Audience participation is not only expected as Burrell High School presents “The Mystery of Edward Drood,” it’s required says Burrell musical director Martin Connolly.
“The audience gets to vote and decide who the murderer is at the end of the show,” Connolly says. “And then based on that we will end the show on how the audience dictates it should be ended.”
The show is loosely based on the unfinished Charles Dickens novel of the same name and was the first Broadway musical to debut with multiple endings, earning a Tony Award for Best Musical in 1986.
Look for a funny interactive mystery whodunit set in Chesterham, England, during the late 1800’s.
Presented as a “first night performance by The Music Hall Royale,” students are portraying a troupe of British Victorian actors.
The principal actors play two parts, and Ashley Roberts portrays three lead characters: Edwin Drood, Alice Nutting and Dick Datcheryt.
“I am playing a man and a woman. It’s difficult to act like a man because of the mannerisms and I have to pay attention to who I am playing. I like the fact that even though it’s a murder/mystery it is funny and silly.”
And the entire cast employs British accents.
“We performed “The Chronicles of Narnia” in the past, so that helped me get my British accent down,” Roberts says.
Other lead roles include: Nick Grabigel as Chairman/Mayor Sapsea, Alex Capsambelis as Jon Jasper/Clive Paget, Hannah Koziarski as Rosa/Bud and Deirdre Peregrine, Maddie Thompson as Helena/Janet Conover, Michael Fiorina as Neville/Victor Grinstead, Kelci Sopko as Princess Puffer/Angela Prysock, Jordan Wojtczak as Crisparkle/Cedric Moncrieffe, Cade Montgomery as Mr. Bazzard/Phillip Bax and Michael Swanger as Durdles/Nick Cricker Sr.
The show will be performed at 7:30 p.m. April 4-6 at the high school auditorium. Details: onthestage.com
