“Madness is the cruelest prison,” says Dr. Henry Jekyll during a visit with his father in a London asylum.

Little did the good doctor know that he would soon sentence himself to the mad darkness of his very own “cell.”

The 11th collaboration between Heartwood Regional Theater Company and Lincoln Academy is the dark and juicy offering — “Jekyll & Hyde The Musical.”

Heartwood artistic director and Lincoln Academy drama teacher Griff Braley directs the show.

In the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story, Dr. Jekyll vows to find a way to separate the evil from the good in man because he believed his father's mental illness was caused by the evil in his soul. The only way to do it is to find a human volunteer to conduct his research on.

He proposes his theory and research project to the board of directors at St. Jude's Hospital, but they refuse rather than support his proposal. One of the directors asks, “Where would the evil go?”

Excellent question. The answer to which is discovered by Jekyll himself when he decides to be his “volunteer.” He downs a glass of a special chemical concoction and finds himself writhing in pain. But when the pain passes, it takes his Jekyll personality with it. The persona that emerges is, shall we say, dark in nature? This persona becomes Mr. Edward Hyde.

As Hyde, he kills off the board of directors one by one — starting with the lascivious Bishop of Basingstoke, a man even the townspeople can't spare a tear for.

As Jekyll realizes he is losing control of when Hyde “comes out,” he fears his own death; fears and, at moments, desires it.

The madness, the darkness is no stranger to him now.

The all drama student cast does an outstanding job with this piece. Keep your eye on Sam Bailey playing the good Dr. Jekyll and evil-riddled Mr. Hyde who does one hell of a job tackling this challenging role.

His tenderness toward fiancée Emma Carew is as believably conveyed as his appetite for revenge and killing as Hyde. The song “Confrontation,” in which his two, now split personalities fight over dominance, is well done, Bailey changing between personae with the lyrics.

Rowan Carroll-Christopher as Lucy Harris, the prostitute that catches both Jekyll and Hyde's eye, is impeccable. This young lady is extremely talented and has the most beautiful voice. She has the gift of being able to communicate deep emotion, whether she is singing or speaking.

Her duet with Bailey, “Dangerous Game,” made me burst out in applause.

Braedon Waddell as John Utterson, Jekyll's close friend and attorney, does a terrific job right down to the accent. Addie Vermilion, as Jekyll's fiancee Emma, is the picture of a very young woman in love. Her devotion to Jekyll shines through and their duet in “Just As I Am,” is fabulous.

Vermilion's duet with Carroll-Christopher, “In His Eyes,” in which both women express their feelings for Jekyll is well done.

Men Han-Lalime, is delightful in her portrayal of the provocative Guinevere, the German proprietress of the Red Rat. Her song, “Good and Evil” is delivered with just the right amount of satisfaction over a life spent embracing evil.

The ensemble numbers are right on, as actors move about the set designed by Braley and created by Heartwood Technical Director Tish Munson. The minimalist set consists of two winding staircases on either side, sliding screened partitions and furniture moved about by the ensemble players.

This classic Robert Louis Stevenson tale is complemented by a wicked good musical score; alternately thrilling and tender.

Music conductor Sean Fleming and his talented musicians, Chuck McGregor on bass, Kitty Breskin on horn, Quinn Gormley, percussionist, Nan White on alto flute and flute, Hugh Maynard on English horn and oboe, and Judy Falconer, alto sax, bass, clarinet and bass clarinet, are staged on the third tier of the set behind a screen.

Add in the costumes, by Paulette Carter of Boothbay, and audiences will be swept back in time to late 19th century London.

So, come on — take a walk on the dark side. Show dates for this production of “Jekyll & Hyde The Musical” are: Oct. 30, 31; Nov. 1, 6-8 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 2 at 3 p.m. For tickets and reservations, call 207-563-1373 or info@heartwoodtheater.org (not Lincoln Academy).

Shows for this Heartwood/Lincoln Academy production are at the Poe Theater, 81 Academy Hill Road in Newcastle.