Stages: Hatcher’s ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ opens at Merrimack

Jeffery Hatcher’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” is perfect fare for the Halloween season that comes each fall when October arrives.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre is kicking off its 48th season with “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” adapted by Hatcher from the novella “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson. Landing just in time for spooky season, “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” runs from Oct.14 to Nov.1 at MRT’s Liberty Hall on East Merrimack Street in Lowell.

Directed by MRT’s interim executive artistic director, Jenny Lavery, the production brings the sinister thrills of Victorian London to the Merrimack Valley, with mystery, mayhem and a whole lot of Hyde — well, four to be exact.

In Hatcher’s adaptation of the classic tale, physician Dr. Henry Jekyll is determined to unlock the fundamental nature of good and evil. His experiments succeed, but not quite as he planned.

As Jekyll’s darker impulses take physical form, the many different Edward Hydes emerge, and the distinction between one person and their many selves becomes increasingly difficult to contain.

Hatcher’s fast-moving, suspenseful adaptation turns this classic tale into a thrilling cat and mouse game.

The cast includes Andre Martin playing Dr. Henry Jekyll, Sarah Danko as Elizabeth and an ensemble with Herman Gambhir, Brent Charles and Amber Quick, and Massachusetts native Ed Swidey. All the actors are making their MRT debuts.

“This cast and creative team are truly top notch,” says Lavery. “This is my favorite type of theatre: physically adventurous and actor-driven where the narrative depends on the versatility of the actors to transform from one character to the next in front of an audience. This version of the classic tale is fast-paced and full of surprises.”

For Lavery, Hatcher’s adaptation also taps into a fascination with something more contemporary than Victorian horror.

“I’m a ‘true crime’ fan,” she says. “Hatcher’s version feels current and modern. It  thrills you how fast it moves. It’s a fun date night or night out with friends at the theatre.”

Tickets  begin at $30. Discounts available for students and groups. Performance information and tickets are available at mrt.org  or call the  box office at 978- 654-4678 from Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

IN THE WINGS

NEARY NEWS — “Jerry Finnegan’s Sister” by Jack Neary, the Lowell-born playwright-actor-director, will play for two performances only on Oct. 17 at 7 pm and Oct. 18 at 2 pm. The show is produced by Acting Out Productions of Newburyport and will be presented at Triton High School, 112 Elm St., Byfield.

Neary, who directs the play, said: ‘’The show features two young actors, both of whom started their careers as kids with Acting Out. Jonas Trach was 7 years old when I first directed him, and Jessie Andre was around the same age when she was first directed by Deirdre and John Budzyna, founders and producers of Acting Out. Jonas, as an 8- and 10-year-old, also performed in two of my Boston Theater Marathon plays, astounding the audience with his comic mastery at that young age. Jessie is a recent graduate of the Emerson College Theatre Program. Both actors are now 22 and are shining in JFS rehearsals.”

The play has been around since 1986 and is probably Neary’s most-produced play. He’s tweaked it a bit for this production, updating a reference here and there. The play has been produced all over the country and even ran for months in Paris.  Visit www.actingoutnbpt.com for info and tickets.

Nancye Tuttle’s email address is [email protected].