April 12, 13, and 14, 1886: murders supposedly took place in London.

April 12, 13, and 14, 2024: murders took place on stage in Wantagh Theatre’s production of Jekyll and Hyde. 

This musical adaptation of the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson was brought to life by high school performers, musicians, and crew members, and it was certainly a show to remember. Following the dual personalities of Dr. Jekyll, a wealthy scientist, and Mr. Hyde, his evil counterpart, this show brought out deep, dark themes, and the Wantagh community was wowed. Senior Anthony Lerro acted as both Jekyll and Hyde, and the talents displayed by him and the rest of the cast were incredible. Also starring Madelyn Hartmann and Ashlee Fucarino, beautiful ballads were sung in the midst of fictional horror.

This was no simple show to put on: it took dozens of people behind the scenes to make the production possible. As stated by director Kimberly Davis, “We have an incredibly talented and dedicated group of students, and the production team was excited to challenge them with this musical. Their passion shines through in every rehearsal, and we couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve accomplished.” The understudies, Sean Hill-Hotz, Emma Nicholas, and Avery Bogacki, were a crucial part of this team, and they were rewarded with their own show in their roles on April 11, the day before opening night. The crew designed and implemented set movements, and made the costumes, microphones, and lighting possible. In addition, the pit band, led by music teacher Danilo Aviles, played all of the instrumental music for the show, featuring over a dozen students.

This production was nothing short of a team effort, and the entire Wantagh community is very proud of the cast, crew, directors, and pit. Jekyll and Hyde was not a cheery show, but it captivated audiences all the same. Congratulations on another successful production for Wantagh Theatre!