Rowan theater group plays out "The Last Days of Dr. Jekyll"

A story about the inherent nature of man - right vs. wrong and good vs. evil
-- is envisioned in an all new way as Rowan University's Department of Theatre and Dance presents their take on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

In this original production, The Last Days of Dr. Jekyll, a brilliant young doctor works for a modern pharmaceutical giant that is introducing the newest version of the latest, greatest anti-depressant on the market. The thing of it is, there are a few wicked side effects, profits come before perfection, and, well, things get a little nasty.

"Zytgyst is a drug that allows people to be themselves without any shame or guilt," explained Peter Clerke, a Scottish director who came to America specifically to direct the play. "Zytgyst 2.0 goes a little further, it's just a little stronger."

Clerke said the production, written by New York playwright John Clancy and conceived, choreographed and rehearsed in just six weeks, uses the framework of Stevenson's classic novella to tell a story that is timely and compelling.

It's a story of excess, get it now and gotta have it.

"Like anything else, it's got to be bigger and better," Clerke said. "The launch of the drug has been brought forward and they haven't had a chance for adequate testing so Dr. Jekyll decides to test it on himself."

The result, he said, is disastrous, and brings forth Jekyll's alter ego Edward Hyde.

"Hyde is a version of Jekyll but completely without shame or moral responsibility," Clerke said.

Rowan dance professor Melanie Stewart, who co-directs the production and asked Clerke to take part in it, said the show unfolds on two levels in Westby Hall's Black Box Theater with the audience in the center.

In fact, she said, the audience plays stockholders in the fictional drug company.

"They start in the Westby Gallery and, instead of getting tickets, they'll be given badges," Stewart said. "Instead of a program they receive a stockholders report and they meet Dr. Jekyll, the young genius behind Zytgyst."

Stewart said the production is a collaboration with Rowan's art department and features work by graphic design Prof. Janet Conradi who created packaging for the new product as well as a logo for the company.

Running about 50 minutes, Stewart described the play as a fast-unfolding dramatic comedy featuring 15 Rowan student actors.

Andrew Clotworthy, a senior theater performance major who plays Jekyll, described the play as a commentary on life in modern America.

"When people are promised something that will take care of all their problems they don't always think of the consequences or the side effects," said Clotworthy, 22, of Centerville, Md. "Our play just deals with the pharmaceutical industry but there's an underlying message about what happens when something promises to make everyone's life easier, no matter what it may be."

Showings of The Last Days of Dr. Jekyll will be Nov. 12 at 7 and 9 p.m.; Nov. 13 and 14 at 7, 9 and 10:30 p.m.; and Nov. 15 at 3 p.m.
Tickets to the show are free to all Rowan students, $10 for members of the general public, and $5 for seniors, faculty/staff, alumni and non-Rowan students. For tickets, visit the Rowan University box office.