The Mystery of Edwin Drood
at Woodgrove High School

Reviewed on April 23, 2016

Clara Poteet
Fairfax High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

The "Music Hall Royale" was filled with chattering British subjects, peals of laughter, and an air of apprehension during Woodgrove High School's production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Opening on Broadway in 1985, this Tony award winning whodunit musical is based on an unfinished work of the same name by Charles Dickens. It focuses on a young man, Edwin Drood, who mysteriously disappears one night, leaving behind his villainous and mustachioed uncle, reluctant fiancée, a furious foreigner, and a whole host of other colorful Cloisterham residents.

As Dickens was so rude as to die suddenly without completing the work, the audience gets to choose the murderer, with each actor persuasively arguing his or her own case. Actors frequently break the fourth wall, as part of the show within a show. The 1880s Music Hall Royale is staging the Mystery of Edwin Drood, which adds to the comedy, as the stage manager tries to drink away her troubles, the Chairman tries desperately to regain control, and the actress playing Edwin Drood huffs away in annoyance.

Woodgrove High School solidly and energetically performed this piece of literary and musical comedy.

Clare King (Edwin Drood) embraced her male alter ego with aplomb, swaggering across the stage and smirking provokingly at all the men unlucky in their pursuit of Drood's fiancée, Rosa Bud. Bud, played by Madeleine Goggin, at first seemed to be a typical beautiful soprano without much motivation, but was brought alive by Goggin, who played her to arouse suspicion.

The Chairman (Wyatt Ellerbeck), as the leader and narrator of the Music Hall Royale, did a wonderful job of grabbing the audience's attention, if not the cast he was trying to control. He hopped back and forth adeptly between Chairman and acting as the Mayor in his cast, donning a top hat and affected accent for the latter.

John Jasper, Drood's uncle, played by Dillon Douglasson, switched between charmingly sauntering across the stage and being overcome by opium-induced fits of rage, replete with muscle spasms. He also sported an impressive handlebar mustache, which he twirled menacingly.

The ensemble was energetic and performed believably both as disgruntled actors and excited, gossiping townspeople. Durdles (Sarah Rector) especially stood out as the alcoholic gravedigger for her slapstick humor, Cockney accent, and jolliness. The ensemble also maintained British accents throughout the show, even during the raucous musical numbers.

Although sometimes actors were left in the dark, the lighting was admirable and used well to simulate lightning during the stormy Christmas dinner from which Drood disappeared. The sound was clear throughout, even when Clare King was singing under a huge grey beard in disguise as Detective Datchery.

Charles Dickens would have been honored, if not a bit bewildered, to see his bleak, unfinished mystery turned into such a charming, vibrant musical comedy, performed with merriment at Woodgrove High School.

Hannah Warnick
Chantilly High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

With twists and turns around every corner, Woodgrove High School's production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood was a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood is based on Charles Dickens' final, unfinished novel. After Edwin Drood disappears under mysterious circumstances, the misfit cast of characters in the town of Cloisterham become prime suspects. The musical, originally referred to as Drood, was the first Broadway musical with multiple endings determined by audience vote. With music, lyrics, and book by Rupert Holmes, the musical won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Leading Actor. The show is staged as a musical within a musical, with the cast members entertaining audiences with their portrayal of members of the Music Hall Royale acting troupe, as well as characters in the story of Edwin Drood.

The cast and crew kept the audience guessing with their dynamic characters, strong vocals, and praiseworthy technical elements. The actors successfully contrasted Dickens' dramatic storyline and the humorous stylings of the Music Hall Royale. The breaking of the fourth wall was handled well and the accents used by the actors remained consistent throughout the show.

Wyatt Ellerbeck succeeded in his humorous and charismatic portrayal of the Chairman. Dillon Douglasson as the mad John Jasper commanded the stage with his intriguing character development, decisive line deliveries, and strong vocals. Caroline Roden as Princess Puffer showcased her vocal talent in her duet, Settling the Score, with Dick Datchery, played by Clare King. Together, the two created sweet sounding harmonies, never falling out of character.

Sarah Rector as Durdles showed great dedication to her character with her over the top physicality and effective comedic timing. Josh Wilk as Neville Landless amused the audience with his humorous facial expressions and powerful stage presence. Josh Shourds as Reverend Crisparkle made the most of his stage time with his commendable vocals and acting choices.

The sound execution was at the height of the show's technical elements. Sound was even used as a comedic element in the graveyard, as Jasper tried to sneak away, but the sound of his footsteps resonated in the eerie graveyard. The versatile set helped to create the various locations of the story. The melodious tunes of the orchestra echoed through the auditorium.

It was no mystery that Woodgrove High School's production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood was nonstop fun for all those involved.

