"THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD" AT GOODSPEED DELIGHTFULLY MYSTERIOUS

The famed English author Charles Dickens inconveniently died in 1870 leaving his final novel, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” without an ending, thus making it a true mystery. What happens to the poor orphan Edwin Drood who is newly engaged to another orphan Rosa Bud and has grand plans to venture with her after marriage to the intriguing land of Egypt? The answers to these probing questions can all be answered to your complete satisfaction (as you get to decide whodunit by democratic vote) at Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam by Sunday, May 2. Thanks to Rupert Holmes, the play is now a spritely and spirited musical performed by the Music Hall Royale Theater Company for your complete enjoyment and amusement. The fun begins when the colorful characters start up a lively conversation with you as they spring forth into the audience to say hello and cheerio before the curtain even rises.

Come make the charming acquaintance of Lenny Wolpe who serves as our narrator, master of ceremonies, chairman and major maestro of the Music Hall Royale who entertains and introduces the significant players and their often complicated roles. First we meet the choirmaster John Jasper (Paul Adam Schaefer) who is the music teacher for Rosa Bud (Riley Noland) and harbors an unnatural affection for her, perhaps due to his opium addiction. Rosa, meanwhile, has been promised in marriage to the adventuresome Edwin Drood (Mamie Parris, note her female name) and the two have lively disagreements in their courtship that had been arranged by their long dead fathers years before. Rosa also has caught the eye of Neville Landless (Levin Valayil), who is a twin to his sister Helena (Jetta Juriansz), from the exotic country of Ceylon, and have arrived in London under the guardianship of their mentor Reverend Crisparkle (Paul Slade Smith). Also figuring in the plot are Princess Puffer (Liz McCartney) who runs the opium den with a stern hand, Durdles (David Beach) who is frequently in his cups, his man Deputy (Marcus Montgomery) who guards him and Bazzard (Jamie LaVerdiere) is a clerk. Tunes like “Both Sides of the Coins,” “No Good Can Come From Bad,” “Off to the Races,” and “Don’t Quit While You’re Ahead” sparkle through the show.

On a lovely set designed by Ann Beyersdorfer, dressed fashionably by Hunter Kaczorowski, with delightful choreography by James Gray, enhanced by music directed by Adam Souza, and over all perfection by director Rob Ruggiero, we witness Christmas holiday celebrations and angry and sweet encounters by the citizenry until the moment Edwin Drood disappears. Who is responsible you might ask? And you have the power to decide by voting for the most likely culprit. The crowd of villains is mighty and long. Evaluate the clues carefully and eliminate the red herrings. The ending of this melodrama depends on you.

For tickets ($30-86, and check for special offers ), call Goodspeed Musicals, 6 Main Street, East Haddam at 860- 873-8668 or online at boxoffice@goodspeed.org. Performances are Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Come play detective and get your deerstalker caps and magnifying glasses ready as you help catch a murderer and plan a wedding as this music hall mystery entertains upstairs and down and all around the town.

CT GAY MEN'S CHORUS OFFERING CONCERTS OF "PURE IMAGINATION"

For more than 35 years, the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus has offered delightful and spicy concerts on any number of topics, singing selections to entertain and tickle your fancy. This spring is no exception as, under the direction of Artistic Director Greg McMahan, they present ”Pure Imagination"in homage to the magical world of illusions, dreams, and fantasy. You are invited to enter their musical bubble of deliciousness at The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook on Saturday, April 27 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and again at the Sacred Heart Community Theatre in Fairfield on Saturday, May 11 at 8 p.m.

These talented guys will be primed and ready to perform in their finery as they spin appropriately dreamy tunes that conjure up all our hopes and promises for the future, what we want on our horizon, where we wish our futures are progressing, how we dream our lives will manifest. Once again they will use a sense of humor to tease and cajole, encouraging the uncertain and unsure to risk taking a leap into the unknown.

According to McMahan, “Whether you’re a seasoned concert goer or looking for a magical evening out with the family, these performers are designed to enchant and inspire across generations. We know that our audiences enjoy a wide range of musical genres, and I’m happy to say that our singers love exploring all kinds of vocal styles.”

For reserved tickets ($35), go online to www.ctgmc.org.

Let the magicians of the CT Gay Men’s Chorus ply you with tricks and treats as only they can, and take you on a magic carpet ride of pure imagination.

