Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical

OK, so David Hasselhof was not the best choice for the role, but they have to make money right? There was someone who once played the Jekyll/Hyde role perfect his name was Anthony Warlow and he is an Australian musical theatre actor. I don't know if he actually ever played it on stage but he recorded the first double cd of jekyll & hyde and he was amazing! He makes Hasselhof look like a community theatre actor. Anyway, this show is worth listening through his goat vibrato and awkward stage presence if only to hear Coleen Sexton. She plays Lucy and she is incredible! Her voice is the best musical theatre has heard in years, she is a convincing actress and she is amazingly beautiful. So, check this show out for her not some beach bum.

I was lucky enough to catch it on pay-per-view in February a few years ago. I saw the actual show only once (the actor who played the title role was a understudy, good but made some visible mistakes) I was rather surprised at Hasselhoff's performance, but i would rather have seen someone who is better in this role and a better actor in general. His costars are some of the best performers i have seen and heard (seen them in the show as well) Sexton i just found out is very young, she was 20 when I saw her in the show! She has some of the most powerful pipes I have ever heard. I would reccomend the video and DVD to anyone who really loves the show (makes and excellent gift for the hollidays)! So see the show and love it!

First let me say that I absolutely love the musical. The one I saw on B'way, starring Robert Evans (he was actually the understudy to Cuccioli at the time), Linda Eder, and Christiane Noll. I've seen many a B'way show, but was unprepared for this one. Absolutely blew me away........

I own the Hasselhoff version only because I'm a sucker for anything connected with the show. But Hasselhoff is, well, just dreadful. And I like the guy. Hey, he tries, but he just can't pull it off. Like I said, no wonder the show closed while he was, for lack of a better word, 'starring' in it. Coleen Sexton and Andrea Rivette do a nice job, but they are no Eder/Noll. But again, they are fine.

This version deserves MAYBE 4 stars. One for the concept, two for Sexton and Rivette, and one because I'm in a good mood having just listened to the The Complete Work for the gazzillionth time - Carolee Carmello does a great Lisa, Eder is, well, what can I say about someone who has one of the greatest voices ever recorded, and Anthony Warlow is just astonishing - would love to see him do it live........

David should have stayed on the beach..............

I am not a fan of Bay Watch, but David Hasselhoff did an outstanding job. I believe theater is Hasselhoff's calling. If you can watch this musical with an open mind, and get over the fact that the star has done crappy TV you will realize that he has talent for theater. His performance left me shocked and wanting more. I have watched the musical many times and the performance still amazes me. I first saw the musical in a College English class, Horror Fiction and Film, at Chapman University. I thought the professor was crazy for making us watch this film, but I was wrong. Anyone who is a fan of musical theater will enjoy this. I only wish I heard about this when it was still live. I would have enjoyed seeing it. I hope that Hasselhoff does more theater in the future. There is room for him to improve, but I believe over time he could be an outstanding theater performer.

Jekyll and Hyde is one of my all-time favorite musicals. I've seen it on stage many times and have every recording made (even the old Colm Wilkinson-Linda Eder concept album!). I was given this video as a gift and when I read that David Hasselhoff was starring, I had the same reaction that I'm sure many of you did: "The Baywatch guy? You've got to be kidding me."

...but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I think many people wanted so badly to hate David Hasselhoff in this that they automatically wrote him off and didn't give him a chance. Was he the best Jekyll/Hyde I've seen? Well, no. His singing voice was sort of inconsistent. There were times when it really reached out with dramatic power, and other times when it suffered from a little too much vibrato for my taste. Believe it or not, it was his *acting* (surprise, surprise!) that impressed me the most. I think that Mr. Hasselhoff's talent was perhaps wasted on screen. He does a fine job as a stage actor, and has obviously come a long way from his Baywatch days. He seems to be more at home in front of a live audience. His Hyde impressed me the most. He shows a skillful use of the eyes and body language.

Hasselhoff is surrounded by a talented supporting cast. I like Coleen Sexton's rather cute, sweet portrayal of Lucy. It offers a unique contrast to Linda Eder's sultry rendition. My only criticism of Sexton's performance is a personal preference issue: she belts too much when she sings, and extends her belting range too high. It sounds painful to me.

Andrea Rivette is a class act as Emma Carew, Jekyll's fiancee. Her voice is beautiful, and her poise perfect for the role. George Merritt and Barrie Ingham were outstanding as John Utterson and Sir Danvers Carew, respectively. I absolutely loved Merritt's voice. The rich, deep quality of it carried over to his speaking lines as well.

Overall, a good effort by all.