Hyde (Dark Musicals Trilogy)

by Laura DeLuca

  “It’s okay, Becca,” he consoled. “I’m sure the lights will be back on in a second. Don’t be so edgy.”

  Rebecca knew he was right, and she felt absolutely ridiculous. After everything she’d been through, she should have grown a thicker skin. There was no reason to be jumping at shadows. Rebecca took a deep breath and tried to pull herself together. She blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the dim light wafting in through the blinds. After a few minutes, she was able to see all the amused faces around her. No one was bothered by the electricity going out, except for her, and perhaps Fernando.

  “Damn this old wiring,” Fernando grumbled. “Things are always acting up in this place, especially the first few weeks of the season. That’s the problem with these old buildings. Nothing is reliable. The lights go out, the plumbing acts up, the fire alarms go off at two a.m.—it’s never-ending.”

  “You are just making excuses, Fernando.” The blonde beside Steve spoke in a thick accent. “We all know it is the theater ghost. Grace does enjoy playing tricks.”

  A few others laughed at her reference to the specter, but it made Rebecca shiver, especially after what she had experienced. She found herself looking over her shoulder again and was certain she saw a shadow disappear into the wall. Fernando didn’t seem to think it was funny either. He huffed as he headed toward the kitchen.

  “I’m going to have to go down to the cellar and flip the breaker,” he complained. “It’s the only way we’ll get the lights back on.”

  “You go ahead, Fernie,” a voice sounded from the back of the room. “I’ll finish up the introductions.”

  Fernando nodded and went on his way, still mumbling to himself under his breath. An older gentleman Rebecca hadn’t noticed before slipped to the front of the stage. He was dressed in an expensive suit that was almost as extravagant as the Victorian shirttails the men would be sporting in a few weeks. He seemed to be the oldest member of the cast with his solid gray hair and soft blue eyes, but his grin was youthful and his handshake firm when he reached his hand out to Rebecca.

  “Nice to make your acquaintance, my dear,” he said. “My name is Robert Boyle and I will be playing your father Sir Danvers.”

  “Nice to meet you, Dad.”

  Rebecca smiled, and Robert laughed lightly before shaking hands with Justyn, Tom, and Carmen. Then he gestured down the line to the other actors. “Allow me to introduce some of the other nobility in Hyde. This is Steve Defeo and his wife Petya. They are appropriately cast in the roles of Lord and Lady Beckinsdale as well as the pimp and the madam of the brothel where Lucy is employed. Petya has come to us all the way from Bulgaria.”

  Steve was all-American but obviously of Italian descent. With that last name, it wouldn’t be surprising if he really did have mob ties. With his olive skin and her pale white complexion, the couple was a strange combination. Petya stood almost a foot taller, and her waist was a size two at the most, while Steve had a stockier build that was entirely muscle. The pair gave them a curt nod, which Rebecca was able to see only because the lights flickered on and off.

  “And now let’s move on to the chorus line,” Robert continued.

  Rebecca tried to stifle a yawn. After a while, the names started to blur. There were a lot of small parts in the show, but most of the actors were playing two or three roles. Hyde was all about pretenses. Everyone had two faces, though they weren’t all as obvious as the good doctor and his evil alter. This was represented symbolically by having the same people who played the rich aristocrats against Dr. Jekyll’s experiments also play the servants and the hookers. Even Carmen and the other chorus dancers would be switching back and forth between Victorian finery to rags and sometimes skimpy dancewear as they transformed from nobility to commoners scene to scene.

  The play itself had a beautiful score, if not the happy ending Rebecca would have hoped for. In the play, Dr. Jekyll is a scientist desperately searching for a cure to his father’s mysterious illness. His experiment leads to a split in his personality between good and evil. His wicked alter seeks revenge on the self-righteous hypocrites who almost prevent his creation, while at the same time he brings their sins to light. His murderous rampage finally ends in his own suicide on his wedding day.

