The final issue of our second year contained interviews with Jekyll & Hyde's Sharon Brown and Brian Noonan, and Scarlet Pimpernel's Nan Knighton and Carolee Carmello. The issue also included a fan review of the Civil War tour, our prior interviewees' predictions about the future of Broadway, and all the usual stuff. Here are some excerpts:

Sharon Brown as Lucy by Carol Rosegg

We asked Sharon Brown, who played Lucy in the Jekyll & Hyde national tour, if there were any Frank Wildhorn songs that she didn't sing that she would like to.

I'm sure it's something I haven't even heard yet. Although, there is one song I absolutely can't sing because it's written for a man to sing to a woman: "Sarah," from Civil War. If that was just, you know, not so gender-specific--oh my God, that's a gorgeous song. I would love that. I actually really, really love that song a lot. And I'm sure he's written things like that women could sing, that I just don't know about. The cool thing about Jekyll & Hyde is I'm actually singing all the songs I want to sing. I mean, sometimes you're in a musical and you can't necessarily say that. You may have really great songs, but you're like, "Ooooh, I love that one too." But actually, I'm really singing everything that I want to sing, which is terrific--because, you know, it's eight shows a week. And I never miss a show. So it's important to really like the material, so that every single performance, you're actually telling that story. 'Cause, I mean, he's known for his music, and yes, we are singing big huge ballads; but, for me, I can never approach a musical from the "song" point of view, I always have to approach it from the actress's point of view. So, the good thing about liking the music I'm doing here is that I can actually go to that place, every single show, of realism. Because, yes, she is singing a big song, but from an actress's point of view, it's a monologue. And that's how you have to think of it, as she's speaking. I remember Herbert Berghoff, who I studied with for a little while, used to say that, when you're doing a musical as an actress, the song should come because there's nothing else to say. It's beautiful, and it's very true.

Nan Knighton wrote the lyrics and book for Scarlet Pimpernel. We asked her how she envisioned the role of Percy in her mind.

Nan Knighton headshot Photo by Stephen Mosher

That's interesting. Probably somewhere between Ron Bohmer and Douglas Sills. There was an actor named Greg Zerkle who played it in the original readings and the original workshop, who was very, very close, probably, to the way I had imagined it in my own mind--which was very funny in the funny scenes, and reverting very quickly to the heroism and everything. And the thing was, when Douglas stepped into it, Douglas was so hysterically funny, that you couldn't not take advantage of that. You had to take advantage of that. I find that very true with everything that I do in the theatre. You start off with a role a certain way, and then when you see what the actor brings to it during the rehearsal process, you often start modifying the character to mesh even better with the actor. And God knows that was true in Douglas's case. Even to the extent that I started letting him add his own lines here and there. [Laughter.] I mean, you'd have to be stupid not to want to do that. I mean, if Douglas did a great ad lib, and we all loved it, I would say, "Yeah, keep it. Put it in." And there were also times when I would say, "Nope. Take it out." You have to watch that very carefully, but it's always interesting to see what different actors bring to a role.

Brian Noonan was the alternate Jekyll/Hyde on the national tour. Jekyll sang "I Need to Know" in the tour, although the song was cut from the Broadway production. We asked Brian if he thought the addition of the song changed Jekyll's motivation.

I think it enhances it. I think that Rob [Evan] does a great job in really bringing out the passion in the beginning. He really excites you in "Board of Governors." But I think this is a catalyst. "I Need to Know" just says, "This is what I want to do. This is why. Here's my father. This is what I want to do. This is what I was explaining to Danvers. I really, truly care. And I'm gonna put my career on the line for this purpose." And he also knows, in a way, that, as medicine goes at that time, any diseases are hereditary. And boy, if my father's got it, I know I don't want to get it. And I think that it's important for me to find a cure, not only for my father and mankind, but for myself, as well. I think it sets a great, great setting for the show, and I think it really propels the audience to understand what's going on.

Do you think of Jekyll's passion as a flaw in the character that leads to his downfall?

I don't know if it's necessarily his passion. I think his drive gets a little out of-- He becomes so one-sided that he doesn't allow himself to really hear all the opinions and hear everyone's input. He's so focussed on doing this that he ignores, maybe, a rational voice, of Emma, of Danvers. Danvers really likes him, you know. Danvers wants him to succeed. Not only just because he's going to be his son-in-law, but that he sees that this doctor has got potential, but that if he doesn't quite take a look at the whole picture, he can get a little out of control, and that's what happens. I think he does. I wonder if it's the passion or not; I think maybe it's his drive. He's so one-tracked.

Carolee Carmello with the "bubble gum" wig Photo by Wildhorn Side

Before Carolee Carmello played Marguerite in the Broadway production of Scarlet Pimpernel, she played Lisa (now Emma) on the Jekyll & Hyde Complete Work recording. She told us about this, her first experience working with Frank Wildhorn.

I was trying to think of where I actually met him. I think I met him at an audition, a couple years before that album, and I forget what it was even an audition for. It might have been for a reading of The Scarlet Pimpernel, but I can't remember exactly. Then out of the blue, he called me to do this album out in LA. I live here in New York, and he was like, "Come on out. I really want you to do this album." "Really? Me?" I didn't think he would remember me, because we'd really only met at one audition; I'd never worked with him. And, he was great. He's a very loyal composer. He's very loyal to the people that he really likes. It was a really nice experience. It was so different for me because he records albums like it's a pop album, not like it's a show. 'Cause when you're doing a show album, it usually only takes a day or two at the most. We did the Parade album in one day, and most other show albums I've done have been one day. But he records like he's doing an album for Barbra Streisand or something. And so he takes a lot of time, and he's very picky, and he gets exactly what he wants, and he finesses every single syllable. It was exhausting. I remember at one point just breaking down in tears in the middle of the recording session. It was two in the morning, and he's like, "That one syllable is flat." And I'm going, [sobbing] "I can't do it anymore. I can't." It was hard; it was hard work. Frank made me cry. [Laughter.] But, you know, it's a beautiful album, so it's worth it. He does a good job.

New! From Jekyll & Hyde in Germany--it's Jekyll & Hyde bread! Two loaves in one! Here, Carina Sandhaus (Lisa), Thomas Stockinger (bakery guy), Ethan Freeman (Jekyll/Hyde) and Christine Evers (Lucy) display a loaf.