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Stephanie J. Block, Debra Messing, Chita Rivera Solve Broadway’s Mystery of Edwin Drood on Opening Night

Patricia Clarkson, Victor Garber, and Debra Messing were among the stars on hand to cheer on the opening of Rupert Holmes’ Tony Award-winning musical.

New York City

November 14, 2012

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Stephanie J. Block takes her opening night bow in The Mystery of Edwin Drood as the company looks on.
(© David Gordon)

Jessie Mueller, Betsy Wolfe, Stephanie J. Block, Chita Rivera, Jim Norton, Will Chase, and Gregg Edelman salute the orchestra’s 15-piece band, led by conductor Paul Gemignani.
(© David Gordon)

Betsy Wolfe, Stephanie J. Block, and the cast can’t contain their enthusiasm as the curtain comes down on opening night.
(© David Gordon)

The Mystery of Edwin Drood stars Stephanie J. Block, Will Chase, and two-time Tony winner Chita Rivera celebrate their opening night in style.
(© David Gordon)

Drood’s dapper men, Peter Benson, Robert Creighton, Tony winner Jim Norton, and Tony nominee Gregg Edelman, get close with the show’s legendary creator, Tony winner Rupert Holmes.
(© David Gordon)

Two of the lovely (and potentially deadly) ladies of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Betsy Wolfe and Tony nominee Jessie Mueller, show off their opening night finery.
(© David Gordon)

Chita Rivera gets close with Robert Creighton after the two were voted the opening night set of lovers.
(© David Gordon)

Eternally in character, the dashing Andy Karl raises an eyebrow for our camera.
(© David Gordon)

Young Nicholas Barasch appears in The Mystery of Edwin Drood as the Deputy.
(© David Gordon)

Emmy winner Debra Messing, currently filming the second season of NBC’s Broadway-themed drama Smash, stepped out for the Drood opening to cheer on her main squeeze, Will Chase.
(© David Gordon)

Academy Award-nominee Patricia Clarkson took in The Mystery of Edwin Drood to support director Scott Ellis, who helmed her summer, 2012, production of The Elephant Man.
(© David Gordon)

Tony nominee Victor Garber most recently appeared on stage in Roundabout’s production of Present Laughter.
(© David Gordon)

Tony winner Julie White, currently appearing on the NBC comedy Go On, starred in Roundabout’s 2009 production of Theresa Rebeck’s The Understudy, directed by Drood’s Scott Ellis.
(© David Gordon)

Tony winner Jim Dale heads back to Studio 54, where he starred as Mr. Peachum in Roundabout’s The Threepenny Opera.
(© David Gordon)

Tony nominee Sherie Rene Scott was on hand to root for Drood and Roundabout, which produced her semi-autobiographical musical Everyday Rapture on Broadway.
(© David Gordon)

Legally Blonde Tony nominee Orfeh smiled for our cameras before heading in to the theater to root for her hubby, cast member Andy Karl.
(© David Gordon)

Broadway’s newest Cinderella, Tony nominee Laura Osnes (right), tries to solve The Mystery of Edwin Drood with her dapper photographer hubby, Nathan Johnson.
(© David Gordon)

Hand in hand, pals Sebastian Arcelus and Tony nominee Marc Kudisch, last seen playing opposite one another in Second Stage’s The Blue Flower, were at Studio 54 to applaud their lovely wives, Drood cast members Stephanie J. Block and Shannon Lewis, respectively.
(© David Gordon)

On his way into Studio 54, the legendary playwright Neil Simon (right) stopped for photos with his wife, Elaine Joyce.
(© David Gordon)

Nice and warm on a chilly evening, Tony Award-winner Linda Lavin, who most recently appeared on Broadway in The Lyons, gets ready for a musical murder mystery.
(© David Gordon)

Tony nominee Stephen Lang is no stranger to Roundabout, having starred in its production of his play Beyond Glory.
(© David Gordon)

Tony winner Debra Monk, soon to be starring in the newest Broadway revival of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, headed to at Studio 54 in honor of her Curtains co-author, Rupert Holmes, and director, Scott Ellis.
(© David Gordon)

