This year, the Oak Hills Drama Club will be putting on a production of CLUE, based on the popular board game and film. Showings will take place on November 6th, 7th, and 8th at 7pm. Entry to the showings will be $10 a person. So the question is, what should the audience expect out of the performance?
The script for Clue was written by Sandy Rustin, who adapted it from the 1985 film. The stage adaptation is one of the most-produced plays in the United States, with over 3,000 productions. Broadway Licensing describes the play as “a madcap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist.” Directing the play is Josie Wass, who’s been involved in theater since the age of six and has been putting on productions here at Oak Hills for eight years. When asked what the audience should expect to see during the play, she responded by saying, “It’s about being absurd, about being funny. It gets even crazier as it goes on. It’s about a good laugh, that’s what it’s all about.” According to Broadway Licensing, the production is around 90 minutes in running time.
The Lead Cast
The lead cast features six main characters, Miss Scarlet played by Megan Cain, Mrs. Peacock played by Madison Weadbrock, Mrs. White played by Skylar Grouse, Colonel Mustard played by Bruce Cook, Professor Plum played by Trenton Kohlbrandt, and Mr Green played Mian Reynolds. The first question they were asked was about what they have in common with their character. Every single one of them felt that they had a lot in common with their character. Skylar Grouse pretty much summed it up by saying, “Everyone is literally just their character. It’s a very meta casting.” Here’s what the other cast members had to say:
Megan Cain: “I feel like she’s got a little bit of an attitude, I think I can relate to that”
Bruce Cook: “I notice that I get very spaced out, and I’m very clumsy. There are multiple points in the play where he’s just being out of the situation and very ironically, I’ve been that a lot.”
Trenton Kohlbrandt: “He’s more confident than I am, but I feel that I portray him in the way I would act on stage. The way I carry myself, for my worth, I feel like is especially one of those things.”
Skylar Grouse: “She’s literally me. As soon as I watched the Clue movie, I knew that’s who I wanted to get. In my heart she’s a goth baddie even though that didn’t exist at the time.”
Mian Reynolds: “I feel like me and Mr. Green have a lot in common. We’re both very clumsy, non-serious in a joking way. We also know when to be serious and lock in.”
Madison Weadbrock: “Mrs. Peacock is super weird and high-energy, and I think that’s the vibe I give other people. She’s all over the place and very airheaded, and I don’t know if I’d describe myself that way but it’s been very easy channeling that onstage. It feels kind of natural and it isn’t very hard to slip ‘into character’, so I’d say we’re pretty similar.”
When asked what their favorite part of production has been, the lead cast was yet again in agreement. One of the common responses was that the actual acting was the most fun part. Bruce Cook said that his favorite part has been “running through the lines themselves, it’s very funny, very humorous. It’s a very funny show, and the first read was especially hilarious.” Another common response was that the community they were in is what has made production so fun. “This is my first production back in probably six years, so I’ve missed this,” said Trenton Kohlbrandt. “The people are very fun, everything we’ve been doing ever during serious times has been fun. It’s been great to hang out with these guys and get close with everyone.” This opinion was backed up by Megan Cain, who said that “the environment we’re in, the community has been my favorite part. We all came together to do this, seeing it come together and being with everybody is really fun”
The Crew
Just as deserving of the spotlight is the crew. Composed of both students and alumni, the crew works together to build the sets for the play. In charge of set production is Josh Ward, Drama Club Alumni Advisor and Oak Hills Class of 2017. Ward admitted that “there is a lot of work that goes into preparing the set—from the design, picking up supplies at Home Depot, building everything, choosing paint colors, and ‘loading in’. It’s typically a two-to-three month process.” The crew works with the director to make sure that the set works for the actual production. In this sense, the crew isn’t much different from the cast. In order for set construction to be successful, everyone needs to work together and do their part.
From the director to the lead cast to supporting cast to crew, the students and staff involved in the production of Clue have worked tirelessly for months on end to put on this performance. With multiple different showtimes across multiple days, there’s time for everyone to stop in and be amazed. Tickets are on sale now, make sure to get yours before they’re gone!