  Rebecca’s role in the show was Dr. Jekyll’s betrothed Emma. Emma doesn’t know about his split personality until the disastrous wedding, but she knows her lover is struggling with some demon and does her best to help him. Of course, she has a little competition from the sad prostitute who is strangely appealing to both Dr. Jekyll and Edward Hyde, albeit for different reasons. Lucy was the role acquired by Victoria, who certainly had the combination of soft beauty and aloof personality the casting called for.

  “I think that’s just about everyone,” Robert proclaimed.

  The older man was finishing up the introductions when the overhead lights sputtered a few times and then burst back to their full luminescence. The room was instantly flooded with light, and everyone had to blink to adjust their eyes to the sudden brightness. Moments later, Fernando stomped back into the room, still looking agitated, as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief.

  “All right then,” he said. “We’ve wasted enough time for one night. We should get started.”

  The crew grumbled a little but took their positions on the platform, as did Fernando, who had cast himself in the role of the archbishop as well as Dr. Jekyll’s butler. The stage was about half the size of what Rebecca was used to at college, but it was a much smaller troupe, and in essence, the whole dining room was their arena. They were expected to involve the restaurant patrons, and occasionally adlib in order to make the audience feel like they were a part of the show.

  Carmen chewed nervously on her lower lip. “Here goes nothing.”

  “You’ll be fine,” Tom told her. “With those sexy Latin legs, you can do no wrong.”

  “We’ll all be fine. It’s only rehearsal,” Justyn reminded them. “Try not to look worried.”

  Carmen smiled at the encouragement and jumped up to the sidelines to join the rest of the chorus. Justyn, Tom, and Robert were the first to appear on stage in the beginning act where Dr. Jekyll struggles with his father’s illness. Justyn’s acting was flawless, as usual. He captured the pained look of Jekyll perfectly as he held the hand of the man playing his catatonic father. Robert, too, was superb in his role of Sir Danvers, who was trying to convince Jekyll to let go of his foolish notions. The older gentleman radiated British nobility with his fine clothes and perfectly enunciated English accent. Even Tom struggled through his nerves, and before long, it was as though he’d never left the stage at all. Steve and Petya were also completely realistic as the aristocratic snobs, and Petya was able to go back and forth from an English brogue to her own Bulgarian accent without blinking an eye as she switched roles between the lady and the madam.

  Scene changes proved to be a little more challenging than what they were used to in the drama club because there were no stagehands. They were certainly earning their paychecks as they struggled to shift the meager props and backdrops between scenes.

  Rebecca was relieved when she made it to the engagement party scene where she got to sing her only duet with Justyn. Even the fact they were singing along with canned music instead of a real orchestra didn’t diminish the thrill she felt as Justyn reached out his hand and summoned her to his side with his irresistible tenor.

  “Sometimes my heart is filled with despair.

  I reach for my dreams and find nothing there.

  Then I turn and what do I see?

  Your lovely face smiling at me.

  You love me for who I ammmmm.

  You accept all that I ammmmmm.”

  He started out the first few lines sounding melancholy, glancing away. Dr. Jekyll was still depressed over his failure in his work, but Emma’s encouragement gives him new hope. When Justyn finally turned to meet her gaze, he allowed his true unmasked love and adoration to filter through his dark e
yes. It raised the whole level of the music. Sadness and grief turned to optimism as his hand sought hers. His arms slid around her waist as his voice rose to meet the music. Rebecca’s heart fluttered as his fingers entwined with hers and brushed against the white-gold band that was a symbol of their very real commitment. Her own smile was heartfelt and her voice filled with sincere emotion when it was her turn to sing. She grasped his hand and held it against her heart as she began her own verse.

  “Beside you is where I always knew I would be.

  Just look in my eyes and tell me what you see.

  It’s only love you will find in my eyes.

  When I’m with you, I can wear no disguise.

  You love me for who I ammmmmm.

  You accept all that I ammmmmmm.”

