The Mystery of Edwin Drood, written by Charles Dickens, was originally a novel. Unfortunately, Dickens died before he could finish the book, leaving the ending to this story unknown.
Taking inspiration from the mystery, playwright Rupert Holmes crafted his own genre where audience members would have the opportunity to vote on how they would like to see the story end. They will choose who they think the murderer is, who they think the detective is and finally, they will choose a romantic couple to pair up.
I asked several actors from the Old Lyric Repertory Company if there was any way the actors could campaign for votes.
“Oh yeah, absolutely!” Richie Call said.
“The whole show!” Lacy J. Dunn said.
“From the time you enter the theatre we’re going to be lobbying for your votes,” Stephen Humes said.
The moment audience members enter the Caine Lyric Theatre to see the show, they will be transported back to a Victorian-era, Vaudeville theatre called ‘Music Hall Royale.’ Suddenly, the audience themselves become members of the cast.
Chris Klinger is an actor from New Jersey. In the show he plays the character Cedric Moncrief. Moncrief, in turn, is an actor who plays the Reverand Crisparkle.
“You have one role for one show but it’s actually two completely different roles. So that’s been great,” Klinger said.
The result is an inception-like, musical within a musical.
“The whole entire show is based on dualities,” Klinger said.
With so many options for endings, the show will likely never be performed the same way twice for the duration of the run.
Peter Surace is a native of Scotch Plains, New Jersey whose actor plays the villainous character John Jasper.
The last part that makes a show have a heartbeat is the audience. It gives life to the production. I feel like this show is truly a love letter to everything the audience does for the theatre.
"The last part that makes a show have a heartbeat is the audience. It gives life to the production. I feel like this show is truly a love letter to everything the audience does for the theatre," Surace said.
The show opened last week and will run through August 1. More information about this and other shows can be found on their website.