The Mystery Of Edwin Drood (MTG)

Drood is a Tony Award-winning musical based on an unfinished work by Charles Dickens. What, we don’t know how it ends! Simple! Have the audience choose the ending. This is a wonderful cast filled with loony characters and terrific voices. The setting is the English musical hall where a troupe of zany actors is putting on their version of this unfinished tale. Lead by the Chairman (the witty and charming Roy Leake), this is a welcome rendering of this often-neglected musical. In fact there are three versions of Drood currently on the boards. Leake is ably supported by Edyie Allyson as the sweet-voiced Rosa Bud, Jennifer Gordon and William Martinez as the shifty twins from Ceylon (“British not English”), the hilarious Michael Kostroff (the best I have ever seen in this role) as the Reverend Crisparkle. Steven Hack as the hapless Bazzard who never gets to play a principle part until now that is and Dan Callaway as the hissable John Jasper. Soaring above them all is Mary Van Ardel as the proprietress of an opium den She sings act acts with great gusto and I awaited her every appearance. This talented group from the Musical Theatre Guild is well directed by Calvin Remsberg who makes the most of this talented cast and the limited space. The only real drawback of the show is the truly horrific sound system at the Alex Theatre in Glendale but never fear you can catch them again in Thousand Oaks or at Carpenter Center in Long Beach.

Information at www.musicaltheatreguild.com