Clue is based off of the 1985 black comedy film of the same name, based on the Hasbro game also of the same name. Reimagined by Sandy Rustin, with the help of Hunter Foster and Eric Prince, Clue provided roughly an hour and twenty-five minutes of continuous entertainment. It was a joy to watch.
The show opens on an ominous note in “Body Manor”. One of the most fanatic sets I have seen in a touring show. Between hidden rooms, displayed on what can only be described as giant lazy Susans, secret compartments and amazing backdrops, this was a truly impressive set. It afforded the audience the opportunity to witness the action both on and off stage. The set was truly a work of engineering genius. Yet even that paled to the abilities of the cast.
Wadsworth, the Buttler, grabbed the audience in the opening scene and refused to let go through the entirety of the show, commanding attention and leading us through the tale. The actor portraying him, (Jeff Skowron), not only did a fabulous job leading the show, but was easily able to give up the stage for his fellow thespians, never once stealing focus. His amazing recap of the entire show was a thing of legend!
The Maid, Yvette (Elisabeth Yancey) added much to her scenes, all with an authentic French accent. The Cook (Mariah Burks), mute in the movie, surprised us with not only having lines, but delivering them powerfully.
Each of the characters brought their own unique quirks to the stage. Colonel Mustard (David Hess) a man of great brawn and little brain was a delight to watch. The Seductive Mrs. White (Donna English) was captivating as she scanned the rest of the cast for possible husband number six. The ever so slightly neurotic Mrs. Peacock (Jennifer Allen) appeared to be a small ball of kinetic energy the entire time she was on stage. Lecherous Professor Plum (Evan Zes) played the aging academic to a tee. Miss Scarlet (Christina Anthony) had zero qualms about who she was or what she did, and wanted everyone to know it, bold and brash, she took up space on the stage in a great way. Finally, Mr. Green,(John Shartzer) effete and oh so limber, stole the show and audiences hearts.
We knew we were in for a treat with this character, when he collapsed into a seated position upon hearing the command “Sit!”, as he was introduced, and he did not fail the audience. Between his physical humor and his grasp of the character, the audience loved him.
Rounding out this perfect cast, Mr. Body (Alex Syiek) and The Cop (Jamil A.C. Mangan) both played their roles perfectly.
One of the best moments in both the movie and the show, was the singing telegram, (I won’t ruin the moment for those unfamiliar) and while I am not sure who played her, she should get accolades for being in one of the shortest and funniest scenes in the show. I could hear laughter from all over the Overture for this scene and it was worth the price of admission just to witness such a thing of beauty.
Go see this show, it’s entertaining and well done as the joyful audience proved standing for minutes applauding the cast, thankful for an amazing night of entertainment.
CLUE: The hilarious new stage play will visit Madison’s Overture Center May 13-18
Tickets go on sale on Friday, Jan. 31 at 11 a.m.
Madison, Wis. (Jan. 27, 2025) — CLUE, the hilarious murder mystery comedy inspired by the Hasbro board game and adapted from the fan-favorite film, comes to Overture Center for the Arts from Tuesday, May 13 through Sunday, May 18 in Overture Hall. Tickets ($32.46 to $146.40) go on sale to the public on Friday, Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. at overture.org.
The cast includes Jennifer Allen as Mrs. Peacock, Christina Anthony as Miss Scarlet, Mariah Burks as the Cook, Donna English as Mrs. White, David Hess as Colonel Mustard, John Shartzer as Mr. Green, Graham Stevens as Professor Plum, Jeff Skowron as Wadsworth, Alex Syiek as Mr. Boddy, Teddy Trice as the Cop, and Elisabeth Yancey as Yvette. The understudies are Greg Balla, Mary McNulty, Cassandra Marie Murphy and James Taylor Odom.
Led by Broadway Director Casey Hushion (Associate Director of “Mean Girls” and “The Prom,” Associate Resident Director of “Aladdin,” choreography for the Netflix series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the fan-favorite 1985 Paramount Pictures movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, CLUE is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist.
CLUE is based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn. Written by Sandy Rustin with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price. It features original music by Michael Holland.
The production also features scenic design by Lee Savage, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Ryan O'Gara and sound design by Jeff Human.
The CLUE franchise began in 1949 with the manufacture of the “Cluedo” board game. Currently owned and published by Hasbro, the game has since sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. A murder-mystery comedy film by Paramount Pictures based on the board game was released in 1985 and went on to achieve cult classic status with a passionate fanbase.
The North American tour of CLUE is produced by The Araca Group, Work Light Productions, Lively McCabe Entertainment and Aged in Wood.
Originally produced at Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, Pennsylvania, Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman, Josh Fiedler, Producers. Developed by Cleveland Playhouse, Laura Kepley, Artistic Director & Kevin Moore, Managing Director.
Learn more at clueliveonstage.com.
Celebrating 20 years in Madison, Wis., OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, nine resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly 500,000 educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture’s mission is to support and elevate our community’s creative culture, economy and quality of life through the arts
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