By Staff Writer Jena Fakroddin

Naperville North presented the musical “Jekyll & Hyde” as the final production of the school year. “Jekyll & Hyde” hit the stage May 7 through May 11 and filled the seats in the NPAC during each performance.

“Jekyll & Hyde” is a suggestive battle between good and evil. The story revolves around the experiments of a scientist who creates a violent counterpart. Henry Jekyll is sure he has found the cure for his father’s illness, but his antidote eventually consumes him. He manages to lose his own sanity and identity in the process. Unleashing his inner beast through his contradicting personality Edward Hyde, murder and scandal stir up the streets of London.

The genre of the musical sharply contrasts the light and happy productions that have graced the stage over the past three years.

Director Nicholas Janssen chose this musical to push students to expand their horizons.

“The portrayal of Jekyll and Hyde requires students to dig deep within themselves and become in touch with experiences that many of them have not encountered at their age,” Janssen said.

The content proved to be a very controversial, and many questioned if “Jekyll & Hyde” was an appropriate choice for a high school production. The musical displayed prostitution and murder in almost every scene. With a wide range of audiences, some have found it a little too provocative- certainly not something a grandmother would want to see her grandchild become on stage.

Regardless, it was clear that each individual worked on understanding the realism behind human nature and all the spaces where human nature is experimented. The level of talent and amount of emotion that was put into the overall production and portrayed on stage was something I could not take my eye off of. The mini stories often occurred simultaneously during a duet or even between the dialogue of the lead characters. This was a huge strength of the production. Each actor was invested in the story they were telling, whether they used their voice or their acting prowess.

Although, I found it distracting that the actors often turned their back on the audience when they were engaging with other characters. I was also disappointed by the dramatization of the scene where Jekyll first was transforming into Edward Hyde. The scene had the proper elements and the potential to portray a believable human transformation, but the fluidity was lacking. The special effects overshadowed Jekyll’s acting. I was hoping to see more of a balance between them, which would have made for a more connected and engaging scene.

While the special effect sometimes overshadowed the acting, I believe that they were a major contribution to the success of the show. In my four years at NNHS, I have never seen any special lighting effects as intense. The lighting made it easier for the audience to react in the way that was intended.

At the beginning, the actors’ accents clearly resembled those found in London. But as the production continued, I heard an array of accents. At times, I wasn’t sure if I was in America, France or London. Next year, the actors could improve their speech because it affects the continuity of their intent and the storyline as a whole.

Regardless of the heavy plot line , I have to agree with Janssen.

“The production highlights the depth of ability in our students more than any other production we’ve presented,” said Janssen.

While some may say that the choice of performing “Jekyll & Hyde” was to risqué and violent for a young adult audience, I believe that students grew to be more mature and aware of the different types of productions in the process.