The Delaware All-State Theatre Takes a Walk on the Dark Side with “Jekyll & Hyde The Musical”

Now in its 6^th year, Delaware All-State Theatre (DAST) brings together the “best of the best” student performers from Delaware elementary, middle and high schools to put on a professional level production. From stellar casts to exceptional sets and costumes, DAST’s shows are of the highest caliber. After the group’s 2012 production of the boisterous musical comedy Hairspray, this summer DAST has taken a darker turn with its production of Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse’s musical thriller Jekyll & Hyde based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Every year I attend the DAST show, and every year I am amazed by the talents of the young adults. At times I forget I’m watching youth and teenagers, not professional performers. This year’s exceptional cast transports the audience to Victorian England where the newly engaged Dr. Henry Jekyll (Chad Michael Jervis) wants to create a remedy to remove the evil that he believes inhabits his catatonic father. After presenting his idea to the Board of Governors of St. Jude’s Hospital and requesting a human subject for testing, the Board quickly dismisses what they consider is a blasphemous proposal. Not having the backing of the Hospital, Dr. Jekyll decides to continue with his project and using himself as his subject.

Dr. Jekyll becomes obsessed with his work, which takes precedence over spending time with his fiancée Emma (Kristina Biddle) and his best friend/lawyer Gabriel John Utterson (Ben Walker). He becomes addicted to his elixir and the evil it brings out of him (Mr. Hyde). His addiction takes over causing him to shun Emma and Gabriel and cause terror and mayhem in the city. Mr. Hyde also begins a lurid affair with a prostitute Lucy Harris (Kayla Saunders), whom Dr. Jekyll befriended at a slum bar (The Red Rat) that he and Gabriel visited for Dr. Jekyll’s bachelor party.   

The stunning production directed by Jeffrey Santoro is dark and harsh, yet lively and engaging. The exceptional sets by DAST’s Technical director, Ryan Stofa and costumes by Lorraine Anderson create the spirit of the 1800s. From the streets of England to Dr. Jekyll’s laboratory to a sordid bar, the sets evoke a time passed by, while the costumes exemplify the divide between sophisticated members of society to prostitutes and peasants.     

However, it’s the cast that drives this musical, led by the captivating Mr. Jervis as both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Mr. Jervis magnificently captures both sides of his character, finding and peeling away the layers of the enigmatic Dr. Jekyll and his alter ego, Mr. Hyde. He easily transforms from a loving and compassionate doctor to a vengeful and sadistic man. He best exemplified his capabilities during the Confrontation number when Mr. Hyde finally confronts Dr. Jekyll before taking over.  

Mr. Jervis shares the stage with equally talented leading ladies. Ms. Biddle as Dr. Jekyll’s high society fiancée, Emma, and Ms. Saunders as Mr. Hyde’s street tough mistress, Lucy, are brilliant! Both ladies have stunning voices that make it very hard to believe they are high school students. Their vulnerability that comes through their sumptuous duet In His Eyes is more than what is expected from high school students. Don’t worry, not every song is dark or sad, Ms. Saunders’s exuberant number Bring on the Men adds some light-hearted FUN to the production.  

The three leads are supported by a strong cast of students who electrify with their acting, singing and dancing talents. With precise musical direction by David Snyder and choreography by Tamara Paulino, this production is a sure fire hit!

Jekyll & Hyde runs through June 30 at the Laird Performing Art Center (Tatnall School). For additional information and/or to purchase tickets visit www.DASTonline.org.  

Artist Profile: Countertenor Gus Mercante

Gus Mercante sings very high notes – and when he does you can feel the audience jerk awake wondering how a man can produce notes in the stratosphere normally reserved for altos and mezzosopranos.  Yet, the quality of upper notes in a countertenor are smoother than a soprano voice, more boyish and without that extra strain that can irritate the listener when an untrained soprano reaches a bit too high in her range.  The countertenor uses a trained upper range that is not a falsetto like Smokey Robinson’s voice (which I also love, by the way), but more like a pure and directed sound which many describe as ‘head voice’.  The trick is to make the transition from that upper range to the lower notes without changing the quality of the vocal production. 

When Gus sings his very high range, it seems as if his voice is landing downwards from a gentle height.  His rounded, well-controlled tones are exactly what has garnered him myriad awards.  He won the 2007 Austrian American Society prize, a 2009 Fulbright scholarship to Germany  which included performances with opera companies in Augsburg, Nurnberg and Munich.  

This week Gus will perform in the Tanglewood Music Festival – a summer training and performing school which has been used to launch giants of American music such as Leonard Bernstein.  Originally, Tanglwood was the site of summer concerts for the Boston Symphony under the baton of Serge Kousevitsky, and it has now grown to a full-time music center which attracts over 350,000 visitors and attendees each summer.  For Gus to perform in the American premiere of George Benjamin’s Written on Skin, conducted by the composer – one of Britain’s prominent musicians -  is quite a coup for our local talent. 

Fame won’t change Gus.  He is always helping others – making calls to organize musicians and delivering scores to be transposed, handing out programs at the Italian festival with the calm of any old volunteer – yet, minutes later, he is singing his heart out to give a startlingly passionate rendition of Di tanti palpiti from Rossini’s Tancredi . His voice soars and resounds – especially in such a reverberant church.  In spite of thunderous applause, Gus’s first reaction is to study what he could have done to improve, which is no doubt why he is so good.

When he is not studying or helping others organize concerts, Gus is an active contributor to charities and worthy causes.  He makes his music work for others with his organization Lifesongs with which he raises money for charities and individuals as well as community-centered projects. 

I encourage you to listen to Gus while he is still a local artist, because those days may be limited. 

See www.augustinemercante.com.

Catch Free Live Music Every Thursday at the Wilmington Farmer's Market

The Wilmington Farmer's Market at Cool Spring Park is back every Thursday from 4 to 8 pm through October 3rd, with lots of local produce, baked goods, jams, honey, sausages, hot prepared food, artisan gifts, and, of course, entertainment. Stop over at six for dinner and live music in the park --  last week, the market opened for the season with rockabilly from The Green Mountain Valley Boys.

The Green Mountain Valley Boys at the Wilmington Farmer's Market.

This week, bring the kids out for Nature Jams! For a complete list of the weekly entertainment, see the entertainment schedule.

The Wilmington Farmer's Market is part of the Food Bank of Delaware CSA Program and the Senior Citizen 60+ Program. For more information, see coolspringfarmersmarket.org.