  Even as the vibrato of the final notes of her solo faded, their two voices rose again and met in perfect synchronization and splendor. When they reached the final climatic verse of the ballad, it was a magic that was impossible to ignore. They had practiced it enough at home, but even that didn’t explain the flawless harmony with which their voices melded and became one living instrument. Rebecca heard more than one gasp from the sidelines as the music transcended and became something almost angelic and surreal.

  “Along the way, fate may sometimes interfere.

  But together we know we have nothing to fear.

  Just hold my hand in yours, never depart.

  Promise me I’ll always have your heart.

  Love me for who I ammmmmm.

  Accept all that I ammmmm.”

  When they reached the last aria, Justyn pulled her into his arms with an almost desperate longing. The required embrace between Emma and Dr. Jekyll took very little acting for the real-life lovers. In fact, the kiss might have gone on a tad longer than necessary. Rebecca found herself swooning in Justyn’s arms just as much as she had the very first time their lips had met. There was a fire between them time couldn’t quench. That passion spilled over into the music, and it was a force every person watching from the sidelines could feel.

  Rebecca was actually sorry the duet ended, despite the fact that she knew they would be singing it again every day for the next three months. She had another brief scene where her father, played by Robert, tries to talk Emma out of marrying Dr. Jekyll. Then Rebecca had a break backstage while Tom led Justyn to a house of ill repute to try to take his mind off his work for the night. On her way to join the background prostitutes who would dance with Victoria, Carmen made sure to stop by and give Rebecca a congratulatory pat on her back.

  “I almost forgot how amazing you two are together!” Carmen exclaimed, shuffling out from behind the curtain. “That was awesome! Really! Total eargasm!”

  Rebecca laughed. “Thanks, Carmen!”

  Carmen winked as she raced past her to take her place on the stage. Her friend did an amazing job of coordinating the simple dance moves given the short notice she’d received. The performers looked provocative and sexy despite the limited space they had to work with. But it was Victoria who stole the show with her amazing voice. The notes of her song resonated off the high ceiling of the theater and her body slithered seductively along the floor. Rebecca had to remind herself not to be jealous when she got to the scene where Lucy kisses Dr. Jekyll, despite the fact she knew it wasn’t real. Victoria was so beautiful and sensual. Rebecca could see how it would be hard for most men to resist her, but as graceful and elegant as she was when she sang, she still portrayed the tough street girl to perfection, and Rebecca had the feeling it was a role she was familiar with.

  Rebecca really enjoyed watching the rest of the show come to life for the first time. Everyone was very professional. They all had their lines down pat, and there were no serious blunders, despite it being their first group rehearsal. They ran through the entire show twice before Fernando finally allowed them to call it a night. It was almost one in the morning, and Rebecca was completely exhausted. She couldn’t wait to head home and get some sleep. She dreaded having to wake up for the breakfast shift at seven in the morning. It was definitely going to be a long summer, but hopefully a rewarding one.

  “Not bad for the first practice, huh?” Tom asked.

  Justyn was still a little grim. “Despite the fact that not everyone wants us here. Did you see the way Steve was glaring at us?”

  “You noticed too?” Rebecca asked.

  “You two should get used to that,” Carmen advised. “When you’re good, people are always going to be jealous. Don’t let that has-been get you down.”

  “Wise words, babe,” Tom agreed. “Seriously, dude, screw him. You guys were awesome. You deserve the leads.”

  Justyn tried to shrug it off but still looked annoyed. However, he relaxed a little when Rebecca smiled and looped arms with him on the way to the car. They had almost reached the parking lot when she realized she’d left her handbag behind. Carmen and Justyn both rolled their eyes at her when she told them.

  “Seriously, Becca?” Carmen teased. “I don’t know how you manage to memorize your lines when you never remember anything.”

  Rebecca could only shrug her shoulders. Mumbling under her breath, she ran back inside, expecting the place to be empty already. She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard voices that didn’t sound very happy. She peeked around the corner and found Steve and Petya grabbing their things from the employee cubbyholes.

