 THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD
A Musical in 2 Acts, 12 Scenes. Book, music and lyrics by Rupert
Holmes. Suggested by the unfinished novel of the same name by Charles
Dickens.
0riginally produced Off-Broadway 4 August 1985 at the Delacorte Theatre,
Central Park, for 27 performances. Late in the Broadway run the title
of the show was altered to DROOD.
Original Broadway production produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival,
Joseph Papp Producer. Winner of 5 Tony Awards Including Best Musical Imperial Theatre, Broadway 2 December, 1985 - (608 perfs)
Savoy Theatre, London 7 May, 1987
Directed by Wilford Leach.
Choreography by Graciela Daniele.
Scenery by Bob
Shaw.
Costumes by Lindsay W. Davis.
Lighting by Paul Gallo.
Sound by Tom
Morse.
Magic lantern projections by James Cochrane.
Orchestrations by Rupert
Holmes. Musical direction by Michael Starobin.
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This hilarious musical whodunit was a smash hit on Broadway
where it received rave reviews. Loosely based on Charles Dickens' famous
unfinished novel, it takes audience participation to new heights by letting
them directly effect the play's outcome by voting for whomever they think
murdered the unfortunate young Edwin Drood. Presented as a 'first night
performance by The Music Hall Royale', a troupe of decidedly hammy Victorian
actors, this affectionate recreation of a bygone theatrical age is certain
to prove an enormous hit with everyone. The witty and tuneful score contains
such numbers as "There You Are", "Moonfall", Perfect Strangers" and "Off
To The Races".
Cast: 6 female, 9 male
ORIGINAL CAST (in order of appearance):
Mayor Thomas Sapsea/Mr. William Cartwright, Your Chairman: GEORGE
ROSE.
Stage Manager and Barkeep/Mr. James Throttle: Peter McRobbie.
John Jasper/Mr. Clive Paget: HOWARD MCGILLIN.
The Reverend Crisparkle/Mr. Cedric Moncriede: GEORGE N. MARTIN.
Edwin Drood/Miss Alice Nutting: BETTY BUCKLEY.
Rosa Bud/Miss Deidre Peregrine: PATTI COHENOUR.
Alice/Miss Isabel Yearsley: Judy Kuhn.
Beatrice/Miss Florence Gill: Donna Murphy.
Helena Landless/Miss Janet Conover: JANA SCHNEIDER.
Neville Landless/Mr. Victor Grinstead: JOHN HERRERA.
Durdles/Mr. Nick Cricker: JEROME DEMPSEY.
Deputy/Master Nick Cricker: STEPHEN GLAVIN.
The Princess Puffer/Miss Angela Prysock: CLEO LAINE.
Shade of Jasper/Mr. Harry Sayle: Nicholas Gunn.
Shade of Drood/Mr. Montague Pruitt: Brad Miskell.
Clients of Princess Puffer (2): Mr. Alan Eliot: Herndon Lackey.
Mr. Christopher Lyon: Rob Marshall.
Succubae (4): Miss Gwendolyn Pynn: Francine Landes.
Miss Sarah Cook: Karen Giombetti.
Miss Florence Gill: Donna Murphy.
Miss Isabel Yearsley: Judy Kuhn.
Satyr/Master Nick Cricker: STEPHEN GLAVIN.
Servants (3): Mr. Philip Box: JOE GRIFASI.
Miss Violet Balfour: Susan Goodman.
Miss Gwendolen Pynn: Francine Landes.
Harold/Mr. lames Throttle: Peter McRobbie.
Julian/Mr. Alan Eliot: Herndon Lackey.
Horace/Mr. Brian Pankhurst: Charles Goff.
Bazzard/Mr. Philip Bax: JOE GRIFASI.
Citizens of Cloisterham: Karen Giombetti, Charles Goff, Susan Goodman,
Nicholas Gunn, Judy Kuhn, Herndon Lackey, Francine Landes, Rob Marshall,
Peter McRobbie, Brad Miskell, Donna Murphy, Joe Pichette.
Instrumentation:
Reed I (piccolo/flute/clarinet), Reed II (oboe/cor
anglais/clarinet), Reed III (flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet),
Reed IV (bassoon), 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, drums, percussion,
Keyboard I (piano/synth), Keyboard II (synth), Keyboard III (synth),
3 violins, 2 cellos, bass
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Musical Numbers
ACT 1
- "There You Are" - Chairman, Company
- "A Man Could Go Quite Mad" - Jasper/Paget
- "Two Kinsmen" - B. Buckley, Jasper/Paget
- "Moonfall" - Rosa Bud/Deirdre Peregrine
- "Moonfall" (reprise) - Rosa Bud/Deirdre Peregrine, Helena
Landless/Janet Conover, Alice/Isabel, Beatrice/Florence
- "The Wages of Sin" - C. Lame
- "Jasper's Vision" - N. Gunn, B. Miskell, Succubae, S. Glavin
- "Ceylon" - B. Buckley, Rosa Bud/Deirdre Peregrine, Helena
Landless/Janet Conover, J. Herrera, Ensemble
- "Both Sides of the Coin" - Jasper/Paget, Chairman, Ensemble
- "Perfect Strangers" - B. Buckley, Rosa Bud/Deirdre Peregrine
- "No Good Can Come from Bad" - J. Herrera, B. Buckley, Rosa
Bud/Deirdre Peregrine, Helena Landless/Janet Conover, G. N. Martin,
Jasper/Paget, J. Grifasi
- "The Name of Love"/"Moonfall" (reprise) - Rosa
Bud/Deirdre Peregrine, Jasper/Paget, Ensemble
ACT 2
- "Settling Up the Score" - Dick Datchery, C. Laine, Ensemble
- "Off to the Races" - Chairman, J. Dempsey, S. Glavin, Ensemble
- "Don't Quit While You're Ahead" - C. Laine, Company
- (The Voting: "Settling Up the Score" reprise) - Company
- "The Garden Path to Hell" - C. Laine
- ("The Solution") - Entire Company
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Scenes and Settings
The action takes place at the Music Hall Royale this evening. Opening
comments by Your Chairman, Mr. William Cartwright, immediately followed
by the Music Hall Royale's presentation of "The Mystery of Edwin
Drood."
Act 1: The Situation.
- Scene 1: The home of John Jasper at Minor Canon Corner in the cathedral
city of Cloisterham, (England). A morning in late December.
- Scene 2: The conservatory at the Nun's House, a seminary for young
women in Cloisterham High Street. Later that morning.
- Scene 3: Cloisterham High Street, outside the residence of Mayor Thomas
Sapsea. The following afternoon.
- Scene 4: The opium den of Princess Puffer in the East End of London.
Dawn, the next day.
- Scene 5: Cloisterham High Street. That afternoon.
- Scene 6: The crypts of Cloisterham Cathedral. Late that night.
- Scene 7: The ruins of Cloisterham. Christmas Eve.
- Scene 8: The home of John Jasper. A short time later.
- Scene 9: Minor Canon Corner. Christmas day and night.
Act 2: The Sleuths.
- Scene I: Cloisterham Station. Six months later.
- Scene 2: Cloisterham High Street.
- Scene 3: The Voting; the Solution.
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