‘THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD’

Audience will solve murder in ECU School of Theatre and Dance performance

“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” is a play in which the audience will solve a murder.

The East Carolina University School of Theatre and Dance is bringing the hilarious, interactive whodunit mystery musical,“The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” to the stage.

The musical is based on an unfinished Charles Dickins novel. Because Dickins passed away in 1870, the identity of the killer of the young and charming Englishman Edwin Drood is still a mystery.

Unlike most plays and musicals, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” allows the audience to become a part of the show. They get to turn into the ultimate detectives and decide who killed Drood by casting their votes in Act 2.

“There’s over a hundred different combinations that the actors have to be prepared for every night,” said Mila Bolash, a theatre arts major who portrays Drood.

The audience has multiple suspects to choose from. Drood’s romantic rival John Jasper, lady of the night, opium drug purveyor Princess Puffer, the mysterious Landless twins, or maybe someone else who is the villain.

“I think it’ll be different than anything anybody has seen at ECU and it’s a show that if you come multiple times, you’ll get a different ending every time,” said Megan Piggott, a theatre arts major playing Princess Puffer.

Performances are Tuesday-Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the McGinnis Theatre. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office. Student price is $10 and regular tickets are $17.50. The show is intended for ages 12 and up.

“If you like rowdy, bawdy comedy that still takes a little listening, this is for you,” Bolash said.

Jayland Potts as Neville Landless and Kelly Clare Toland as Helena Landless in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.”