Feature: CLUEX Takes Up Residency At Notoriety Live

The genre-defying burlesque parody ClueX, inspired by the cult-classic 1985 film Clue, will continue its Las Vegas residency at Notoriety Live on the Fremont Street Experience through April 25.

Following a series of sold-out 2024 performances at Vegas Theatre Company—where it originally played under the title Cluelesque—the production has been fully reworked, expanded, and reimagined for its residency debut. This fresh take promises an unpredictable, immersive experience that will intrigue theater and burlesque enthusiasts alike.

“The film Clue became my favorite movie the moment I saw it. I had never laughed so hard at something before, and it felt like it had been made just for me. What I didn't know at the time was that it was a film for people just like me: the queer folk. The specific wit, the magnificent performances, and the dark comedy were inspiring to me as a young person and I began watching it over and over again until I could quote it line by line. As I grew, I started meeting other people who loved the movie as much as I did and could quote it ad nauseam, and I realized there's a huge community of CLUEheads, especially within the Queer Community. As I wrote ClueX, I let every decision I made be influenced by the choices made in the movie. I was motivated by parodying as many lines or moments as I possibly could, and of course, built the chase scene to give those CLUEheads like me exactly what I knew they wanted: all those iconic moments exactly from the film," explained producer, writer, and director Simone Skold.

ClueX merges burlesque, parody, immersive theater, and murder mystery into a single unpredictable theatrical experience.

Each performance invites audiences into a darkly comic game of suspicion and spectacle. As the story unfolds, iconic characters are placed in increasingly compromising—and increasingly theatrical—scenarios, culminating in a room-with-a-weapon moment. When one familiar figure discovers a scandalous encounter, the consequences turn fatal, setting off the night’s central question: who committed the murder?

The show blends satire with sensuality and is based “on all the laughter, smiles and wide-eyes we get each night. Burlesque itself is satire and sensuality — always has been — and so it mixes beautifully with parody. In both instances, we are taking the expected and the familiar and turning them on their heads to form a new perspective. Parodying the film through the lens of burlesque does make the content of the evening more sensual than the film,” adds Skold.

ClueX differs from a typical murder mystery in that even the suspects don't learn who the murderer is until the end of the event, when attendees vote to determine the identity throughout the evening. All guests need to submit an accusation at the end of their participation to be eligible for the prize draw at the end of the evening. Votes determine the actual perpetrator and which guests correctly identified the murderer!

The production creates an adrenaline-filled atmosphere through a live band, tightly wound sound effects, mental comedy performed at lightning speed, extreme periods of gesticulated violence (stylized burlesque dance), and an audience-engaging combination of parody, horror, and extravaganza. This show creates a one-of-a-kind, uniquely Las Vegas experience. The same show will never be seen again, yet it attracts residents and visitors to keep the fun going while "performing" at a theater where the lines between performers and audience members are often blurred.

Skold, who relocated to Las Vegas in 2017 with the vision of developing this project, has spent years refining ClueX through workshops and its 2024 theatrical run. The current residency at Notoriety Live represents the most fully realized iteration to date, designed specifically for the scale and intensity of a Las Vegas stage.

A significant component of the production’s visual identity comes from Jason Bennett of Time After Time Designs. Known for his distinctive wig artistry and costume craftsmanship, Bennett’s work in ClueX blends homage with high-concept burlesque fantasy. His designs elevate each character into a stylized archetype, with costumes engineered for transformation, reveal, and theatrical impact.

Beyond its spectacle, ClueX leans into layered satire, weaving themes of classism, sexual politics, corruption, and wealth disparity beneath its comedic surface. This thoughtful approach invites audiences to reflect while laughing, fostering engagement and relevance that enhance the entertainment experience.

Ultimately, ClueX positions itself as more than a burlesque show or a parody. It is an evolving, participatory experience where audience guesses influence the outcome, and nothing is ever quite what it seems, encouraging everyone to become part of the mystery.

As Skold’s vision continues to evolve in its Las Vegas residency, one rule remains constant: "Guess wrong tonight, and you can always come back tomorrow."