Jekyll & Hyde Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended

"...Frankly, I was knocked out by the quality of the sound, given the huge cast and orchestra in this kind of black box theater where so much has to be designed from scratch. Thanks to Sula's musical direction, Matt Reich's superb sound design and these young performers, everything arriving at your ear sounds sensational. Nothing here will change the mind of "J&H" haters (and they have their arguments, especially now) but fans will have rarely been this close to what they love. Certainly not at these prices."

Chicago Sun Times - Recommended

"...Directed by Derek Van Barham, the 1990 musical (based on the 1886 novella by Robert Louis Stevenson) commits to the ultra-goth bodice-ripping monster mash with a passion to rival that of the egregiously misguided Dr. Henry Jekyll."

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...But the entire ensemble, moving all over the levels of Sotirios Livaditis's wooden set (resembling a Victorian operating theater) deliver performances with clarity, precision, and wit that transform the pedestrian material to satisfying heights-a reverse Jekyll/Hyde transformation, if you will. If, unlike me, you're already a fan of the show (de gustibus non est disputandum and all that), you're unlikely to find a better version anytime soon."

Talkin Broadway - Recommended

"...Kokandy Productions is presenting a revival of Jekyll & Hyde, the first staging Chicago has seen in more than 15 years. Directed by Kokandy's Producing Artistic Director Derek Van Barham, with music direction by Nick Sula and choreography by Brenda Didier, the production is spooky, stylish, and brilliantly performed, offering a highly entertaining rendition of a flawed show."

Stage and Cinema - Recommended

"...Next up for Halloween, and my second gothic horror in as many days, is Kokandy Productions' presentation of the musical, Jekyll & Hyde, first produced in 1990 with music by Frank Wildhorn, book by Leslie Bricusse, and lyrics by Wildhorn, Bricusse, and Steve Cudden. Given the, er, monster success of Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera a few years prior, it's not much of a surprise that creators went looking for other gothics to use as inspiration. The show was quite successful and made it to Broadway in 1997 where it played for four years, despite middling reviews. Since then, it's been revived a couple of times and has had multiple national tours and regional productions. The Kokandy production is the first in Chicago in fifteen years and as I took my seat in the packed upstairs space of the Chopin Theatre, there was a palpable excitement and energy in the air."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...Kokandy Productins, over the years has become a talent magnet. It seems that young performers who come to Chicago seeking roles in area theaters, have added this company to be one where they will be found and if they are talented, will be cast. For many years I have always said that Theo Ubique had that magic, but watching what we have seen at Kokandy, it appears that they are also in that league, and as a theater-goer, I truly am thankful that this is the case. Their production of "Jekyll and Hyde" has moved up at the Chopin Theatre, being staged ( a fantastic job by Derek Van Barham) on the main stage on a set designed by Sotorios Livaditas, allowing the audience to be involved with every character and to be able to watch the powerful David Moreland transform his dual personalities with no changes except his personality and his body movements. I am pretty sure I see a "Jeff" recomendation for him."

Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended

"...Be prepared. JEKYLL & HYDE is a masterful production featuring a cast of passionate professional performers who will mesmerize and move the audience. The sheer vocal power of the ensemble, not to mention the talent of each individual actor, is simply astounding. As one theatergoer uttered at intermission, "Where does Kokandy Productions find all these gifted actor/singers? But Frank Wildhorn's musical, in my opinion, could dial back the sound, just a little bit. One theatergoer complained that his ears were ringing afterward. The musical could have also used a bit more warmth and humor to alleviate the story's constant darkness and depravity, but this is the melodramatic masterpiece for which Frank Wildhorn is best known. Many audiences love this kind of story. And for them, "This is the Moment.""

Buzz Center Stage - Highly Recommended

"...‘Jekyll & Hyde’ returns to Chicago for the first time in over 15 years. Kokandy Productions follows their recent hit ‘Amelie’ with a much-anticipated revival of the 90s cult horror pop opera. Director Derek Van Barham brings his stylish vision to life with a cast of scary good voices."

