Review by Andrew Canter, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team
Six guests. Six murder weapons. One body. But who killed him? Guests throw out accusations, but no one has a Clue: On Stage (High School Edition).
Clue: On Stage is a clever ensemble cast show based on the board game of the same name. It is set during the American “Red Scare” and features six duplicitous and high-profile guests who arrive at a dinner party after receiving an anonymous invite. They each arrive at the decadent estate of the absent Mr. Boddy, greeted by the butler, Wadsworth, who provides each of the guests with a color-coded pseudonym and a deadly weapon. After dinner, Boddy appears and reveals that he has incriminating evidence against each of the guests, ready to be released to the press or the police, and begins to provide the guests with a mission to salvage their images. Suddenly, the lights flash off, a gunshot is heard, and when the lights return, everybody sees Boddy’s dead body, and the game is afoot.
Scott High School's production of Clue: On Stage (High School Edition) was a non-stop, funny, suspense-filled, perfect whodunit. Each of the guests had unique and standout characterizations that brought the perfect energy to this fast-paced story. In only ninety minutes, the audience was pulled through a secret door of twists and turns.
The ensemble of the six guests' hijinks was hilarious enough to watch all day, but Wadsworth, played by Kiersten Bennett, provided the necessary framing device as a voice of rationality between the chaos of the kooky ensemble. However, Bennett's killer performance also represented the complexity of the character. Her Wadsworth was shady and inconsistent, pulling the audience in with the suspense of finding out just what details were missing, and shocking them at the end.
Celena Granger, as Mrs. Peacock, flamboyant characterization and calculated comedic timing left a lasting impact on the audience. Her excellent use of a character voice and her physicality allowed her to completely "em-Boddy" the character. Grace Cherry, as Miss Scarlet, presented a suspiciously memorable performance. Her performance was incredibly nuanced despite her archetypal character.
The lighting crew took on a unique challenge because of the mercurial set. Headed by Charley Romohr, the lighting design provided essential focus on whichever playing space was active. They also made clever use of the house lights during unorthodox sections of blocking. The set, designed by Megan Frondorf, was an original and versatile idea that allowed each of the rooms in the house to have completely different sizes and environments to create variety in the staging. The set also mirrored the source material of the board game perfectly.
Clue: On Stage (High School Edition) was a fast-paced romp that had the audience on the edge of their seats, trying to figure out "whodunnit." In the end, it was the cast & crew, in the Scott High School Auditorium, with a great time.
Review by Catherine Foster, Mercy McAuley High School Critic Team
On a dark and stormy night, six colorful characters arrive at a mysterious mansion for a dinner party; little do they know they are merely pieces in a murderous game. Scott High School's production of Clue: On Stage (High School Edition) was full of comedy and suspense.
Based on the classic board game and the humorous who-done-it movie of the same name, the play Clue by Sandy Rustin tells the story of an evening gone astray at Boddy Manor when six guests, each being blackmailed with a dirty secret, find their host and blackmailer dead after the lights go out. Led by the butler Wadsworth, the group sets out on a hilariously chaotic quest to find out who the killer is.
Scott High School’s production of Clue was lively and engaging. From the cast ad-libbing in between scenes to the crew wheeling new and intriguing rooms of the mansion on stage, there was never a dull moment in this show, even between the action of the plot.
Kiersten Bennett successfully portrayed the many facets of Wadsworth. Through variations in her tone of voice and mannerisms, she showed a composed and uptight butler, an on-edge bystander trapped in a house full of potential murderers, and a shady suspect who might herself be involved in the mystery.
Grace Cherry played the role of Miss Scarlet with swagger and spunk. Her strutting, confident physicality was appropriate for the brazen character. Aden Mullins (Colonel Mustard) elicited many laughs from the audience as he leaned into the oblivious nature of his character and performed many physical comedy bits throughout the show.
The set for this production, created by Megan Frondorf and crew, was complex and cleverly designed. As Clue takes place in so many different rooms of Boddy Manor, it is difficult to have them all set up on stage at once. Frondorf and her crew solved this problem by building each room on a wheeled platform that could be rolled on and off the stage. These rooms were furnished and decorated in a way that clearly conveyed the 1950s setting of the play and the purpose of each room. In a show filled with so much mayhem, intentionally focused lighting by Charley Romohr, Micah Powell, Jasmyne Farano, and Michael Rainey was vital to drawing the audience’s attention to the right places at the right moments.
