On a cold October night, people gather to see the play Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Originally written as a novel in 1886 by Robert Louis Stevenson, the book demonstrates the peaks and valleys of good versus evil. Adapted into a play by Jeffrey Hatcher Sullivan, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an eerie production which sends chills down one’s spine. Catalina Foothills High School did a splendid job putting on this production just in time for this Halloween season. Indeed, even from just the beginning, the play has an eerie, ominous, and suspenseful mood. For instance, the play opens with cast members lined in the isles of the house, each saying part of the line “This is what I know. I’ll tell you what I know. What I saw, what I heard. The events as I would recall them” (Sullivan 1). This sets up the audience wondering what they know, saw and heard. Then, onstage, there is a loud shriek, which startles the audience and sets them up for the mysteriousness of the rest of the play. But what really sets this performance apart from others is the use of a small cast to create an outstanding show. Some actors played …show more content…
Catalina Foothills used the same basic set throughout the show, but the location of each scene often changed. In fact, the production used props such as benches, beds, couches, and desks to portray where the scene takes place without changing the background set. Furthermore, there are no costume changes throughout the play and just a simple cane, hat, or other prop to identify each character. To aid the transition between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, simple lighting techniques were used. For example, when he is his good self, the lighting is bright while when he is Mr. Hyde, the stage lights dim and help portray the dark mood. The use of background music in Foothills’ production also aids the mysterious mood. Particularly, orchestra music in the background of the dialogue adds to the suspense and