By Jordan Imlah
The Empress Theatre in Magna will be hosting auditions Saturday (August 4, 2007) for their newest musical, the Dickens classic 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood.'
'This is an actor''s or actress''s dream role,' producer Nolan Mitchell said. 'The show is different every night and it never loses its appeal, and you can gain a lot of experience from any of the roles.'
Charles Dickens was never able to finish his last novel because he died before its completion, so there has always been speculation as to how it was intended to end, Mitchell said.
The musical adaptation, however, has incorporated a unique concept - the audience votes as to which of the characters is the murderer, and chooses one male and one female character to develop a romance together to give the story an ending for each show.
'Everyone gets to prepare every day as if they''re going to be the murderer that night,' Mitchell said
Auditioners should be prepared to sing 32 bars from a Broadway selection and are required to be older than 16 years of age, according to a news release.
The producers are looking for actors and actresses who look older because they will all be playing characters who are in their 20s and 30s, Mitchell said.
'This is a darker kind of comedy and this musical isn''t done very often, but it''s still very entertaining,' he said.
The Empress Theatre will be having auditions by appointment on Saturday from 9 to 10 a.m. and open auditions from 10 to noon, said Jolene Walgamott, executive director of the Empress Theatre.
'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' will run from Oct. 12 to Nov. 12 with shows every Monday, Friday and Saturday nights, Walgamott said.
To make an appointment or for more information call (801) 347-7373. The Empress Theatre is located on 9104 W. 2700 South, Magna.