The Mystery of Edwin Drood is the last piece of literature written by Charles Dickens. However, as he was composing the novel, Dickens died, so the mystery on which the novel is based was never solved. The novel is set in England, and the plot surrounds the disappearance of Edwin Drood, a citizen of Cloisterham. Because of the script’s unfinished ending, the musical is very interactive with the audience. Mountai
n Lakes High School produced an amazing rendition involving audience input at major decisions such as the choosing of the murderer and a detective named Dick Datchery.
The musical opens with John Jasper (Quinn Michaels ’17), Edwin Drood’s uncle, in an opium den. Then, the audience meets Edwin Drood (Erin Bender ’17) who is betrothed to Rosa Budd (Juliet Hounsell ’18), a music student and romantic obsession of Mr. Jasper. The dynamic between these three is interrupted by the arrival of Neville Landless (Sean Ruddy ’17), Helena Landless (Nicole Giordano ’18), and Reverend Crisparkle (Ronald Mucci ’17). Conflicts surrounding nationality and class escalate until, on Christmas Eve, Edwin Drood vanishes. Most likely, he has been murdered, which the cast confirms cheerfully with an on-stage vote.
It was at this point in the musical that Charles Dickens died. As a result, the audience must solve the mystery. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the musical for most is deciding the murderer. To decide, cast members flowed off stage to collect votes from the audience. Even though John Jasper is the obvious choice (beca
use Drood is betrothed to the object of Jasper’s affections) the audience chose a different ending for all three performances. Rosa Budd was chosen the first night, with Helena Landless and Durdles chosen for the performances on Saturday.
By the end of the play, a happy ending seems due. So, the audience also voted by applause for a man and woman to fall in love. The most surprising twist came in the last performance, when the audience (disturbingly) voted for the Landless siblings to fall in love. All three performances were beautifully executed with flawless singing from the cast, immaculate playing by the pit orchestra, and the meticulousness of the stage crew. Congratulations and thank you for a fantastic production to everyone involved in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
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