Jessica Scarano
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Loudoun

Acclaimed writer Charles Dickens began writing a masterpiece in 1870 that would tell a mysterious tale of the disappearance of young Edwin Drood. Before the story was completed, Mr. Dickens died, leaving future audiences to decide the circumstances of the character's sudden departure. Woodgrove High School settles up the score in their vivacious rendition of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Although the planned ending of the story is unknown, Rupert Holmes took the novel and turned it into a musical comedy complete with multiple possible endings. The story follows a twisted uncle, John Jasper, in his ploy to win over his nephew's betrothed, Rosa Bud. When Edwin Drood disappears without a word, various suspects are examined, including Neville Landless, the wacky foreigner from Ceylon, Helena Landless, the sister of Neville, and Princess Puffer, the eccentric opium dealer. The best part? The audience chooses the fate of Edwin Drood through a voting system near the end of the second act.

Leading the show in the role of malevolent Uncle John Jasper was Dillon Douglasson. Douglasson embraced all sides of his character and made bold choices to convey his schizophrenia to the audience. He also demonstrated admirable vocals during his solos. Jasper's meek music student, Rosa Bud, played by Madeleine Goggin, was the murderer selected by the matinee audience. Goggin remained engaged in the plot even when the spotlight was not on her and was always fully committed to her sweet, girlish character . . . until the truth is revealed. The juxtaposition between her innocent persona as Drood's wife-to-be and her destructive nature as the killer was played out brilliantly during her confession.

The host of the afternoon was Wyatt Ellerbeck in the role of the charismatic Chairman. Ellerbeck established an unmatched energy during his ample time on stage and maintained hilarious facial expressions throughout the show. Both the chairman and Jasper stood out in the group number "Both Sides of the Coin" and exhibited exemplary diction and movement. Caroline Roden's performance as Princess Puffer was excellent from her comedic timing to her mysterious stage presence. Roden enticed the audience with her voice during her solo number "Wages of Sin." The forgotten actor Bazzard (Jon Wilkerson) brought an endearing verve and hysterical persona to the stage. Another wonderful addition to the cast was Sarah Rector in the role of Durdles. Rector had splendid body language and did a superb job of staying in character during her frequent interactions with the audience. She also had entertaining chemistry with her counterpart (Deputy played by Maya Forrester).

Impressive tech elements complemented the actors wonderfully throughout the production. The orchestra, although sometimes overpowering, did a fantastic job of moving the story along and bringing spirit to the musical numbers. The sound crew did a commendable job balancing microphones, and there were few sound issues during the entire show. Sound effects such as the murky footprints in the graveyard added comedy to the story. Hair and Makeup did an exceptional job with the age makeup in the show, particularly for the Chairman and Princess Puffer.

Woodgrove High School's thrilling production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood brought Charles Dickens' vision to life – and death – by putting a comical twist on the classic murder mystery and bringing enthusiasm and intrigue to the stage.

Santiago Mallan
H-B Woodlawn
Submitted for publication to Loudoun Now

The immortal master of the Victorian epic, Charles Dickens, left many mysteries in his wake after his passing in 1870. Perhaps the greatest among them was his unfinished novel, a winding and darkly funny story of small-town intrigue. Scholars have argued over what the outcome might have been for more than a century. So what is the mystery? Woodgrove High School, with the help of a participatory audience, sets out to answer that question in their production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

This musical adaptation, written in 1985, is a highly unconventional show. For one thing, the audience decides by vote the identity of the murderer, making for a plethora of possible endings and twists. Additionally, the play takes inspiration from Victorian-era music hall traditions; it features a huge amount of fourth-wall breaks and audience interactions.

For example, the play itself is introduced and narrated by "The Chairman of the Music Hall Royale" (played by Woodgrove's Wyatt Ellerbeck) who has the arduous task of introducing each character and keeping their "actors" in check. Ellerbeck does an admirable job with this challenging role, switching seamlessly between a character in the narrative and the fictional director of the production.

Woodgrove's production features a number of standout actors and actresses. From the first scene, Dillon Douglasson (in the role of Drood's uncle, John Jasper) asserts himself as a powerful vocalist and dynamic actor, capturing the turmoil of his character with remarkable finesse. Drood himself was played by Clare King, who provided a convincing performance as the Music Hall Royale's premiere "male impersonator". Drood's fiancée, Rosa Bud, was portrayed with ladylike grace and a subtle ferocity by Madeleine Goggin. Josh Wilk and Molly Warndorf as the exotic and over-the-top Neville and Helena Landless were fan favorites, stealing hilarious faces to the audience at every opportunity. Caroline Roden took on the opium queen Princess Puffer with a commanding stage presence and unparalleled, heartbreaking vocals. Finally, Sarah Rector as the bumbling cockney gravedigger Durdles provided riotous comic relief with masterful timing that reminds one of Charlie Chaplin in "The Kid".

This play is a challenging undertaking to say the least, but Woodgrove faces it well. The set was dynamic and transitions well-oiled; the sound and lighting handled without a hitch. The voting aspect, while inherently hectic and difficult to manage, worked very well and did not distract too much from the show itself.

All in all, Woodgrove High School's The Mystery of Edwin Drood makes for a raucous night of mystery and laughter that audience members won't soon forget.

