Chapel Hill High School presented a student-led, whodunnit murder mystery on November 16-18 inspired by the popular board game and 1985 Paramount Pictures film Clue.
The story is set at a large mansion, where six guests arrive. Early on in their stay, the six guests learn that they are being blackmailed with information that could destroy their lives. In order for this information to remain hidden, the group must find a briefcase with the evidence and destroy it. In the midst of all this, the six discover that there is a murderer among them, and it is their job to solve the mystery.
Theater department head Thomas Drago said that advanced theater classes chose the show because of “its connection to the movie and the board game, the variety of characters and the complex technical elements.”
Senior Gabe Waterhouse directed the production. Many members of the cast acknowledged Waterhouse’s skill in leading such a large production. Junior Dylan Morse, who played the leading role of the clumsy and anxious Mr. Green, said that Waterhouse was “a great director and the entire Theatre IV production team [did] an amazing job bringing Clue to life.”
Senior Emrys Bowers also commended the director and his leadership skills. “It was lovely to work with him,” Bowers said. “We worked really well [together].”
Waterhouse said that “being able to see the progress from the first couple rehearsals to the last really put into perspective all the work that was done by everyone involved in this show,” he said.
As for the show itself, spectators said Clue was a hit and brought plenty of humor, drama and plot twists to the stage. Senior Ella Smith praised the show for its many intricate and memorable moments. “The rewind scene was really well done,” Smith said, “as well as the character entrances, too.”
Smith also praised the complex set design of the show, which was built so that different rooms could be pushed on stage to create the illusion of characters entering different rooms.
Technical theater teacher Allison Frimmel said the set was a collaborative design effort from both Waterhouse and senior Eliza Miller, who was both the scenic director and played the lead role of the sultry Miss Scarlet.
With the help of Frimmel’s advanced technical theater students, the set came to life. Frimmel mentioned that her class “rallied around creating the massive set” that allowed for “more space to learn about the characters and their stories.”
Many performers in the show acknowledged how thankful they were for being a part of such a complex production.
Senior Josie Sanford, who played the leading role of the neurotic and church-going wife Mrs. Peacock, said that she was “really appreciative to be given the opportunity to be a part of the play.”
Senior Armand Nardi, who played the leading role of the butler Wadsworth, also expressed his gratitude for the company.
“I’ve learned more from this production than any other,” he said. “Without help from Drago, there [were] so many times where this production has seemed impossible, but with our incredibly talented theater class we’ve overcome every obstacle.”
