When he died in 1870, Charles Dickens left his novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood unfinished. It remained this way until Rupert Holmes, the brilliant composer of “Escape (The Pina Colada Song),” wrote a Broadway musical conclusion to Dickens’ work, simply called Drood. On Broadway, Drood won the Tony trifecta of Best Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Book of a Musical. From April 1 to April 5, Drood was performed by our own Theater Department at the Center for the Arts.

The show itself is a meta-performance, where the actors portray period actors performing a stage adaptation of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. It opened with the cast interacting with the audience in character as their respective actors in the play. Drood quickly moved onto the stage after a number performed from the audience. The show featured several large musical numbers, notably the second act showstopper, “Don’t Quit While You’re Ahead.”

The plot of Drood is one of romance and jealousy, with the titular Edwin Drood portrayed as a young man about to be married and begin a glorious career in the noble field of engineering in Egypt, until he disappears mysteriously one night. Though no one was identified as a culprit, several members of the colorful cast are considered suspects in an apparent murder, ranging from a jealous Ceylonese man, to a priest, to the town drunk.

The show went on as a fairly standard performance for the first act, but abruptly paused shortly into the second act, where Dickens’ story was ended prematurely due to his death. It was explained that it was up to the audience to vote for a decision on how the story would end, and that it would then be performed in that manner. This was one of many times in which the proverbial “fourth wall” was broken, as the cast frequently would pause a scene to explain to a fictional audience of the performance within the performance, but keeping in character as actors from a bygone era.

The costumes in Drood were exquisitely designed and beautifully crafted, fitting with the era in which the show is set while catching the eye of the audience. The set design was suitably understated, striking a balance between setting a tone and not overshadowing the performance of the actors. The play surely seemed as though it were a professional endeavor due to the acting, singing, and technical expertise.

Drood was truly an enjoyable experience, as any musical should be. Musicals create a world of fancy that entertains more than anything else, an idea that the cast and crew clearly understood. They were having so much fun performing Drood that the audience couldn’t help but enjoy itself. Interactive theater is a dangerous road to traverse, but when it is done as well as Drood, it is truly a joy for everyone.