Austin Shores
Mt. Vernon High School
Submitted for publication to Woodgrove Outlander

Murder, sleuth and romance swirl together all in one to create one fun and charming experience in Woodgrove High School's production of "The Mystery of Edwin Drood". Premiering on Broadway after its transfer from the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1985, this classic musical gained 11 tony nominations and won five of them. Drood, a comedy, is a musical based on the unfinished Charles Dickens novel, named after the show. It is written by Rupert Holmes, and was the first Broadway musical with multiple endings. To elaborate, the unique aspect of the multiple endings sources from Charles Dickens death, where ultimately providing several different outcomes of the ending of the book, and therefore the musical. Now it comes to Woodgrove High School with the same spontaneous, fun flavor it hard originally on Broadway.

The plot takes place in the Victorian Era, in small town of Cloisterham, England, the young and charming Edwin Drood has been mysteriously murdered. But the real question is who did the deed? That's what the musical sets out to find as we go on an adventure with many different characters and the audience is actually the one who concludes the ending to this production. The lead actor, John Jasper, played by Dillon Douglasson is the uncle of the mysteriously murdered Edwin Drood. His multiply personalities and engaging attitude kept a great stage presence. His chemistry and comic timing was undeniable with Princess Puffer, specifically when they were chosen by the audience to have a happy, romantic ending with each other. Rosa Bud, portrayed by Madeleine Goggin was Jasper's counterpart in the production and had fantastic energy. She truly showed her character towards the end when Rosa takes a dark turn, which showed she truly enjoyed bringing the role to life.

The supporting roles took their time to shine as well. Princess Puffer, played by Caroline Roden is a shadowy, highly funny actress. Her moments on stage with conniving facial expressions and motives were energetic and consistent. The narrator of the story, Chairman, played by Wyatt Ellerbeck gave live to the story by dictating and narrating the whole story through. His ability to go in between being a narrator and becoming the mayor of the show was impressive and gave a sense of contrast through both comedy and drama duality.

Overall, the production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood was a great time and successfully completed. Although there were some problems with diction of the ensemble or certain characters, the energy from the main characters and constant accents filled in. On the technical side, the set was versatile and the lighting was well placed through the main backdrop. In the end, Drood is a suave, humorous show that left me entertained and it's no mystery that I enjoyed this show.

Kelsey Loesch
Paul VI Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Woodgrove Outlander

In what is possibly the biggest cliffhanger in literary history, the legendary Charles Dickens laid down his pen and died while in the middle of his final novel. With a lively cast and skilled orchestra, Woodgrove High School tackled this cliffhanger and enlisted the audience's help to solve The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, written by Peter Holmes, premiered on Broadway in 1985 and took home five Tony's that year, including Best Musical. It was the first Broadway musical with multiple endings to be determined by audience vote. This unusual style of ending is due to the fact that The Mystery of Edwin Drood was never completed. So when the cast reaches the infamous cliffhanger, they turn the decision of what happens next over to the audience, leading to a climactic conclusion.

In the metatheatrical musical the characters are played by the company of the fictional "Music Hall Royale". The Chairman who serves as the show's narrator and as the town's Mayor Sapsea was played by Wyatt Ellerbeck. Ellerbeck's comfort on stage was evident through his effortless humor and commendable suaveness. His sidekick, the silent stage manager, played by Lauren Bogle, was constantly in character and always enjoyable to watch. The Chairman begins the show by introducing the choirmaster, John Jasper (Dillon Douglasson). Jasper is madly in love with his pupil, the lovely Rosa Bud (Madaleine Goggin), but Rosa has been engaged to Jasper's nephew, the titular Edwin Drood (Clare King), since they were children. The Reverend Crisparkle (Josh Shourds) introduces his new charges from Ceylon, the Landless twins, Helena and Neville (Molly Warndorf, Josh Wilk). The hot-tempered, although quite comedic, Neville quickly develops an interest for Rosa threatening Drood. After a heated Christmas Eve dinner, Edwin Drood is nowhere to be found and is assumed murdered. All these characters and more become suspects in the murder, but the identity of the true culprit is left up to the audience.

As John Jasper, Dillon Douglasson took the role of "mad man" to new heights. Every calculated twitch and tic were thoughtfully executed. Douglasson's controlled creepiness combined with his powerful voice culminated into one of the strongest performances of the evening. His lunacy and expert physicality was brought out in "A Man Could Go Quite Mad" and Douglasson continued to impress with his abilities in the incredibly fast paced "Both Sides of the Coin." Equally impressive in the challenging number was Douglasson's duet partner, the aforementioned Wyatt Ellerbeck. The two actors' exceptional energy in "Both Sides of the Coin" and the show as a whole made their performances most memorable.

The show allows for many performers to be showcased in larger roles. Caroline Roden shined as the Princess Puffer, the owner of an Opium Den. Her larger-than-life presence on stage and range of emotions made her a hit with the audience. The audience also fell for the clownish Durdles (Sarah Rector) and the over the top Bazzard (Jon Wilkerson). Rector and Wilkerson commanded the stage in their smaller roles creating two unforgettable characters.

I have read "The Writing on the Wall" and it says that Woodgrove High School's high energy production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood was an exciting evening of music, mystique, and murder.