Erik Moellering
When Jekyll Met Hyde at Magnetic Theatre October 1–29
The Magnetic Theatre’s When Jekyll Met Hyde returns to the stage in an all-new production running October 1–29. The play, written by Steven Samuels as an homage to Charles Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatrical Company, was an immediate hit when it originally premiered. The upcoming version honors the Victorian setting of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and other 19th century classics it draws from.
“When we produced this play in 2011, we presented it in two versions in repertory, one set in the 1950s, the other in the 1960s, with different casts,” says Samuels, also Magnetic Theatre’s artistic director. “People who saw both were astonished by how different they were, even though they shared the same script. I thought it would be enormous fun, and very revealing, to make yet another very different version.”
Though When Jekyll Met Hyde deals with the weighty topic of unconscious drives and conflicted urges, it is foremost a comedy. “I do want people to think—but, mostly, I want them to laugh,” says Samuels. “I think it helps people to consider complex, difficult notions if they’re treated comedically.”
The play features an all-new cast, whose personalities further differentiate this production. “Playing Jekyll and Hyde presents a unique opportunity to embody on-stage the concept of metamorphosis,” says Erik Moellering, who plays the title characters. “Most of the shapeshifting in our lives takes place gradually, whereas Jekyll’s transformations into Hyde are abrupt and radical. That makes this character and the themes of the story ripe for the compressed space of a stage play. And it makes for a rollicking ride!”
The play previews Thursday, September 29, and Friday, September 30. Previews are $16 online and $19 at the door. The play officially opens Saturday, October 1, and continues Thursdays through Saturdays until October 29. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. at 375 Depot Street, Asheville, and are $21 online and $24 at the door. $10 student tickets are available 15 minutes before curtain with valid ID. For tickets and more information, visit themagnetictheatre.org or call 828.239.9250.
