Who killed Edwin Drood? With 31 possible...

Who killed Edwin Drood? With 31 possible endings, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” the summer production of the Rio Hondo College Theater Department, promises to be unpredictable. The Rupert Holmes play originally won nine Drama Desk Awards and garnered Tony Awards for best musical, best book and best score.

The victim is played by Kathleen Henderson, above left. Drood is killed in the play, and his several lovers become the suspects. One of them is Cynthia Snyder, above right, who plays Princess Puffer, operator of an opium house. Henderson and Snyder are students at Rio Hondo College.

Directing the 39-member cast is Rio Hondo College drama instructor Bill Korf. “The play is a major task for several reasons,” Korf said. “The main reason is that the cast members need to learn several endings, which, of course, will be voted on by the audience.” The cast will help the audience review the eight different murder suspects, their motives and other plot possibilities, leaving the audience’s final vote to decide the conclusion of the play. The director said he hopes to perform a different ending each night.

“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” will be performed in Wray Theatre at Rio Hondo College, 3600 Workman Mill Road, near Whittier. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Aug. 4, and 3 p.m. matinees July 29 and Aug. 5. Tickets are $9 for general admission, $7 for college staff, student body card holders, and for people in groups of 10 or more. For more information, 699-6189.