MUSIC THEATRE OF CT IS ENTERTAINING "GHOST THE MUSICAL" UNTIL APRIL 28

Whether or not you believe in the supernatural and things that go bump in the night, you're sure to be captivated by "Ghost The Musical" as it flies into the Music Theatre of Connecticut until Sunday, April 28.

The iconic love story of Molly and Sam, Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze, in the movie, all mixed up with murder and the magical machinations of a wannabe psychic brought to life by Whoopi Goldberg, has been transformed morphically into "Ghost the Musical." Dave Stewart with Glen Ballard have infused it with stirring songs, adding to the mystery created by Bruce Joel Rubin's book.

When a man attacks a young couple Molly (Allie Seibold) and Sam (Seth Eliser), as they return to their loft apartment in Brooklyn, it is the catalyst that sets off a chain of events. Sam, a banker, has discovered some accounts with discrepancies at work and wants to investigate them more fully. He confides in a co-worker Carl (Matt Mancuso) of his suspicions and Carl agrees to help him.

That night when Molly and Sam are on a date, attending an art exhibit for Molly, a sculptor, a thief tries to steal Sam's watch and wallet and he is killed in the struggle. Molly had just confessed to Sam of her love and her desire to marry him, but Sam shied away from returning his proclamation of affection and never said "I love you." When she says those three words, he can only say "Ditto."

Suddenly Sam is gone. His unfinished business on earth traps him here, as a ghost, and he is determined to help Molly, especially once he realizes she is in danger. In despair, Sam finds a psychic, Oda Mae Brown, (Ladonna Burns) who may or may not be a fraud, to help him protect Molly. He sends messages to Molly through Oda Mae but Molly is reluctant to accept the words she says.

Involving Carl and the police, Molly goes on an odyssey of discovery, hoping to connect to Sam in death as she never could in life. Songs like "Unchained Melody," "Three Little Words" "Are You a Believer," "Nothing Stops Another Day" and "The Love Inside" propel the plot.

Others in the cast act like a Greek chorus expanding the tale: Paul Aguirre, Miguel Angel Acevedo, Scott Mikita, Jeff Raab , Leeanna Rubin, Kayla Arias, and Teagan La’Shay. Poignancy mixes well with humor as director Kevin Connors delivers this well loved story of hope and redemption.

For tickets ($45 -60), call MTC, 509 Main Street, Norwalk (route 1) at 203-454-3883 or online at musictheatreofct.com. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Pride Night is Friday, April 19. MTC encourages you to donate to their Capital Campaign at www.musictheatreofct.com/newspace.

Discover the gyrations, graphics and special spirited effects that will explode this love story with astonishing results and make this a magical adventure of a musical.

COME TO THE CABARET ABOUT ELIZABETH TAYLOR AT WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE APRIL 21

Ann Talman and Elizabeth Taylor both made their Broadway debut in Lillian Hellman’s gripping play of greed and family battles in 1981 when Ann played Alexandra,13, the daughter to Elizabeth’s manipulative Regina. The friendship established there lasted until Elizabeth’s death in 2011. “The Little Foxes” was a semi-autobiographical play set in Alabama in !900 about a struggle for control of a family business at a time when only men were considered legal heirs. Regina, the formidable daughter, fought that decision. Because Ann was never close to her own mother, she developed a bond with Elizabeth (don’t call her Liz) where the Hollywood icon “mothered me.”

To learn about their intimate relationship over decades, come to the Lucille Lortel Barn at the Westport Country Playhouse on Sunday, April 21 at 7 p.m. for Ann Talman’s one woman show “Elizabeth Taylor and the Shadow of Her Smile,” a cabaret show of songs and stories that will bring this iconic star to vibrant life. These deeply revealing stories matched with corresponding songs show Elizabeth as a motherly friend who helped Ann with dating advice, loaning her jewelry, as well as valuable life lessons. Who knew Elizabeth was a fun loving and wicked prankster who often did such outrageous things as greasing the show’s long impressive staircase railing with Vaseline and made silly faces to break up the actors. You will now know as well as learn interesting anecdotes about this great star in the firmament who was an outstanding part of Hollywood royalty. With her violet blue eyes and small stature, she was a trailblazer.