Who will Tony nominee Polly Bergen vote for as young Edwin Drood’s murderer?
(© David Gordon)

Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh will soon be appearing in Red Bull Theater’s production of Volpone.
(© David Gordon)

Stage favorite Susan Blackwell was on hand to laud her many friends in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, including Stephanie J. Block.
(© David Gordon)

[title of show] and Now. Here. This. star Heidi Blickenstaff attends the opening of The Mystery of Edwin Drood in support of all of her pals in the production.
(© David Gordon)

Stage and screen favorite Margaret Colin has appeared in Roundabout’s productions of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and Old Acquaintance.
(© David Gordon)

Simon Jones, who recently appeared in Roundabout’s Death Takes a Holiday, smiles on his way into the company’s latest musical offering.
(© David Gordon)

Christopher Innvar, late of Atlantic Theater Company’s Harper Regan, returns to Studio 54, where he appeared in Roundabout’s The Threepenny Opera and 110 in the Shade.
(© David Gordon)

Drama Desk-winning director Mark Brokaw, soon to return to Broadway with Cinderella, gets ready for Roundabout’s murder mystery musical.
(© David Gordon)

Stage couple Byron Jennings and Carolyn McCormick, who recently appeared as Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in Peccadillo Theatre’s Ten Chimneys, wouldn’t miss Roundabout Theatre Company’s latest opening!
(© David Gordon)

The Mystery of Edwin Drood choreographer Warren Carlyle walked the carpet arm in arm with his associate choreographer, Angie Canuel.
(© David Gordon)

Peter Benson (center) cozies up to Drood’s lovely ensemble members, Shannon Lewis, Alison Cimmet, Janine DiVita, Kiira Schmidt, and Jenifer Foote.
(© David Gordon)

Drood gents Justin Greer, Spencer Plachy, Jim Walton, Kyle Coffman, Nick Corley, and Eric Sciotto pal around following the performance.
(© David Gordon)

Just moments after stepping off stage, Stephanie J. Block smiles for our camera on opening night at Studio 54.
(© David Gordon)

Tony nominee Jessie Mueller got an extra special honor on her second Broadway opening night: she was voted by the audience as the evening’s murderer!
(© David Gordon)

Roundabout Theatre Company’s Studio 54 was transformed into London’s Musical Hall Royale when Scott Ellis’ revival of Rupert Holmes’ The Mystery of Edwin Drood officially opened on Tuesday, November 13.

The Tony Award-winning musical, which first played on Broadway in 1985, follows a group of actors as they perform their version of Charles Dickens’ legendarily unfinished novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood, using the audience to determine the nightly-changing ending.

The full company includes Stephanie J. Block (Edwin Drood), Will Chase (John Jasper), Gregg Edelman (Reverend Mr. Crisparkle), Jim Norton (Chairman) and Chita Rivera (Princess Puffer) with Andy Karl (Neville Landless), Jessie Mueller (Helena Landless), Betsy Wolfe (Rosa Bud), Nicholas Barasch (Deputy), Peter Benson (Bazzard), Robert Creighton (Durdles), Alison Cimmet, Nick Corley, Janine DiVita, Jenifer Foote, Justin Greer, Shannon Lewis, Spencer Plachy, Kiira Schmidt, Eric Sciotto, Jim Walton, and Cody Williams.

Guests at the performance included Sebastian Arcelus, Polly Bergen, Susan Blackwell, Mark Brokaw, Patricia Clarkson, Margaret Colin, Jim Dale, Tovah Feldshuh, Victor Garber, Christopher Innvar, Byron Jennings, Nathan Johnson, Simon Jones, Elaine Joyce, Marc Kudisch, Stephen Lang, Linda Lavin, Carolyn McCormick, Debra Messing, Debra Monk, Orfeh, Laura Osnes, Sherie Rene Scott, Neil Simon, and Julie White.

The creative team includes Warren Carlyle (choreographer), Paul Gemignani (musical director), Anna Louizos (sets), William Ivey Long (costumes), Brian Nason (lighting), and Tony Meola (sound).

Click here for more information and tickets to The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Stephanie J. Block, Debra Messing, Chita Rivera Solve Broadway’s Mystery of Edwin Drood on Opening Night

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