Third Coast Review - Highly Recommended

"...From its opening burst of thunder to its tragic finish, Jekyll & Hyde director Derek Van Barham and the immensely talented cast maintain a spellbinding hold on the audience. Though the staging is simple, Brenda Didier's choreography makes it a visual masterpiece, and the ensemble sets a tone of precise, measured horror, never missing a mark or opportunity to elevate the intensifying fear overtaking the streets of London in the wake of Edward Hyde's monstrous reign."

Chicago Theater and Arts - Highly Recommended

"...In this production, both Jekyll and Hyde are expertly portrayed by soaring tenor, David Moreland who diligently adapts his voice and visage in a physically demanding transformation between each character as he struggles with the opposing forces of good and evil."

Chicago On Stage - Highly Recommended

"...Jekyll and Hyde is a perfect show for Halloween and for any time at all. Its subject matter may be serious, but it is clear that the cast and crew are having tremendous fun. No theatre lover should miss this one!"

PicksInSix - Highly Recommended

"...It's no surprise that any revival of "JEKYLL & HYDE" requires a blockbuster performer in the challenging dual role of the steadfast Dr. Henry Jekyll and his evil alter ego, Edward Hyde. Director Derek Van Barham has accomplished just that in casting the explosive David Moreland in the Kokandy Productions revival that opened Saturday on the Chopin Theatre Mainstage. Moreland's dynamic presence, with Ava Lane Stovall as the sultry Lucy and Emily McCormick as Jekyll's conflicted fiance Emma, anchor a top flight ensemble of enormous depth and versatility, buoyed by Brenda Didier's delightfully quirky choreography, Nick Sula's exceptional music direction and the on-stage presence and staggering brilliance of a 15-piece orchestra."

MaraTapp.org - Highly Recommended

"...Kokandy Production's arresting revival of Robert Louis Stevenson's gothic horror novella electrifies this iconic tale thanks to the Drama Dream Team of Director Derek Van Barham, Music Director Nick Sula, who leads a talented 15-person orchestra, Choreographer Brenda Didier, whose steps are always sublime, and a flawless cast of 12. Together they elevate the 1990 musical that ran for four years on Broadway. That adaptation reimagined Stevenson's tale as one about a brilliant young research doctor whose father's mental illness drives him to explore a cure for the evil in all of us that he believed caused it. Unable to persuade his colleagues to let him use human subjects, Jekyll decides to experiment on himself, leading to his dual existence as the good doctor and evil murderer. The musical also features two women, one for each man."

Allie and the After Party - Highly Recommended

"...The stunning vocals and acting performances from the cast make Kokandy's production of Jekyll & Hyde a must see performance for musical and good theatre lovers alike. Set in an operating theater, the production is exactly what we need this Halloween season and a perfect choice for a fall show."

Werner's Theatre Reviews - Highly Recommended

"...David Moreland is riveting in the dual roles of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. With distinct physicality and vocal nuance for each persona, Moreland delivers a truly transformative performance—shifting seamlessly from Jekyll's passionate determination in "This Is the Moment" to Hyde's raw, almost feral energy in "Alive." His near-constant presence on stage heightens the sense of suspense; both the company and the audience are never certain which side of the doctor they will encounter next. Numbers like "I Need to Know," "Streak of Madness" and "Confrontation" become mesmerizing displays of precision and emotional intensity."

BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended

"...As Leslie Bricusse's lyric urges you In Kokandy Productions' stellar production of JEKYLL & HYDE, look behind the façade of The Chopin Theatre, past the lobby of eccentric odds and ends that define the space as "garage sale chic"."

NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...Moreland's Jekyll is, perhaps, intentionally dry in his earnestness to contrast the slimy Hyde. We await his transformation with hopes for a more black and white, good and evil juxtaposition, but most differences between his personae are driven by a high or low-society voice with little change in physicality. Earlier over-the-top passion akin to that of the chorus would be useful. With a role that flips and flops so frequently, clearer delineation of Jekyll from Hyde through grotesque physicality or costume and prop selections is almost necessary."