With Ann’s help, you will gain insights about Elizabeth’s eight marriages, possibly a result of her sheltered childhood, and how she loved them each in her own special way, her perfume and jewelry empires and her opening night gifts to all the crew and actors for every show in every city, and her devotion to the cause of finding hope and a cure for AIDS. Because of her close friendship with actors like Rock Hudson and Montgomery Cliff, Elizabeth helped to establish, as a co-founder, The Foundation for AIDS Research. She did not abandon, as so many did, those she loved like Michael Jackson. Her grandchildren now run this foundation, that has raised more than $270,000,000, dedicated to research and awareness.

You will hear such inspiring tunes sprinkled throughout like “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “Shalom,” “That’s What Friends Are For,” “Send in the Clowns,” and “How to Handle a Woman.” The evening is directed by Lisa Koutrakos with Alex Rybeck as music director on piano.

For tickets ($20), call the Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, Route One, Westport at 203-227-4177 or online at www.westportplayhouse.org.

In February 2023, on what would have been Elizabeth’s 91st birthday, Ann Talman debuted this charming and deeply personal reflection on her good friend Elizabeth Taylor, a grand dame who was "famous for being famous.” Come to the cabaret…to learn about Elizabeth Taylor's humanity and authenticity by one person who knew and loved her.

COME EXPERIENCE "A PLACE FOR US" ON JEWISH BROADWAY AT WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE MAY 8

A funny thing happened to actor and singer Ari Axelrod, not at the forum but at Eastern Michigan University when he was invited to present an academic evening on the history of the Jewish influences on musical theater. In October 2018 he wrote a script that was so well received he decided to take the talk/concert on the road. New York City’s Birdland booked it and it launched in January 2019 but then COVID hit. Even so, he performed it in parking lots and in masked venues. Now this one-man musical has evolved, growing like Topsy, and has become the favorite thing Ari Axelrod wants to do.

You have the unique pleasure of enjoying an evening with him at the Westport Country Playhouse on Wednesday, May 8 at 7 p.m. when he presents “A Place For Us: A Celebration of Jewish Broadway.” That night you will learn the what and why and how Jews were so instrumental in creating magical success on the Great White Way, with tunes and stories you may already know or ones that will be a delightful surprise.

With the enormous shadow of the October 7th attack on Israel looming, Ari Axelrod knows the world needs this show more than ever. He recently returned from the Jewish homeland where he felt safer than in New York City, even with the trauma there and palpable pain and grief. All Israel is suffering from the loss of life of October 7th and the hostages who still need to be released, as well as the suffering in Gaza. He feels hearts have been hardened because of this barbarism from Hamas that hasn’t been experienced since the Holocaust.

To Axelrod, people have forgotten Jewish joy with so much oy! He finds it amazing to watch his audiences rediscover songs they’d forgotten and find new tunes heard for the first time. He considers his show “an umbrella offering a look at what Jews have accomplished,“ with a little “Fiddler on the Roof” to start. He only does what he personally loves and can relate to, with changes to the production as the world changes, including deaths of men like Stephen Sondheim, Sheldon Harnick and Hal Prince. He also provides nods to the spiritual and the liturgy, to help the audience acknowledge the origin of this song or that prayer.

For Axelrod, “Our history is not only about how we survived but also about how we thrived." Jewish Week awarded him with a “36 to Watch Award” recognizing him as one of 36 most influential Jews in the United States. When he first heard, he thought it was spam but now he is equal parts amazed and surprised by this honor and validation. Broadway World hailed his show as “genuinely one of the finest shows this writer has ever seen.”

For tickets ($40), call Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, Route One, Westport at 203-227-4177 or online at boxoffice@westportplayhouse.org. ADL CT Regional Director Stacey Sobel will have a conversation with Ari Axelrod after the show about the inspiration for it and how to cope with the increased levels of hatred and antisemitism nationwide.

When you attend this show, you will be asked what, why and who and discover what causes Ari Axelrod to be so committed and connected to it for deeply personal reasons. He promises you will discover Jewish vitality and how Jews thrive, and the ways light, in the Sabbath candles, Havdalah candles, Chanukah candles and yahrzeit candles illuminate our way. He quotes composer Sheldon Harnick of “Fiddler on the Roof” fame, on its 50th anniversary, with three lines from the musical Ari finds especially moving, “ God would like us to be joyful even when our hearts lie panting on the floor. How much can we be joyful, when there’s really something to be joyful for! To life! To life! L’chaim." Come light your way and be joyful with Ari Axelrod and explore your musical roots and your theatrical wings.

