Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a new and shocking version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of love and horror, is set to take stage at Oakland Community College in November.

The show will be held 7:30 p.m., November 10, 11, 17 and 18 at Smith Theatre, Orchard Ridge Campus . For ticket information visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde-tickets-439206988927.

Alex Sprinkle, an OCC theatre major, takes on the role of Dr. Jekyll in the upcoming play. He has been involved in theatre since he was nine years old and is excited to debut in his first onstage role in an OCC production. “I was part of the two productions last year, "You Make My Frame Shake" and "12 Angry Jurors", but I was an assistant stage manager for both and the former was cancelled due to COVID,” Sprinkle said. “I wanted to be onstage again this year because I missed being a part of the cast and I wanted to experience being in front of a live audience again after the pandemic.” 

For Kalen Rogers, his role as Hyde 3 has been the most difficult to understand and take on because of how complex the character is. “Most people know Hyde as a "deformed monster" who terrorizes the people of London,” said the aspiring voice actor who is also pursuing theatre at OCC. “I see a kid who has not experienced love or any form of compassion or attention from anyone, mainly due to Jekyll suppressing him.” 

A partnership between OCC and Sign Language Interpreter Program

Rogers and Sprinkle are two of 25 cast members, including seven American Sign Language (ASL) student shadow interpreters who have joined the show as part of a supervised clinical experience partnership between OCC’s Theatre program and the Sign Language Interpreter program.

The ASL students have been guided by experienced hearing and Deaf interpreters, who are also experienced performers. In preparation for and through these performances, the interpreters have provided these students with supervision, mentoring, and language modeling. The supervision is key to their success and follows the requirements of the State of Michigan Deaf Person's Interpreter Act and the Memo of Understanding between the Michigan Division on Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing and the Michigan Interpreter Education Programs. 

Jennifer Little, OCC theatre instructor and director of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, said most of the cast had the script since May and worked all summer on acting choices and really understanding their characters to make this an epic show after the pandemic. “I think it is both a compelling and beautiful show to watch. It is scary and moving all at once,” she said.

About the show
On the fog-bound streets of London, the audience will see how Dr. Henry Jekyll’s experiments with exotic “powders and tinctures” have brought forth multiple versions of his other self - Edward Hyde, a complex and compelling character filled with both rage and passion. When Hyde falls under the spell of a local woman, threatening to expose Jekyll’s work, Jekyll decides to end the experiment and destroy his creation. But Hyde has other ideas, and so the two sides battle each other in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to determine who shall be the master and who his servant.

About OCC
Offering nearly 100 degrees and certificates, OCC is Michigan’s largest multi-campus community college and one of the top transfer institutions in the state. The College provides academic, career training and enriching experiences, designed to empower students to reach their potential and enhance our community. More than 1 million students have enrolled in the College since it opened in 1965. A seven-person Board of Trustees governs OCC. Board members are elected on a non-partisan, at-large basis, serve as volunteers and are not paid. Mission statement: OCC is committed to empowering our students to succeed and advancing our community. Learn more atoaklandcc.edu.