Tri-School Productions performed their fall play “Clue” on October 18 and 19 and will showcase their last two shows on October 25 and 26.
Consisting of students from Mercy B, NDB and Serra HS, the cast had been diligently preparing by memorizing lines and acting out scenes while the stage crew was tasked with designing backdrops and recognizing cues for when to add or remove pieces of the set between scenes.
The play itself was inspired by the 1985 Paramount film, which was based on the board game Clue – created by British game designer Anthony E. Pratt in 1943. The objective is for players to solve crucial information in regards to the murder, including who murdered the victim, which weapon was used and which room the crime was committed in.
Adapting this on stage, the storyline starts with six high-ranking individuals being invited to an eccentric dinner party in a mansion. Unbeknownst to them, they have been trapped there and identified as suspects for the murder of Mr. Boddy, a wealthy business magnate.
Those at risk of being caught include Mr. Green, Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlet, Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum, the maid, Wadsworth and Mrs. White, which are characters played by Dev Suraj from Serra HS, Thomas Lussier from Serra HS, Sianna Kiebler from NDB, Catie Buckels from Mercy B, A.J. Doran from Serra HS, Morgan Worry from NDB, Mason Jang from Serra HS and Abby McDevitt from NDB, respectively.
Once they are all given a weapon, including a candlestick, dagger, lead pipe, revolver, rope and candlestick, they all start pointing fingers at each other. Constantly retracing their steps and trying to unsolve the mystery, there are nine rooms where the crime could have been committed: the Ballroom, Billiards Room, Conservatory, Dining Room, Hall, Kitchen, Lounge, Library and Study.
Throughout the play, the anticipation intensifies as accusations of the police coming to the mansion worry them.
As for the cast themselves, they worked especially hard to fully embody their roles on stage. Senior Sianna Kiebler, who portrayed the role of Miss Scarlet, expanded on her experience playing the part.
“Miss Scarlet is a very non-traditional woman … she’s very feminine, but she has a lot of masculine qualities,” said Kiebler. “I think it’s really fun trying to play that contrast and … present her as this strong and independent … and glamorous and demure [person].”
The stage crew, consisting of 14 people, also made pivotal contributions to the play, dedicating multiple Sundays toward building set pieces that looked as realistic as possible. In the weeks leading up to opening night, they practiced moving pieces between scenes in an efficient manner.
Senior and stage crew member Maia Kawaguchi painted pictures that were displayed on the interior of the mansion’s walls and helped construct sections of the set, including the doorways. After much preparation and anticipation, he shared her emotions going into opening night.
“I feel like it didn’t feel real, … but I was just really excited to be part of something bigger than myself,” stated Kawaguchi.
With this play being her last before graduating, she also expressed how bittersweet this opportunity has been.
“We have this tradition called Chapel, … so 30 minutes before we go [on stage], our director will give us a pep talk,” explained Kawaguchi. “I didn’t even realize it was like actually my last play until opening night and I [just thought] I’m gonna be back next year, but then I was like ‘Oh, wait, I’m not.’”
Members of the Tri-School cast, including those on stage and behind the scenes, have worked incredibly hard to make “Clue” an enjoyable experience for viewers as they figure out who was the true murderer of Mr. Boddy.