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LEARN SOME LIFE LESSONS WITH THE WHEEL LIFE THEATRE TROUPE AT LEGACY THEATRE OF BRANFORD

Do wheel chairs need and have a voice? Absolutely! The Legacy Theatre of Branford will prove the point with the Wheel Life Theatre Troupe when they present “Let’s Get Together” on Thursday, April 11 at 7 p.m., Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 13 at 2 p.m. This brand new world premiere is an original creation written and performed by the members who live these stories every day in a variety of situations. These scenes are guaranteed to make you more sympathetic and empathetic about their daily challenges, both the tribulations and the triumphs.

The focus will be on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how it came to pass in the 1980’s and 1990’s and the brave people who literally and figuratively “stood up” to ensure its passage. These are civil rights that protect those with disabilities from discrimination. The troupe’s personal stories and struggles will be highlighted. According to Dana Canevari, a member of the Wheel Life Theatre Troupe since 2019, the show is “a slice of disability culture. It’s a human right to be treated respectively.” While many theaters do not provide access for performers or patrons, here at Legacy Theatre “there’s room for everyone on stage.”

“Let’s Get Together” wants to inspire understanding to educate audiences with real life situations to underscore problems and also provide solutions. “Even if it educates just one person, they can tell others,” according to Troupe cast member Wynter Knudsen.

For tickets ($15), call the Legacy Theatre, 128 Thimble Island Road, Branford at 203-315-1901 or online at LegacyTheatreCT.org.

Let your eyes be opened and your heart by educated by this amazing group of thespians the Wheel Life Theatre Troupe, and be inspired by all the understanding you gain on elevating the quality and dignity of life for us all.

DELIGHT IN THE MAGIC AND THE MUSIC OF THE EVERLY BROTHERS AT IVORYTON PLAYHOUSE

Ben Hope and Eric Anthony are new proud papas in real time as well as the creators and directors of an innovative tribute celebrating the music and stories of the Everly Brothers, being showcased until Sunday, April 28 at the Ivoryton Playhouse in “EVERLY The Music of The EVERLY BROTHERS." Sit back and start tapping your feet and snapping your fingers as these two clever and talented men take you on a journey to delight and entertain you. Two long time friends, they took on this challenge during the pandemic to write a show and you are sure to love their perfect product.

The lively and energetic tunes of the Everly Brothers began decades ago in Iowa with their musical family, on a radio show, and was encouraged by a friend Chet Adkins. Once they traveled to Nashville, they finally landed a contract with a small studio Cadence Records who handed them a song, “Bye. Bye, Love” that had already been rejected by 30 acts, including Elvis, and these young whipper-snappers turned it into a Number One hit. Writing their own songs and using the creations of Felice and Boudreaux Bryant and others, they went on to influence the likes of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Bee Gees, the Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel. In 2015 Rolling Stones ranked them as Number One on their 20 Greatest Duos of All Time.

Whether they are singing about Claudette, Mary, Jenny, Cathy, Lucille or Little Susie, they rock, combining rockabilly, rock ’n roll, country and pop in a pleasing harmony on steel-string acoustic guitars that made them so special. Ben and Eric share a plethora of great tunes, combined with a wealth of information about their lives, that is guaranteed to tell the whole story, even the troubles with addictions that stopped their performance parade for years. Come hear more than two dozen hits like “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” “Take a Message to Mary,” “Til I Kissed You,” “Cryin’ in the Rain,” “Cathy’s Clown,” and “Be Bop-A-Lu-La.” My only suggestions to improve this great show would be to include a little more sing-a-long and change the title to Everly Eternal or Eternally Everly. Just saying.

For tickets ($60 adults, $55 seniors, $25 students ), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860-767-7318 or online at ivorytonplayhouse.org. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Wednesday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Come let Ben and Eric share the story and the music of the Everly Brothers, who began at the ages of 8 and 10, pioneering country rock, witnessing the birth of rock and roll, with their incredible close harmony singing, struggling with the pressures of fame and addictions, to teach the world that “harmony is the ultimate love."