“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” Opens October 31st

rot1Memorial Opera House brings to the stage the dark, sinister and musical comedy -- “The Mystery Of Edwin Drood” -- a novel by the great Charles Dickens that was left unfinished due to his death in 1870.

The show is staged as a play-within-a-play, with each performer portraying a fictional English actor who, in turn, portrays a Dickens character. Set in the style of a Victorian music hall, The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a meta-theatrical event that invites the audience to participate by singing, clapping and interacting with the actors, culminating in an audience vote for the show’s ending, since Dickens died before having a chance to write an ending of his own for this masterpiece.

Though the novel is named after the character Edwin Drood, the story focuses mostly on Drood's uncle John Jasper, who by all appearances is a respected choirmaster leading a quiet life in the small village of Cloisterham. But the serenity is pierced by Jasper's opium-fueled dreams, surreal fantasies, and his obsession with his nephew Edwin Drood's fiancée, Rosa Bud. After the handsome and cheerful Drood arrives for a visit with Rosa Bud, Jasper's longings are slowly and unnervingly revealed as Rosa comes to loathe her music master.

Among the songs featured in this production are "Moonfall," "The Wages of Sin," "No Good Can Come From Bad" and "Out on a Limerick.”

Performances: Fridays -- October 31, November 7 and 14 / Saturdays -- November 1, 8, and 15, / Sundays -- November 2, 9, and 16. Performances are 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00 p.m. Sundays. Performances run approximately 2.5 hours, including a 15 minute intermission

TICKETS: Adults $21, seniors (57+) $18, students and military (with valid ID) $18. Group rates are available by contacting the Memorial Opera House box office at (219) 548-9137.

The Memorial Opera House in downtown Valparaiso at 104 East Indiana Avenue has stood as a beacon for the Arts for 120 years and is a regional treasure. Learn more by visiting our website: www.memorialoperahouse.com.