AUBURN – Charles Dickens’ unfinished mystery, now a Tony Award-winning musical comedy by Rupert Holmes, will be presented in March at Lewiston-Auburn’s Community Little Theatre.

Director Mitchell Clyde Thomas, a frequent performer at CLT, has scheduled auditions for “Drood” for 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, and Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Great Falls Performing Arts Center, 30 Academy St.

The show’s choreographer is Vincent Ratsavong, assistant director is Don Libby and producer is Katie St. Pierre.

This wildly warmhearted show kicks off when the Music Hall Royale, a loony Victorian musical troupe, “puts on” its flamboyant rendition of an unfinished Charles Dickens mystery. The story itself deals with John Jasper, a Jekyll-and-Hyde choirmaster who is madly in love with his music student, the fair Rosa Bud. Miss Bud is, in turn, engaged to Jasper’s nephew, young Edwin Drood. The title character disappears mysteriously one stormy Christmas Eve. Has Edwin Drood been murdered? And if so, whodunit?

The giddy playfulness of this play-within-a-play draws the audience toward one of Drood’s most talked-about features – allowing the audience to vote on the solution as prelude to the most unusual finale.

“We’re looking for a strong musical troupe of 25 to 35 volunteer adult actors,” said Thomas. “There are several strong lead-solo and ensemble roles to be had.”

For more information, visit www.LACLT.com or contact the director at alumf@midmaine.com or 838-1722.