‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’ to Open Tonight at Silver Center

By Lena Donovan

Published April 9, 2026

“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” was originally a novel written by Charles Dickens. It was his last piece of work and was left unfinished, leaving the audience to choose the ending. The plot itself is very grim, however, the Silver Center performance took on a more cheerful tone. Musical numbers like “There You Are,” “Both Sides of the Coin,” and “Two Kindsman” make the show much more lighthearted. 

In the show, Edwin Drood (Joie Lynch) is engaged to Rosa Bud (Avery Fecteau), and has great plans with his Uncle Jasper (Noah Alers-Alers) until he goes missing. There is a whole line of characters who could potentially be the reason for Drood’s disappearance. The show had two acts and an intermission, and though the show had a fairly long runtime, it went by quickly. 

This show was unexpectedly fun. The set, with an interesting blend of browns and reds, was captivating to look at. There were a few platforms and two beautiful staircases. In the middle of the stage, there was a small set of stairs leading to a platform, with two small trap doors on each side. The set advanced the story in really interesting ways, particularly during the dream sequence. There was a large screen that split the stage in two, and behind the screen actors played out the dream. There was a blue light shining through the screen, and a small spotlight to represent candle-light. This was one of the coolest visual effects I have ever seen. 

The characters began in the performance in the audience, greeting and talking to audience members. It was fun to see their interactions with the audience. Neville Landless (Taylor Smith), and Princess Puffer (Lillian Graham) were exceptionally friendly. The show was very interactive. From the very beginning to the end, there was audience participation. In the second act, you vote on the ending of the show. 

At first, I was only able to see the costumes from a couple of quick glances. I was amazed by those quick glances. Once all characters were on stage, I had a better chance to examine the costumes. The ensemble were in adorable white outfits with colorful tights underneath. Costume designer Denee Rose Gosselin and assistant Angelia Labrecque absolutely outdid themselves in every way.

The narrator, Chairperson of the Board/Thomas Sapsean (Connor Lavertu), was incredible. Lavertu’s energy was unmatched and his ability to think fast made the show much more fun. James Throttle/Stage Manager (Nate LaPorte) also had a wonderful performance. At first, LaPorte’s character could easily go unnoticed, but as the show moved on, he became more visible. He was on stage for the majority of the show and fully stayed in character, which is no small task. LaPorte went around the stage, pulling previously placed ropes, turning cranks, and even at one point was doing thunder sound effects while on stage. 

Once the show began, the actors all flooded the stage with lively dances. The opening numbers for both acts were incredibly exciting and energetic. However, there was this odd interpretive dance during Princess Puffer’s song that I felt just didn’t fit well. It could have worked if the musical had more of that energy, and it made sense for that scene specifically, but it still felt more awkward than not. 

The performances themselves were wonderful. Everyone had something to bring to the table, and it all felt new and different. Fecteau’s voice was so clear and strong, it was amazing. Along with Lynch, they sang every song with confidence. Jack Downey was cast perfectly as Philip Bax/Bazzard. Downey would come on stage and make the audience laugh just with hand gestures. Alers-Alers’s character was the most creepy man in the entire world. John Jasper is a man that I hate. Without spoiling everything, Jasper is very odd, and Alers-Alers did very well. 

There are very few negative things to say about this show, but one of them is that the actors’ accents sometimes got in the way. Yes, accents are fun, but having every single character use some type of British accent got tired quickly. There were many times when I couldn’t fully understand them.    

“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” opens tonight, April 9, at the Silver Center for the Arts. The show is absolutely amazing. The characters were funny, the music was exciting, and visuals were awesome. I am excited to go back and see the story be retold.