Calvin Theatre Company's 80th season opening production is Rupert Holmes' musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' unfinished novel "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" (Drood). Directed by professor of communication arts and sciences Debra Freeberg and music directed by professor of music Charsie Sawyer, "Drood" features multiple possible endings which will be determined by audience vote at each performance.
"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" first debuted in August 1985 at the New York Shakespeare Festival and was subsequently transferred to Broadway where it ran until May 1987. It was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and won five of them in 1986, including the Tony "Triple Crown" (Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score.) This fall, The Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City will bring this musical back to Broadway for the first time since 1987.
This musical is set in a Victorian-era music hall where fictional performers play Dickens' characters, creating a play within a play. The story is named after the character Edwin Drood (Emily Diener), but focuses on Drood's uncle, Choirmaster John Jasper (Dan VandeBunte), who is in love with his pupil, Rosa Bud (Kelsey Blodgett). Miss Bud is Drood's fiancee who has also caught the eye of the high spirited and hot-tempered Neville Landless (Tim Lim), who comes from Ceylon with his sister, Helena (Victoria Reese). Landless and Drood take an instant dislike to one another. The novel ends with Drood mysteriously disappearing. Is Drood dead, has he run away, what has happened? At the end of the musical, the Chairman (Brian Alford) facilitates the audience's vote on who of the multiple suspects are guilty, thus creating an ending to Dickens' unfinished work.
Calvin Theatre Company's production of "Drood" features scenic design by David J. Leugs, costume design by Amanda Ytzen, lighting design by Steve Haase, and choreography by Ellen Van't Hof and Tim Lim. Tickets are available at the Covenant Fine Arts Center Box Office in person, by phone at 616-526-6282 or online at http://www.calvin.edu/boxoffice/tickets/
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on November 1-3 and 8-10 in the Calvin Gezon Auditorium.
For more information, contact Joy-Elizabeth Lawrence at jfl4@calvin.edu or at 616-526-7823.
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Received on Thu Sep 27 09:06:36 2012
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