress tasked with bringing Lucy to life.  Originally portrayed by legendary Linda Eder, for whom the role was written, Lucy has two of the most popular and oft-performed songs in the play, the power ballads “A New Life” and “Someone Like Me” - it takes a special woman to step into those songs and shoes.  For this concert, Luba Mason (a Lucy replacement on Broadway) had been announced, but a week or so before the show, the billing for the event was changed, and Diane Phelan was listed in the Lucy track.  Suffice it to say, the audience was not mad about it (with all respect to Ms. Mason, who everyone loves, dearly).  Ms. Phelan is a Broadway actress who knows her way around a stage, a character, and a power ballad.  Like her co-stars Noll and Jones, Phelan brought her A-Game, whether working on a solo, a girl group number, or a duet.  And, dudes, the duets… Ben and Diane smoldered during “A Dangerous Game,” while Jones and Noll set up the high quality of the night with a lush “Take Me As I Am,” before Christiane and Diane aced “In His Eyes” to such an extent that when the (rather epic) number was done, the two actresses rushed into one another’s arms with palpable joy and relief.  Emotions were running high, up on the stage, and down at the tables.  It was a special night, and no mistake.  These are the events Broadway fans wait to have in the nightclubs, events when they have a chance to see a Broadway treasure recreate a role, or get an introduction to a diva they might, otherwise, not have known, or revel in a boy like Ben Jones making a stranger cry out “WOW” simply by raising his once-in-a-lifetime voice in song.  This is why we live in New York, and why we go to the clubs - and it’s why we owe Scott Siegel a debt of gratitude.

Thank you, Scott, for this one, and for all of them.

The Jekyll & Hyde ensemble are Luke Bob Robinson, Hannah Bank, Jillian Mitchell, Siva Lissette, and Graham Dallas.  

The Jekyll & Hyde Musical Director and one-man band is Greg Pliska.

Find great shows to see on the 54 Below website HERE.

Visit the websites and social media pages for Christiane Noll HERE, Ben Jones HERE, Diane Phelan HERE, and Scott Siegel HERE.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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