The School of Theatre Arts will run their production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood from Nov. 20 to Nov. 24.
Based on Charles Dickens’ unfinished novel of the same name, the musical was adapted by Rupert Holmes, of “Escape (the Pina Colada Song” fame, and first premiered on Broadway in 1985.
The show is well known not only for its unusual plot structure but also for its playful and interactive elements, creating a. theatrical experience that engages the audience in deterimining the outcome of the story.
The original novel was left incomplete at the time of Dickens’ death in 1870, making the identity of Edwin Drood’s murder a tantalizing mystery.
Holmes’ musical takes this unfinished narrative and spins it into a theatrical spectacle that allows the audience to have a say in how the story ends.
“This show is super fun to be a part of because it’s not your typical musical,” Daniel Porea, who is playing the Rev. Crisparkle, said.
“it keeps the players and audience on their toes with moments of improv and audience participation.”
In essence, the musical offers multiple possible outcomes, depending on audience votes, adding an interactive and dynamic element that sets it apart from more traditional musicals.
Set in a fictional Victorian-era English music hall, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” introduces the audience to a colorful array of characters, most of whom are involved in the mysterious disappearance of the young Edwin Drood.
the story centers on Drood’s disappearance, which occurs under suspicious circumstances. The characters – including Drood’s romantic interest, Rosa Bud, and his uncle, the sinister John Jasper – are embroiled in a web of potential motives, dark secrets and romantic entanglements.
What makes the show distinctive is its approach to the resolution of the mystery. Since Dickens’ novel was never completed, Holmes took it upon himself to write several different endings for the show, with the conclusion decided by audience voting.
As a result, the mystery can end in a variety of ways, with different characters being revealed as the murderer or the victim. This interactive storytelling element adds a level of unpredictability and excitement to each performance, as no two shows may end the same way.
“The ending changes every time with no two shows being the same,” Porea said. “The only way to know how it ends is by being there.”