“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” will be presented at The Hudson School Performance Space, 601 Park Ave., Hoboken, on Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 9-11 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 11 and 12 at 2:30 p.m.
The year is 1892. The Music Hall Royale in London (a hilariously loony theatrical troupe) presents the premiere performance of a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ unfinished novel, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” Only one problem: since it’s unfinished, no one knows how it’s supposed to end!
Drood vanishes, and leaves behind only one clue: a bloody and torn coat. But is he dead or just missing? The solution: after taking a hilarious and brilliant musical ride with the strange and artfully conceived Dickens characters, and after meeting all the potential suspects in Drood’s mysterious disappearance, the audience votes on who (they think most likely) dunit. So many possibilities! Each performance will have a different ending, based on the audience’s vote.
Directed and choreographed by Adam Sentoni, the cast includes, from Hoboken: Woody Proctor, playing the Jekyll/Hyde choirmaster, John Jasper; Sierra Shade Holland in the title role of Edwin Drood; Robert Stark plays the man of secrets, Reverend Crisparkle; Melanie Capruso, the saucy street tough known simply as Deputy; and Hudson School alumnus Jake Ohring playing the drunken Cockney comedian, Durdles.
Anschel Schaffer-Cohen and Crystal Alicea, both from Jersey City, play the chairman of the Music Hall Royale, and Beatrice. Pooja Desai, of Secaucus, plays Helena Landless, the psychic Ceylonese immigrant with a geographically untraceable accent.
Noah Keyishian, from Bloomfield, plays Neville Landless, the cocky, extravagant twin of Helena. From Montclair: Samantha Stein plays Wendy; Ryan Parker takes on the famously underappreciated role of Bazzard; Carrie Lane Pearlman plays the wise and wisecracking opium den owner, Princess Puffer; and Halley Furlong-Mitchell plays Rosa Bud, the ingénue with the soul of a sharpened knife.
The original Broadway production was nominated for nine Tony Awards, and won for Best Musical Score, Best Book, Leading Actor, Director and Best Musical of 1986.
The Hudson School, a small, independent school for grades 5-12 accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, was founded in 1978 by Suellen Newman. A community of scholars, it offers academically motivated and creative children a rigorous and broad college-preparatory curriculum with strong emphasis on the arts.
Tickets are $15.00/$10.00 for students/seniors. For tickets and reservations, contact Anne-Marie Marcazzo at (201)659-8335 ext. 317. For information about the admissions process, please contact Mrs. Newman, founder and director, at (201)659-8335 ext. 107.
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