  “Those damn kids,” Steve swore. He slammed his locker so hard it made Rebecca’s ears ring. “I don’t know what Fernando sees in those Broadway wannabees. They didn’t sing that well, and they certainly can’t act. The role of Jekyll should have been mine! I don’t know who they think they are, coming in here and stealing the good parts when we have seniority.”

  “Oh, calm down, Stephen.” The words rolled off Petya’s tongue like honey. She rolled her eyes as she checked her reflection in the mirror on the door of her locker. “It is only one show. It is not so bad as you make it out to be. I think those two young boys are quite adorable. That Rebecca though, she is—what is the word?—frigid … uptight?”

  Steve sneered. “I heard she thought she was too good to play Lucy. She was probably afraid to show some skin.”

  “Well, that is fine. She does not have much to show anyway.”

  Petya laughed at her own joke, but Steve wasn’t nearly as amused. “I’ll tell you one thing. If I have my way, I’ll get rid of all four of those stupid kids before the summer is over. Then everything can go back to the way it should be. You just wait, Petya, you’ll see. One way or another, I’ll get them out of my theater.”

  Chapter Three

  “Stop worrying about Steve,” Carmen complained. She poured a few cups of coffee and set them aside while Rebecca dispensed a glass of orange juice. “Him and his wife are just washed-up actors on their way to the retirement home. They’ve never had to compete with real talent before.”

  Rebecca wasn’t sure she agreed with Carmen, and not only because Steve was maybe in his thirties and hardly ready for retirement. She felt like the couple was trying to sabotage them at every turn. Throughout the two weeks of rehearsals, they were constantly pointing out every little misstep. Steve wouldn’t shut up about how Justyn’s facial piercings and black nail polish were going to ruin the realism of the show, no matter how many times they explained he would be removing them once the performance was live. It was obvious Steve was searching for reasons to pick on them, and he seemed annoyed and infuriated when Fernando refused to listen to his ravings.

  It wasn’t only Steve and Petya who were causing problems either. Most of the cast had remained aloof with the newcomers. No matter how many times Rebecca tried to drum up a conversation with Victoria, she always got the cold shoulder. Carmen had befriended a few of the chorus girls, but Rebecca didn’t get much of a chance to talk to them since they were onstage at different times. Only Robert and Fernando showed them any degree of warmth or acceptance. The two childless men were protective of their young co-stars and
took them under their wings like adopted children. Rebecca was definitely growing fond of her onstage father. More often than not, they got stuck waiting behind the curtain together, and Robert spent that time regaling her with stories of his younger years when he was on the stage in New York. He never made it to Broadway, but his credentials were still pretty impressive.

  “You know what I heard from some of the dancers?” the queen of gossip continued, breaking Rebecca’s reverie. “I heard Petya only married Steve for her green card, and she hits on pretty much every guy who comes into the building—cast, waiters, customers, everybody.”

  Rebecca nodded. “I’ve noticed that. Justyn said she’s made a few advances. She even pinched his butt backstage the other day. Luckily, he’s not into cougars.”

  Carmen narrowed her eyes. “Really? Well, that little puta had best stay away from Tom, or I might have to rearrange those perfect cheekbones of hers.”

  Rebecca rolled her eyes and left Carmen fuming at the coffee maker while she went to deliver the drinks to her table. She had no sooner accomplished that task when an order for another table was up. Carmen continued the conversation at the pickup station as though it had never paused while Rebecca reached for one plate of eggs, sausage, and pancakes and another loaded with French toast stuffed with cream cheese and topped with strawberries.

  “I also heard that Steve used to be in all kinds of television shows back in the nineties when he was a teenager. He had some small roles in Beverly Hills 90210 and Saved by the Bell. He even was on a soap opera for a while. But since he hit thirty, like a hundred years ago, he hasn’t been able to get any real acting gigs and had to settle for the dinner theater. Of course, he had to get a side job at a bank during the day to support Petya’s expensive tastes. And speaking of Petya, she isn’t much better off than Steve. She was supposed to be a professional ballerina, but she stubbed her big toe or something and got the boot from her troupe.”