Channel 
Linkedin 
Weibo 
Facebook 
Ins 
A Spectacular Show | The Musical Production of Jekyll & Hyde
From Ms ShihShih Chen
The Director of Music
After the success of The Wizard of Oz in 2023, I started to look for a contrasting show to put on, which would showcase the multifaceted talent of our production team and pupils, Jekyll & Hyde immediately came to mind. This musical is based on Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which is one of the most famous pieces of English literature and is considered to be a defining book of the gothic horror genre.
The epic struggle between good and evil came to life on the Seldon Theatre stage in the musical phenomenon, Jekyll & Hyde. Based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson and featuring a thrilling score of pop rock hits from multi-Grammy- and Tony-nominated Frank Wildhorn and double-Oscar- and Grammy-winning Leslie Bricusse, Jekyll & Hyde has mesmerised audiences the world over, including the audience who came to watch our show.
Jekyll & Hyde also had a significant impact on the landscape of Broadway and musical theatre. The show was one of the first to incorporate rock and pop music into a traditional musical theatre format, paving the way for other shows like Rent and Hamilton. It also helped to revive interest in the gothic horror genre, inspiring a wave of similarly themed musicals and plays. It was the very same reason why the score struck a chord with everyone in the cast and the crew.
From the initial stage of the show preparation, I was thrilled that I would be able to work with the members of my old team and the addition of the new Drama teacher and English teacher, Ms Hannah Bond. It was the combination of the new and the old that made the sparkle. The teamwork started right at the beginning; Ms Emma Chen co-produced and did extremely well based on her previous experience of working on The Wizard of Oz, Ms Hyunhi Kim never hesitated to help with the singing aspect of the show. The English Department took charge of drama and choreography with Ms Hannah Bond directing and Ms Kayleigh Norman assisting. Ms Gloria Zhu added her magical touch to add the jazzy moves to the choreography. Mr Jason Yan, our newly appointed props master general, co-designed the set with me and managed the backstage; Mr Bingyan’s lighting was impeccable; the make team led by Ms Theresa Ebrahim-Adem and Ms Meghan Jones brought the gothic story to life.
I also got so much help from the pupils. With only eight weeks to pull this project together, the pupils in the cast, orchestra and crew all contributed their best despite the obstacles that came our way. There would always be someone missing due to illness or a clash with another important engagement at school. Nevertheless, the pupils put on a show that demonstrated how far they had stretched themselves. For the teachers involved, it was truly amazing to see how the pupils worked together to achieve a common goal from the very first audition to the last performance.
My special thanks go to the orchestra and the pupil orchestra manager, Ethan. As a music scholar, he has stunned us with numerous solo and ensemble performances and after gaining experience as the Keyboard 1 player in last year’s The Wizard of Oz pit orchestra, he grew interested in the musical theatre and promised that he would join the pit orchestra in this year’s production despite knowing what kind of pressure he would be under as a Year 13 pupil. He did not only keep his promise but started to take charge of managing the pit orchestra. In the rehearsals, he oversaw the progress of the rehearsals and would take down notes about the passages we needed to improve on. In the performances, he faithfully reminded me when to cue the actors and musicians in. The show would not have been this successful without him.
“I was happy to see more young, new faces in the pit orchestra and cast this year. Those newcomers with great talent and potential will surely make good musical productions in the years to come.” said Ethan.
Shubin, who took up the role of Jekyll and Hyde, wowed us all, not only with his acting and singing skills but also his growth, passions, perseverance and resilience. Though many were unaware of his talent in acting and singing solo, he proved that he was the perfect actor for this role. The teachers working on the team were tremendously impressed by how he overcame challenges on the way. The role is not for one who lacks mental power; singing and acting emotionally through all the numbers in the show, could even be challenging for professional actors.
“From an ensemble member in the previous show to the leading role in Jekyll & Hyde the musical this year, I discovered an alter ego of myself, one I had never encountered before. As long as you want to do it and can do it, there are endless possibilities between you and your better self.” Shubin said.
Though I have been asked many times what show I intend to do next year since the final performance of Jekyll & Hyde, I have decided to sit on the glory of the show for a while longer and reminisce about every moment I spent with the team.
Related Articles
