'Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical' is Tremendous at Rose Center Theater - Review
Rose Center Theater’s production of ‘Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical’ is ambitious, thrilling and deeply impactful.
How the Rose Center Theater continues to be overlooked in Orange County theater circles is one of the region’s great mysteries.
Its latest production, ‘Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical’, running now through June 28, 2026, is not merely great theatre. It is the kind of ambitious, emotionally charged and technically sound production that deserves to be mentioned alongside the county’s most respected stages like South Coast Repertory and Chance Theater.
Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s iconic 1886, 120-page novella and featuring music by Frank Wildhorn with book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ follows Dr. Henry Jekyll, a brilliant scientist obsessed with separating good from evil within the human soul, especially after the loss of his father, who succumbed to mental illness. When he tests his experimental formula on himself due to lack of support from his medical board, he unleashes Edward Hyde, a violent and seductive alter ego devoid of conscience. As Hyde’s influence grows, Jekyll’s carefully ordered life spirals into chaos, pulling his fiance Emma Carew and Lucy Harris, the lady of the night, whom Hyde cannot resist, into an increasingly dangerous world.
At the center of it all is Matthew Bartosch, delivering a performance that is beyond extraordinary. Playing both Jekyll and Hyde requires an actor capable of portraying two distinct personalities while convincing the audience they are witnessing one fractured soul. His Jekyll is compassionate, driven and increasingly desperate, while his Hyde is predatory and explosive. The transitions are so seamless that audiences can practically see the psychological battle taking place in real time.
What is perhaps most astonishing is Bartosch’s vocal performance. Time and again, he hurls himself around the stage, physically exhausting himself during Hyde’s violent outbursts, only to immediately unleash soaring vocals that never waver. How that man can sustain those notes after thrashing around the stage is beyond comprehension.
Bartosch’s work is elevated by two equally compelling leading ladies. Melissa Cook brings tremendous vulnerability to Lucy Harris, who works under the wretched Spider, played by Jerred Yeash, at the Red Rat, who falls for the good doctor because she showed her the slightest bit of kindness. Kristin Caputo’s Emma Carew is the anthesis of Lucy, a woman of status and means, who loves Jekyll for his brilliant mind and potential upward mobility. Together, Cook and Caputo create two fully realized women whose lives become collateral damage in Jekyll & Hyde’s tragic quest.
Vincent Aniceto is equally impressive as John Utterson, as the pragmatic lawyer and friend via his sincerity and unwavering loyalty. His presence provides a stabilizing force amid the mounting chaos.
The supporting cast is filled with memorable performances. Hyde’s victims are portrayed with enough arrogance and moral decay to make their eventual fates feel almost justifiably satisfying. Trevin Stephenson’s Bishop of Basingstoke oozes hypocrisy as a lascivious louse hiding behind his cassock. Kevin Arnold’s Lord Savage embodies elitist self-importance while treating the poor as nothing more than a nuisance. Randall J. Goddard’s Sir Archibald Proops is a man long sustained by reputation rather than relevance. Erik Duane’s General Lord Glossop is appropriately repugnant, Meredith Woodson’s Lady Beaconsfield leaves a strong impression as the resident Karen and Benjermin Tietz’s Simon Stride serves as a worthy professional rival whose antagonism helps propel Jekyll toward disaster, especially as he not-so-secretly pines for Emma.
Special recognition belongs to Nate Andreas, whose powerful voice and impressive dance abilities repeatedly draw the audience’s attention. Ensemble members Katie Agrela, Alex Vaz and Ainsley McClure also stand out, finding opportunities to shine even within such a large company.
Director and musical director Tim Nelson masterfully balances the show’s gothic horror, romance and tragedy while choreographers Diane Makas and Jennifer Matthews create movement that remains engaging from beginning to end. The production never loses momentum.
The creative team deserves equal praise. Costume designer Carole Zelinger crafts period-appropriate costumes that enhance both character and atmosphere. Production and Props Manager Sherré Titus helps create a richly detailed world that feels lived in and authentic. Technical Director Chris Caputo oversees a production that consistently looks polished and professional. Together, they help transform the Rose Center stage into Victorian London with remarkable effectiveness.
The production is not entirely flawless. There were two noticeable technical issues during the night’s performance. One involved a missed musical cue. Another came from what appeared to be a projection error that disrupted the illusion. During a scene intended to take place in Dr. Jekyll’s living room, the projected image displayed the exterior of his home instead. Both moments were minor and quickly forgotten, but still noticeable and commented on by those around me.
Beyond those brief hiccups ther in lies a production that is genuinely spectacular.
By the final curtain, one thought lingers above all others: Why isn’t everyone talking about the Rose Center Theater? ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ is an indication, they should be.
Rose Center Theater’s production of ‘Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical’ is ambitious, thrilling and deeply impactful. It serves as a powerful reminder that some of Orange County’s finest theatrical experiences can still be found in the shadows.
To purchase tickets for ‘Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical’ at the Rose Center Theater visit: https://www.rosecentertheater.com/jekyll-and-hyde or call the box office at: 714-793-1150.
Rose Center Theater is located at:
14140 All American Way
Westminster, CA 92683
4.75 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐¾