Reviewer: Chloë Cerva
Venue: Bay City Players
The final performance of Jekyll & Hyde was so sold out that we had to park a block away and run inside. This show was a technical masterpiece, and we’re sad to report on it after it’s all over. I suppose that makes this review all the more important.
Local theatre benefits from critics being soft. We tend to save our strongest opinions for touring acts so that we can punch up, if you will, and never punch down. But in this review, we don’t have to hold our tongue at all, because Bay City Players punches far above its weight.
It was a great weekend for community theatre, with a special shout out to Glecia Tatum, EVOC, and Pit and Balcony for their sold out shows in Saginaw this weekend. Who would’ve thought local theatre productions could be so popular at the height of summer? The streets were literally buzzing. We’re not kidding here at Eye on the Arts! Both productions had a constant murmur about them all weekend.
Anyhow, back to the one I attended.
The lighting at Players is top notch. You can tell the recent upgrades have been purposeful, and this production showed exactly why they matter. Every cue felt intentional. The mood shifted with precision, scenes transformed in an instant, and the lighting became another actor in the production rather than simply illuminating it.
The choreography by Kelli Jolly was stellar.
Before I go on, you should know that head electrician Caleb Hopper built a turntable specifically for this show. A turntable! It reminded me of going to see Hamilton or some Broadway tour. It was absolutely incredible to see in a local production.
What impressed me most was how that turntable interacted with the choreography, the lighting, and Jim Renfer’s musical direction. Lucy would sing while slowly rotating across the stage, and by the end of the phrase the lights had tracked her perfectly as she landed facing the audience. That kind of timing doesn’t happen by accident. It takes weeks of rehearsal and remarkable coordination between departments. It wasn’t lost on me. It was spectacular.
Kyler Syring carried one of the most demanding roles in musical theatre with remarkable confidence. He hit several notes that earned applause, whistles, and full-on hoots that rolled right into the next scene. Everyone in this production could sing!
Everyone could dance!
And they could act!
There was so much energy on that stage. Every performer fully committed to the heightened, gothic world of the show. Even the supporting characters felt lived in, giving personality and purpose to every entrance. The direction by Bill Anderson Jr. and the blocking made every murder land with impact and every transition feel cinematic. And there was lots of murder.
The orchestra sounded perfectly controlled. Having the pit tucked beneath the stage creates such a natural blend that I’d bet there were audience members who didn’t even realize the music was being performed live. That’s the kind of detail you only notice because everything is working so well.
A special thank you to the box office staff, who were incredibly accommodating and helpful. They rushed us inside, found us seats during a completely sold out performance, and made what could have been a stressful start feel effortless.
There are simply too many people to praise when a production like this goes so right. But I think for everyone involved, and everyone lucky enough to be in that room, seeing the execution of it was probably all the reward they needed.
If you were there, you know.
You know the work it took to build that set, engineer that turntable, hang those lights, rehearse that choreography, learn that music, memorize those lines, and trust everyone around you to pull it off.
An incredible feat.
Bay City Players truly has something special going on. And so does our local theatre community at large.
Go see a play.
Better yet, become friends with a theatre kid.
They might just revolutionize your life.