Community Theatre Transforms With Production of ‘Jekyll & Hyde’

Standing in his lab, the man on stage takes a drink of his potion.

The sound of lightening strikes and the stage goes dark.

When the lights appear again, the man is still there, but seems different, more sinister.

He lets out a spine-chilling laugh and exits the stage.

The classic and frightening tale of one man torn between two identities – one a passionate and reserved doctor, the other a crazed mad man – has made its way to State College. Presented by the State College Community Theatre, the show will open Thursday night at 8 p.m.

Most know the story of Dr. Jekyll, the man who sets out with a plan meant for good; he has created a medicine to cure mental illness. But when he is refused help, he has no choice but to experiment on himself, leading to the unleashing of his alter ego, Mr. Hyde. 

Throughout the play we see the constant battle Dr. Jekyll has with his inner demons, the transformation he goes through as well as the transformation of other characters as a result. More importantly, we are struck with the dark truths of our own realities.

“It may be a scary fictional show portraying the battle between good and evil, but it is a timeless one that deals with basic human problems and emotions,” Eric Ziegler, who plays Sir Danvers Carew, said. “There is a relevance to the constant struggle of the façade most people live under. There is also the presence of the horrors of addiction, love triangles, loyalty, compassion and anger.” 

It seems challenging enough to portray one character on stage, let alone two opposite ones. Leading man Steve Travis had to start out playing a romantic, soft-spoken doctor with the desire to help, and then had to also play a murdering mad man.

For Travis, the most challenging part was portraying two very different personalities while also connecting them to the same person. Using his own similar manners to Jekyll’s and his anger like Hyde’s, Travis was able to bring the two personas to life.

“I’ve never had a part like this,” Travis said. “It’s exhausting and stressful but also the most rewarding.”

For the SCCT, Jekyll and Hyde was much different than most of the shows they have produced in the past. Usually choosing musicals with a lighter story, the dark and challenging story of Jekyll and Hyde was a far departure from that, choreographer and co-producer Kat Shondeck said. 

With only a little over a month to rehearse, the cast was given the challenge of learning and developing the characters in a short period of time. Adding a modern twist to the play through dance, characters also had to perfect the new original choreography for the dance numbers.

For director Seth Sponhouse it is his first experience with the SCCT, but it\’s a great one.

“I could not have asked for a better cast and crew,” Sponhouse said. “I am so happy I got to bring this monster of a show and a show of this magnitude to SCCT.”

The show will be playing this weekend at The State Theatre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $16 to $20.