Stephanie J. Block, Chita Rivera and Will Chase star in the Roundabout Theatre Company Revival.
Drood first premiered as part of Shakespeare in the Park in 1985. The celebrated production, stuffed with chamber pieces and English Music Hall-style songs, transferred to Broadway and picked up Tony Awards for Best Book, Best Score and Best Musical. Holmes (Curtains, Say Goodnight Gracie, The Nutty Professor, "Remember WENN") wrote the book, music and lyrics.
Scott Ellis (Harvey, Twelve Angry Men) directs The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which officially opens Nov. 13. Drood has choreography by Warren Carlyle (Finian's Rainbow, Chaplin) and music direction by Paul Gemignani. The score features such songs as "Moonfall," "The Writing On the Wall," "Perfect Strangers, "The Wages of Sin" and "Two Kinsman." The musical allows audiences to take part in the action with a choose-your-own-adventure style ending where they vote on which character murders Drood. Holmes has penned multiple endings, confessional songs and plot twists for Drood, which keeps its actors on their toes.
Stephanie J. Block (Anything Goes, Wicked, The Pirate Queen) stars as Drood. The casting of a woman in the central role is in step with English Music Hall tradition of casting a celebrated actress in the role of a young man. Betty Buckley originated the role in 1985.
Adding to the duality of the work is that Drood is set up as a show-within-a-show where a troupe of music hall performers set out to drum up business by enacting Dickens' unfinished work for audiences live on stage.
The cast of possible suspects and shadowy characters include Tony winner Chita Rivera (The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman) as Princess Puffer, Tony winner Jim Norton (The Seafarer) as Chairman, Will Chase ("Smash") as John Jasper, Gregg Edelman (City of Angels) as Reverend Mr. Crisparkle, 2012 Tony nominee Jessie Mueller (On a Clear Day…) as Helena Landless, Betsy Wolfe (Encores! Merrily We Roll Along) as Rosa Bud, Andy Karl (Legally Blonde the Musical) as Neville Landless, Nicholas Barasch as Deputy, Peter Benson (Wonderful Town, Harvey) as Bazzard, Robert Creighton (Anything Goes) as Durdles, Alison Cimmet (Baby It's You!), Jim Walton (Guys and Dolls, Merrily We Roll Along), Nick Corley, Justin Greer, Shannon Lewis, Kiira Schmidt, Eric Sciotto, Janine DiVita, Jenifer Foote and Spencer Plachy.
"Who killed Edwin Drood?" Roundabout asks. "It's a question that has stumped audiences for years — now it's your turn to answer one of Broadway's most baffling mysteries. Take a trip back in time to a Victorian music hall where a rowdy ensemble of actors mounts a staging of Charles Dickens' unfinished novel. Everyone on stage is a suspect in the murder of young Edwin Drood — and it's up to you to choose the killer! Is it John Jasper, Edwin's protective but slightly maniacal uncle? Rosa Bud, his reluctant betrothed? The debauched Princess Puffer? Each performance ends differently, depending on what the audience decides!"
The design team includes Anna Louizos (sets), William Ivey Long (costumes), Brian Nason (lighting) and Tony Meola (sound).
Tickets are available by calling Roundabout Ticket Services at (212) 719-1300, going online at roundabouttheatre.org or at the Studio 54 box office (254 West 54th Street). Ticket prices range from $42-$137.