On the whole, Scott High School’s production of Clue was funny and enjoyable. Bold and specific acting choices made by the cast and the innovative, detail-oriented designs of the crew made this show a success. Scott High School did a killer job of encapsulating the comedy and excitement of this silly murder mystery.
Review by Adah Mosher, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team
The chandelier lights dim in an opulent mansion where six unsuspecting suspects will have to crack a case. Little do they know, their supposed host is also the murderer. Scott High School’s production of Clue: On Stage (High School Edition) took the audience through a whirlwind evening of murder, treachery, and mystique.
Based on the 1940s board game designed by Anthony E. Pratt, Clue became one of America’s favorite games. In 1985, it was adapted into a movie, which then became the basis for the play published in 1993. It follows the story of six dinner party guests who are being blackmailed by the host, Mr. Boddy.
Scott High School's production was no different. Between the intricate moving rooms to emulate the board game and the captivating performance by the cast, to the period-accurate costumes, this production was spot on with the source material and had an enchanting performance.
Kiersten Bennett showed sweeping talent as Wadsworth, Mr. Boddy’s butler who leads the investigation. Bennett proved herself as an actor with her shocking plot twist at the end of the play. Jackson Egan as Mr. Green was a driving force in the cast, assisting with the execution of the unexpected turn of events.
Celena Granger, supported the show as comedic relief, portraying Mrs. Peacock with accurate comedic timing and no fear of stepping out of her comfort zone to commit to a bit. As for Professor Plum, played by Emmett Nunn, he backed his cast by delivering a gripping execution of the character.
As for tech, the set built by Megan Frondorf and the crew did a phenomenal job of bringing the board game to life. They utilized plywood and cardboard to construct a complex moving set. Each room of the game was built to allow actors to use the trapdoors and secret passages. Costumes, done by Aurora Anderson and the crew, made each character's identity extremely clear. They used color and silhouette to show the distinctiveness of each character.
Overall, Scott High School executed Clue: On Stage (High School Edition) in a way that stayed true to the original source material while also incorporating many clever and creative elements, ultimately leading to an impressive and engaging production.
Excerpts From Other Top Reviews
"Jackson Egan as Mr. Green brought fresh energy to his layered and unsuspecting character. He perfectly demonstrated the germophobe’s anxious tendencies and timid mannerisms, which enriched his role and contributed to the dynamic of the frenzied ensemble."
-Anabelle Price, Ryle High School Critic Team
"Meanwhile, another of the six suspects was Mrs. Peacock, played by Celena Granger. Granger’s take on the character was absurdly flamboyant. From moments such as when she pulled out a flask from the pocket of a corpse to obnoxiously slurping soup, Celena made Peacock perfectly unhinged."
-Ella Adams, Mercy McAuley High School Critic Team
"Brooklyn Brann delivered an outstanding performance as Yvette. Brann brought a harmonious blend of humor and mystery to the role, capturing the hearts of the audience with her expressive body language and charming French dialect. Grace Cherry also brought a captivating portrayal as she embodied the seductive and cunning nature of the bombshell, Miss Scarlet, with finesse."
-Adelaide Linser, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team
"Masterfully designed by Megan Frondorf, the show’s creative and clever set truly brought a once-flat board game to life with incredible authenticity. As walls lining the wings of the stage are pulled out of place one by one, a library, billiard room, study, and lounge are folded out onto the stage, transforming the stage setting and crafting perfect chaos as a maze of doors and rooms left the cast scrambling for safety in the final scenes."
-Mya Verticchio, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team
"The set, headed by Megan Frondorf, elevated the atmosphere of the production. The ingenious design and skillful execution of each piece granted full immersion into the essence of the Boddy Manor. Stage Crew, led by Siena Jackson, worked in harmony with the set pieces, flawlessly enacting changes that did not distract from the ongoing scenes."
-Nyla Shahanavaz, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team
"Miss Scarlet and Colonel Mustard, played by Grace Cherry and Aden Mullins respectively, created juxtaposition between their characters, adding depth to their motives. Scarlet’s flirtatious and opportunistic presence countered Mustard’s aggravated and befuddled spirit. Mrs. Peacock, played by Celena Granger, delivered grandiose gags, which, while appalling to others onstage, were incredibly amusing."
-Norah Shadwell, Highlands High School Critic Team
"Scott High School's rendition of this labyrinthine comedy was a crowd-pleaser that showcased the talents of the cast and crew alike, all at one unforgettable dinner party."
-Justin Hughes, Taylor High School Critic Team
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