By Mary Miller
On March 13, 2016, I saw Jekyll & Hyde at James Buchanan High School in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. It was a musical adaption of Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and was originally produced on Broadway. In this classic tale of good versus evil, a kindhearted doctor’s experiment goes awry and forces him to live with terrifying transformations into an evil alter ego.
The musical featured a large ensemble of James Buchanan’s most talented actors. The play starred senior Hunter Daugherty as Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, senior Lauren Dukehart as Emma Carew, sophomore Claire Alfree as Lucy Harris, and senior Sam Ortbal as Gabriel John Utterson. I was very impressed with all of the students’ performances, both dramatic and musical.
Hunter Daugherty and Lauren Dukeheart
Every musical performance was quite enjoyable, particularly that of Hunter Daughtry. Each song was well executed and exciting to watch. The show was also greatly enriched by the performances of the “London citizens” and pit orchestra.
In my opinion, the most impressive aspect of the play were the special effects. Strobe lights and smoke machines are just a couple of things the school used to better enhance the dramatic side of the play. The creative sets effectively flipped between settings and moods while holding the audience’s interest the entire time.
Above all, I must applaud the school for choosing such an imaginative play. Jekyll and Hyde was an ambitious and creative choice, and I feel the school pulled it off quite well. Jekyll and Hyde was a joy to attend, and I look forward to seeing James Buchanan High School’s future productions.
Mary Miller is a Sophomore at Barbara Ingram
Post Script Magazine. 