EDGE on the Net

With a new national tour starting with hopes of revisiting the Great White Way, composer Frank Wildhorn and Broadway Records have put together a new concept recording of the Wildhorn / Leslie Bricusse ("Stop The World - I Want To Get Off," "Victor/Victoria," "Scrooge") musical, "Jekyll & Hyde," featuring "American Idol" finalist Constantine Maroulis in the title role(s), R&B singer Deborah Cox ("Aida") as Lucy, and Teal Wicks as Emma.

This is the fifth recording made of Wildhorn’s take on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic about the doctor who turns himself into an evil alter ego. Whether it is the best of them will be left to the fans of the show, which ran on Broadway for almost four years beginning in 1997, and starred Robert Cuccioli in the title role. Maroulis is a brooding performer who has accumulated several Broadway credits since his year on "Idol," including roles in "Rock of Ages" and "The Wedding Singer," and brings a rocker sound to the lead role, similar to the portrayal given by Sebastian Bach as opposed to Cuccioli or the original "concept" recording starring Colm Wilkinson.

Cox and Wicks provide soulful takes on the now-standard ballads from the score, including "Someone Like You," "A New Life," (both by Cox) and "Once Upon a Dream" (Wicks), while Maroulis handles the frequently covered, "This is the Moment." These versions may whet the appetite of the diehard fans, but their renditions won’t create any converts.

Wildhorn’s pop background (he penned the Whitney Houston hit, "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?" before turning to Broadway), has allowed him the freedom to bring his "Webber-lite" sounds to Broadway audiences with varying degrees of success. His latest works, "Wonderland" and "Bonnie and Clyde," were under-achievers, but don’t expect his brand to exit anytime soon.

"Jekyll & Hyde: 2012 Concept Recording"
Constantine Maroulis / Deborah Cox / Frank Wildhorn
CD and iTunes
Broadway Records