Show Synopsis:
A theatre troupe introduces ?The Mystery of Edwin Drood? as an unusual theatrical venture, and begins the story of John Jasper, a tormented man, and his nephew Edwin Drood, who is about to marry Rosa Bud and leave for Egypt. Rosa faints during her singing lesson because of the lustful lyrics in the song her tutor Jasper composed for her. Twin orphans from British Ceylon, Neville and Helena, come to the ladies? seminary where Rosa lives and Neville begins to fall in love with Rosa. The next day the twins meet Edwin, who offends them with his plan to pave a stoned highway from the Egyptian pyramids. Jasper sneaks into the tomb of Major Sapsea?s recently deceased wife, and Edwin and Rosa break off their engagement but decide to hide this fact until after Christmas. Edwin and Neville head out together, and the next day Edwin is reported missing, while the coat he was wearing the night before is found torn and bloody. Neville is the chief suspect in the murder but he is released because Edwin?s body has not been uncovered. Jasper tells Rosa he loves her and Rosa refuse him. Six months later, Princess Puffer and the mysterious Dick Datchery arrive in London, and Puffer encourages Rosa Budd to not give up on her ambitions of performing. The show stops momentarily, since Charles Dickens died before writing the rest of the novel, and the audience votes for who killed Edwin Drood. Puffer reveals herself as Rosa?s former nanny, and the murderer (chosen by the audience) confesses. The audience votes on two lovers who should end up together, and Edwin Drood rises from the crypt to tell the story of what happened the night he disappeared.

Character:
John Jasper, an affluent music tutor who is wracked with lustful feelings for Rosa Bud; often takes laudunum to ease his inner pain and is ashamed at the man it turns him into.

Song Context:
Jasper laments the fact that he is painfully and helplessly in love with Rosa Bud and takes laudunum to ease his pain - he believes that he may be losing his senses.	

Fun Facts:
1) This musical was based on the unfinished novel by Charles Dickens titled "The Mystery of Edwin Drood." 
2) Howard McGillin originated the role of Jasper on Broadway and told "Talkin' Broadway" in an interview that "it holds a very special place in my heart, as my first original role on Broadway. And again, it was a role in which the audience loved to hate him. There was booing and hissing from the get-go, with a story that was much less familiar to the audience. The setup of the show was so perfect that the audience knew when and how to respond." He also described the character as "the tormented, mad, opium-addicted guy, lusting after this fair young flower." 
3) Will Chase played John Jasper in the 2012 Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood and told Broadway.com that this role was "bsolutely the most fun I?ve ever had on stage. In college, I was obsessed with the original recording because it had the wonderful and talented Howard McGillin [as Jasper]. I wanted to sound like him?I wanted to be him," and said that "the most thrilling part was talking directly to the audience in the opening moments, because you would think, ?Oh, it?s a bunch of curmudgeons tonight? or ?They?re drunk and ready to have fun.'"