ABOUT MAITHILI GINDE
Maithili Ginde is a senior MSM Musical Theatre major studying under the tutelage of Bob Stillman. Originally from Baking Ridge, New Jersey, Maithili’s credits include Girl in The End Of All Flesh, which won best musical in the New York City Fringe Festival, Rosalie Mullins in School Of Rock, and Nannina in The Tinker of Tivoli. Her Manhattan School of Music credits include Constance Hopkins in Good Luck In Space, and Ensemble/Ludwiga understudy in The Hills Are Alive. She has also been a part of several readings at MSM including Bridgette in Boomerangs, Columbiner E in REB+VoDKa+ME, Constance Hopkins in Good Luck In Space, and Ludwiga in The Hills Are Alive.
Music and Book by Rupert Holmes (’67, HonDMA ’21)
Evan Pappas, Director David Loud, Music Director
Tickets Required $30 adults, $15 non-MSM students and seniors USE CODE DROOD20 FOR 20% OFF YOUR PURCHASE
Neidorff-Karpati Hall
Maithili: The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a whodunit in the form of a musical. The show is based off of the last, and unfinished, work of Charles Dickens, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The audience meets a whole bunch of characters with strong personalities and even stronger motives to kill Edwin Drood. I would say that the most special thing about the show, aside from the incredible cast and creative team, is the fact that the audience gets to pick the ending, from the murderer, to the detective, and finally to the couple that ends up together at the end of the show.
Maithili: I’m playing Helena Landless, she is a smart, observant, and calculated woman with a sharp tongue. She came to England from Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) with her twin brother Neville. She is extremely protective of him and would go to great lengths to protect him—maybe even murder. Along the way she befriends Rosa Bud and Reverend Crisparkle.
Playing her has been an incredible opportunity and has pushed me as a person and as a performer. In addition to studying the script and getting guidance from the creative team, I also read a book based on her character, which helped me add so many other elements to my performance.
Photo: Maithili Ginde, left, and Isabel Wallach, right, in The Mystery of Edwin Drood rehearsal.
Maithili: I think the biggest challenge with this role is navigating some of the immigrant tropes in the show while staying true to both the original script as well as the demands of the contemporary social environment. Neville and Helena are viewed as simultaneously “exotic” and “primitive” because they are immigrants. This happens to be a timeless and universal problem, and the show holds up a mirror to those persistent misconceptions. As a performer (and an immigrant) I hope that my portrayal of this character will help sensitize audiences to the immigrant experience and help enact some social change.
Maithili: It’s set up to be like an old victorian music hall show where the characters interact with the audience. The show is comedic, heartfelt, dramatic, and one of the most fun shows to watch and to be a part of. With live shows they say you never see the same show twice, and that could not be truer, especially with this show. The Mystery of Edwin Drood will look different every night depending on how the audience votes, so you don’t want to miss the opportunity to see all of the different endings—especially Helena’s!
As a performer (and an immigrant) I hope that my portrayal of this character will help sensitize audiences to the immigrant experience and help enact some social change. Maithili Ginde (BM ’26), Musical Theatre
As a performer (and an immigrant) I hope that my portrayal of this character will help sensitize audiences to the immigrant experience and help enact some social change.
Maithili Ginde (BM ’26), Musical Theatre
Maithili: When I was auditioning for schools, I got to meet a lot of their current students and I got to watch some of the productions. But it wasn’t until I came to MSM that I found a program that would push and nurture my talent. There is also such a strong sense of community in the MT program that I didn’t find anywhere else, and I think it’s a really special thing.
Maithili: It’s hard to pick one. I think over the past four years I have had several memorable experiences. But, I love the fact that I get to wake up everyday and do what I love. And along the way I have met so many amazing people and I have made life long connections. It also helps that our faculty is so supportive of us and our dreams.
From L to R: Julia Almeida (BM ’27), Matthew Pichler (BM ’27), and Maithili Ginde during The Mystery of Edwin Drood rehearsal
Maithili: I think Helena would love the “Find My” app, so she can keep track of everyone’s whereabouts—especially her brother since he is always getting into trouble.
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