Arts & Entertainment

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

At Long Beach Playhouse Sept. 20 – Oct. 18

Against the backdrop of Victorian London, the respectable Dr. Jekyll has begun to display alarmingly erratic behavior. At the same time, a brutal figure haunts the city’s streets, committing assault and murder under the cloak of darkness and London’s dismal fog.

Drawn from the classic 1886 novella by Robert Louis Stevenson, writer Jeffrey Hatcher reimagines the story with one actor portraying Jekyll and four others portraying Hyde, each revealing Hyde’s many faces: brutality, sexuality and cruelty.

About his adaptation, Hatcher says the roles are somewhat reversed, as are some aspects of Jekyll and Hyde themselves. Hatcher says he’s never quite believed the idea that Henry Jekyll is wholly good, while Edward Hyde is wholly evil.

Sean Gray, producing artistic director for the Playhouse, adds, “I agree with Hatcher who also said he had doubts about Robert Louis Stevenson believing that the two were as simply defined in those terms either. In Hatcher’s adaptation, we see the story as a cat and mouse game between the two parts of the same person with some uncertainty about which side we should be rooting for. The complexity makes for a more interesting story.

“Stevenson’s tale was also mindful of Victorian prudishness around the human body, including sexuality. At the time, the phrase “from tongue to tail” was scandalous. Hatcher’s 21st century sensibilities are less prudish.”

Gray chose David Scaglione to direct the show. Scaglione’s knack for characters who embody the macabre was showcased in his Playhouse productions of The Passion of Dracula and Frankenstein 1930.

In his director’s notes, Scaglione compares the duality of Jekyll and Hyde with that of our western society and the struggle between the wealthy and the poor, noting that Hyde is at home among the street people of Victorian London.

The show’s large cast includes a mix of veteran actors and others making their debuts. Returning actors include David Vaillancourt, Aaron Izbicki, Sarah-Jane Finch, Trevor Hart, Carmen Tunis, Renee Schwarz and Katharine White. Debuting are Alexandra Young and Terrance Sylvas.

About the timing, Playhouse Executive Director Madison Mooney said, “We’re entering the season of scary tales, and this show will absolutely help audiences get in the mood for Halloween! For spirits, good and bad, it’s all part of the season’s fun.”

Special events for this play:

Ten Dollar Preview Friday Sept. 19 – all tickets are $10.

Opening Night Champagne Reception with cast on Sept. 20 – Tickets are $35 Sponsored by The Port of Long Beach.

Ticket prices

Friday: Adults are $27, seniors $20 and students $20.

Saturday and Sunday: Adults are $32, seniors $25 and students $20.

Tickets are available at www.lbplayhouse.org or by calling (562) 494-1014, option 1.

These ticket prices are available over the phone or in person. Tickets purchased online include $3-4 service fee not reflected above.

Long Beach Playhouse is located at 5021 E. Anaheim St. The Playhouse is community-supported theatre with programs and events that cut across age, gender, ethnic and cultural boundaries.

Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. The box office is open Wednesday-Saturday from 3-8 p.m. and Sundays from 1-2 p.m. on scheduled matinees.

Open Studio Tour

Over four weekends in October, artists from all around Long Beach will open their studios for the Long Beach Open Studio Tour (LBOST). Each weekend is dedicated to a different area of the city. Tour-goers can access a map on the LBOST website to find locations and information about the artists who are exhibiting on any given weekend.

This is a free, self-guided, tour to support the artists of Long Beach and connect them with the art-loving public. It is a great incentive to venture into new neighborhoods and discover the artists who live and work in those areas.

There are over 70 artists, covering a variety of mediums, involved in this year’s LBOST. Tour dates and hubs are as follows:

Tour dates are (1-5 p.m.):

• Oct. 4 & 5 - Uptown
• Oct. 11 & 12 - Downtown
• Oct. 18 & 19 - Eastside
• Oct. 25 & 26 - Belmont

Visit www.lbopenstudiotour.com to see the map, learn about the artists and find out more.

The Tour was started by artists Lisa Wibroe and Tina Burnight in 2009. The goal was to provide an annual opportunity for artists to show their work and studios during October is Arts Month in Long Beach.

In 2021, Lisa and Tina passed the torch to architect Javier Sola and his wife, small-business owner, Cherie. Javier and Cherie are thrilled to help continue, and build upon, the tradition of the LBOST.

Shapes and Forms

The Carpenter Performing Arts Center presents comedian Sandra Bernhard and her all-new show Shapes and Forms on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m. Marking her fourth appearance at the center, Sandra brings her unique and raucous mix of cabaret, stand-up and social commentary – as well as perfectly curated songs with the Sandyland Squad Band – to this fun evening of raw emotion.

This performance kicks off the Carpenter Center’s Wit & Wisdom Series, which also includes Baratunde Thurston (Nov. 15) and Mandy Patinkin (Feb. 7).

A successful performer, actress, singer and author for five decades, Sandra Bernhard continues her reign in 2025, appearing in season two of the Emmy-nominated AppleTV+ series Severance, and in the A24 feature film, Marty Supreme alongside Timothée Chalamet, directed by Josh Safdie.

Tickets and subscriptions are available at carpenterarts.org or by calling (562) 985-7000, M–Th, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.