Charles Dickens and his family on a typical Sunday morning.

Charles Dickens’ body of work includes 14 completed novels. Thanks to high school English, many of his titles (like Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol) are household names. Dickens’ 15th novel, however, may not be so familiar – perhaps because he never completed it. According to The Dickens Fellowship, only half of Dickens’ final work, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, had been published in monthly installments at the time of his death. The unknown ending to this murder mystery has tortured Dickens’ enthusiasts ever since. This August, the Eau Claire Children’s Theatre will provide answers through Rupert Holmes’ Tony Award-winning musical version of the story. The production resolves Dickens’ dual mystery by allowing the audience to choose the ending. Three times during the show cast members will descend into the house to amass votes for themselves as potential murderers. ECCT director Wayne Marek said that the audience vote determines which of six possible endings will be performed. According to Marek, Edwin Drood was intended for performance by an acting troupe in an English music hall, thus ECCT’s show will be presented that way. True to Dickens’ style, the mood is dark, Marek explained, but the musical is peppered with plenty of mischievous humor. Come prepared to both laugh and participate in ECCT’s first musical murder mystery.

    The Mystery of Edwin Drood • The Oxford, 1814 Oxford Ave., Eau Claire • Aug 11-14, 7:30pm and Aug 15, 1:30pm • $15 • 839-8877 • ECCT.org