‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ to be performed
Theater: Matt Hardesty and Roger Eastman practice a scene from the play, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” The play will be performed by the Coshocton Footlight Players Friday and Saturday, Oct. 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26 at the Triple Locks Theater. Curtain time is 8 p.m. For ticket information, visit www.footlightplayers.com. Beacon photo by Josie Sellers
COSHOCTON – The Coshocton Footlight Players will kick off their 2013 season by taking a walk on the dark side.
“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson will be performed Friday and Saturday, Oct. 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26 at the Triple Locks Theater. Curtain time is 8 p.m.
“It’s written in a real interesting way,” said Chuck Hathaway, who is the producer for the play. “It’s sort of a modern staging and retelling of the story. It’s also fast moving.”
During the play, Dr. Jekyll experiments with mind altering drugs to try and rid the world of evil. He instead brings the evil out in himself and becomes a menace to everyone, including the woman who loves him.
“You find out there is some Hyde in all of us, a bad side that we aren’t real proud of,” Hathaway said.
The play was considered by the reading committee several years ago, but Hathaway said at that time they were unable to get the amateur production rights to it. Director Diana Marlatt resubmitted the play this year and things fell into place for it to be performed here in Coshocton.
“Dr. Jekyll has an interesting concept that we can control what we do, but that goes haywire and the play gets a little weird at the end,” Marlatt said. “You aren’t sure if it’s Jekyll or Hyde who is evil.”
Shane Pyle has the pleasure of playing Dr. Jekyll and the cast also includes Roger Eastman, Matt Hardesty, Jamie Hostetler, Jill Baumgardner and Leslie Ridenbaugh.
“Everyone but Leslie is Hyde at some point,” Hathaway said. “It reinforces the point that there is a little Hyde in all of us.”
He also reinforced the fact that the play is not for children.
“It’s not suitable for anyone under 14,” Hathaway said. “It’s for mature audiences only.”
Tickets for the play are $10 for adults and $5 for children 18 and younger. They can be ordered online at www.footlightplayers.com or by calling 622-2959 from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 2 to 4 p.m. performance days.
“It’s a great play for Halloween,” Baumgardner said. “It’s really well written and it has a creep factor.”
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Arts & Entertainment
