So, you're looking for some sort of fun theatrical entertainment, but 
you don't like GCP's philosophy of catering to the Murder She 
Wrote/Matlock demographic?  And you're tired of the Hippodrome 
putting on shows with the same actors who have been there since Strom 
Thurmond was first elected to the Senate?  Well, a fine alternative 
to check out this weekend is the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre and its 
musical production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

This production is an excellent example of what good community 
theatre should be.  The cast is relatively small and quite talented, 
and the show works well in the intimate space of the ART.
Too often, local theatres tend to stage major musicals with too many 
actors on too small a stage, and the results are less than 
spectacular. Credit director Bill Eyerly for casting a good group of 
not too many people, and for choosing a play that's not too elaborate 
for the limitations of the theatre.

The story is a play within a play, where a London theatre company 
called the Music Hall Royale (There's also one in France, but that 
one is called the Music Hall Royale With Cheese) is putting on a 
musical version of Charles Dickens' novel "The Mystery of Edwin 
Drood", but with a bit of a twist to it.  You see, while writing this 
novel, Dickens had the uncommon courtesy to die before he finished, 
thereby sparing the world yet another interminably long and boring 
piece of crap that high school students would be forced to read the 
Cliffs Notes of.  But with no ending to the novel, how do you stage a 
production based on it?  The solution:  Let the audience vote on key 
plot points.  And this is exactly what happens for most of Act II, 
where the audience votes on such questions as:
-Which of the characters from Act I has donned a disguise for Act II, 
and is investigating Edwin Drood's disappearance?
-Who murdered Edwin Drood?
-Which man and woman should end up as lovers?  (Note:  Don't bother 
voting for "Me and the hot chick in the sarong," because that doesn't 
work....)
And, of course, the most important question of all:
-Should the theatre be forced to spend billions of dollars to build a 
high-speed rail system linking it with Florida's 5 largest 
metropolitan areas, even though no one would ever possibly have a use 
for it?  (Note:  If you answered "yes", then you are an idiot and are never 
allowed to vote for anything ever again.)

But the best part about it is that it's done in a fun and silly way.  
The characters frequently take time out from the production to 
comment on Dickens' storyline, shamelessly solicit applause from the 
audience, and repeat important lines that might give a clue to who 
the murderer is, such as:
-"Edwin?  Oh, sure, I wanted him dead...."
-"Puffer?  I hardly even KNOW her!  Ha!"
-"Who's the black private dick who's the sex machine to all the 
chicks?  Drood!  You damn right....."
-"Communism was just a red herring...."
So we can see that these so-called "clues" are, in fact, a complete waste of 
time, which is just what you would expect from a Dickens novel.

And that is exectly the strength of this show: it doesn't take the 
novel--or itself--too seriously.  It covers the basic plot points 
succinctly, and spends the rest of the time having fun.

Also clearly having fun were the actors, who make this show 
work as well as it does.  There were maybe one or two performances 
that were below par, but most of them were great....and the rest were 
above average.

Easily the most delightful and energetic performance was given by 
Bobby Mcafee as the Chairman, who bounds around the stage as if he 
were on some really good crystal meth.....not that I'm suggesting he 
really is, or that he knows a good supplier and he should give me a 
call so we can "chat" about "things"......

Other high-quality performances were given by Bill Eyerly as Jasper, 
Reginald Mobley as Frank Edmondson, Jorgia Pastore as Princess 
Puffer / Magenta, Damien Smith as Durdles, Gayla Vidal as the 
chick in the sarong (What sarong, you ask?  Oh, you didn't ask....
well, never mind then.), and Morgan Anderson as The "How do you like 
THEM apples?" Girl.  Certain other people, such as John "Tristan is 
not actually my middle name" Humphlett, were also good, but really 
weren't on stage enough to be worth mentioning.  (Haha.  I'm just 
kidding, of course.....some of the minor players actually are worth 
mentioning.....specifically that girl wearing the pants who I think 
played the constable or something.....she was kinda cute.)

Anyway, I highly recommend you see this show; and I believe there are 
only two days left in the run (Friday and Saturday).  This is the 
kind of show that's a lot of fun, but it's more than that.  If you 
just want fun, go see Nuncrackers at GCP.  If you want fun AND 
quality theatre, go to ART for The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

-john