MANSFIELD, Ohio — The Renaissance Youth Opera Theatre will perform “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” and a companion one-act “Do-Right of the Mounties” on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 24 at 3 p.m.
Under the direction of Lori Turner, the cast features nearly 70 students in grades 2 through 12.
“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” takes place in the small town of Chesterham, England where young Edwin Drood has been mysteriously murdered. This classic “whodunit” musical is based on an unfinished novel by Charles Dickens, who died before finishing the story.
On Broadway, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” received five Tony Awards, in part because of the innovative idea that the audience solves the puzzle by voting on the villain, ultimately changing the ending with each performance.
In conjunction with “Drood,” the younger members of the cast will offer a one-act curtain-raiser, Do-Right of the Mounties, written by director Lori Turner. This musical retelling of the old Dudley Do-Right cartoon melodrama promises fun for the family.
“Part Vaudeville, part musical theatre, part murder mystery – the show is a riot from start to finish,” Turner said. “It features an amazing score and 70 talented kids, not to mention the fact that the audience gets to participate in the ending. It will truly a fun performance for the whole family.”
The cast of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” features Gabriella Allen, Luke Blackley, Zoe Blank, Tucker Boggs, Connie Capra, Lauren Capra, Clarissa Carbajal, Momoka Chang, Devan Dalton, Molly Delaney, Danny Fain, NyKera Gardner, Gage Goodwin, Gloria Gutchall, Carol Heininger, Samuel Heininger, Kaitlyn Hessler, Taylor Hessler, Clara Kral, Louie Kurtzman, Maddie Leslie, Natalia Leslie, Howard Leuthold, RJ Lewis, Emily Raff, Chloe Reel, Tyler Rider, Grace Riegel, Abigail Sanders, Ella Schag, Anna Scheuer, Anna Schill, Josie Schwaner, Ashley Shaarda, Zoe Swanson, Makayla Swiderski, Caleb Tate, Tamarind Turner, Delaney Wilson, Ethan Wilson, and Katie Yoak.
The cast of “Do-Right of the Mounties” includes Hermoine Adams, Joy Adams, Angela Allen, Rebekah Allen, Zavier Alterio, Ian Barnes, Gillian Donley, Isla Donley, Gracie Dotson, JoAnna Harris, Megan Hayes, Abigail Heininger, Sarah Heininger, Gavin Hull, Melanie Irvine-Selby, Pippa Johnson, Emma Kruman, Ava Leslie, Harrison Leslie, Grace Masi, Nicole Miller, Anna Perkins, Braylon Pietro, Cooper Sanders, Naomi Schag, and Claire Stewart. Cast members in “Do-Right of the Mounties” will also be featured in the ensemble of “Drood.”
Tickets are $15 each, general admission, and are on sale now at the Renaissance Theatre Box Office, via phone at 419-522-2726, and online at MansfieldTickets.com. Renaissance Youth Opera Theatre is presented as a part of the Mechanics Bank Education Series.
