The Ohio State Department of Theatre and the School of Music’s opera program are joining forces to present a “frothy Victorian romp” – the solve-it-yourself Broadway  musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  The full-scale musical whodunit will be staged November 7-11 in Thurber Theatre, Drake Performance and Event Center, 1849 Cannon Drive.

The play, written by Rupert Holmes, is based on an unfinished Charles Dickens novel.  The bawdy but good-natured work will be directed and conducted by A. Scott Parry, head of the opera program, and will be choreographed by Susan Hadley, Department of Dance.  Graduate student theatre designers will take on set, costume, and lighting responsibilities.

“Drood is the only show I know that asks the audience to vote on how they want it to end,” said Parry. ”Who will be the guilty murderer?  Who will sing the lovers’ duet?  Who will solve the mystery?  No one knows, not even me, until the audience has its say each and every night.”

The story revolves around John Jasper, a Jekyll-and-Hyde choirmaster who is madly in love with his music student, the fair Miss Rosa Bud.  She is, in turn, engaged to Jasper’s nephew, young Edwin Drood.  Our title character disappears mysteriously one stormy Christmas Eve.  But has Edwin Drood been murdered?  And if so, by whom?  Musical numbers include "The Wages of Sin," "Perfect Strangers," "Both Sides of the Coin," "Don’t Quit While You’re Ahead," and "Moonfall."

The Ohio State collaborative production coincides with the first Broadway revival of Drood that opens this fall in New York, having not been performed there since its Tony Award-winning premiere run in 1986.

Dates
Wed. Nov. 7 - Fri. Nov. 9 at 7:30 pm
Sat. Nov. 10 at 3 pm and 7:30 pm
Sun. Nov. 11 at 3 pm

Location
Thurber Theatre, Drake Performance and Event Center, 1849 Cannon Drive

Tickets
$25 general public; $20 Ohio State faculty, staff, Alumni Association members, and senior citizens; $15 students

Ticket Box Office
(614) 292-2295 or theatre.osu.edu/tickets

Cast
Mr. William Cartwright, Chairman of the Music Hall Royale - John Connor; Mr. James Throttle, Stage Manager of the Music Hall Royale - Tom McKinney; Mr. Thomas Purcell, Maestro of the Music Hall Royale - A. Scott Parry; John Jasper/Mr. Clive Paget - Sifiso Mazibuko; Edwin Drood/Miss Alice Nutting - Logan Rathmann; Rosa Bud / Miss Deirdre Peregrine - Cristina Castro and Kristen Kurivial; The Princess Puffer/Miss Angela Prysock - Melonie Mazibuko; Neville Landless/Mr. Victor Grinstead - Jonathan Mendes; Helena Landless/Miss Janet Conover - Jessica Hirsh; The Reverend Crisparkle/Mr. Cedric Moncrieffe - Danny DiMarino; Bazzard/Mr. Philip Bax - Drew Doherty; Durdles/Mr. Nick Cricker - Caleb Inboden; Deputy/Master Nick Cricker - Roxanne Knepp; Citizens of Cloisterham (Ensemble) - Ashton Brammer, Michael Carozza, Emily Colizoli, Joshua Cook, Jennifer McMullen, Lance McPherson, Ellie Rogers, Elisabeth Rogge, Rebekah Vouis, Colton Weiss, Mia Widjaja, Mike Writtenberry.