Southeast Valley High School students will be performing “Clue” Friday April 16 and Saturday, April 17, 7 p.m. and the audience will be kept guessing “whodunit?” until the very end.

“There are twists and turns with some characters not in the original Hasbro game,” said director, Britney Geisler. “You are just not sure who really was involved, until you watch the whole thing play out. It is going to keep you confused for a while.”

Geisler said Clue is not only a widely known board game, but it has been covered in movies and on television shows in a variety of different ways. This particular production, she said is very closely based on the 1985 movie.

It all begins when the characters receive a mysterious letter from Mr. Boddy all inviting them to his manor.

-Messenger photo by Kriss Nelson
Standing, left to right - Characters of the Southeast Valley High School spring play, Clue, Emma Pudenz (Yvette), Reed Andrews (Colonel Mustard), Kian Clark (Professor Plum), Jonah Siebert (Mr. Green), and Logan Stapp (Wadsworth). On couch, left to right - Alyssa Speck (Mrs. Peacock), Claire Anderson (Mrs. White), and Marisa Jepsen (Miss Scarlet) all examine their murder weapons. Find out "whodunit" at next weekend, April 16 and 17 at the high school gym in Gowrie.

“They are all drawn in because there is something going on between them and Mr. Boddy. They come and try to tie up loose ends. They all end up at the mansion on the same dark, rainy, creepy night. They don’t know each other…or do they,” said Geisler.

The cast

“It’s a really fun, interactive and definitely not a boring show,” she said. “There is a lot of laughter, murder. People will be kept on their toes. If you have every played Clue, it is Miss Scarlett in the billiard room with the rope. Mr. Green in the conservatory with the lead pipe. It’s just like you remember.”

Wadsworth

Wadsworth, played by SEV senior, Logan Stapp leads the guests through Boddy Manor, keeping everything on schedule.

“As butler of Boddy Manor, he knows a little bit more than all of the guests at the manor,” said Stapp, adding that his character tends to be a little more on the serious side.

Miss Scarlet

SEV junior, Marisa Jepsen portrays the slinky, seductive character of Miss Scarlet.

“She is kind of a promiscuous lady,” said Jepsen. “She runs a non-governmental agency that handles classified affairs in Washington D.C. She is very bold, very brave, very outgoing.”

Colonel Mustard

Reed Andrews, a junior has been cast to play Colonel Mustard.

“I am the comedic relief,” said Andrews, adding his character tends to be very ignorant and boisterous.

Andrews said his favorite scene involves Miss Scarlet and Mustard.

“It’s an interesting piece of the play because they have an underlying connection that really doesn’t come out, but it is there,” he said.

Mrs. White

Widower, Mrs. White is played by SEV junior, Claire Anderson who has had some pretty bad luck with husbands.

“She has had five husbands that have all gone mysteriously missing, AKA all murdered,” said Anderson.

This reason is why Mrs. White has found herself invited to Boddy Manor.

“She is grieving and she is being blackmailed for the death of her husbands and we find out if I did it or not and why I may or may not have done it,” said Anderson.

Throughout the play, Anderson said they learn more about the other characters and how they relate to Mrs. White as well.

“There are a lot of connections – many strings going on in every direction,” she said.

Yvette

Yvette the maid is portrayed by Emma Pudenz, a SEV senior, who transfixes many of the men characters

“I am the maid of the household and I am in on Wadsworth’s entire plan – but also not in on it,” she said. “He only tells me what he wants me to know. I know who the guests are, but they don’t know who I am – or so we think. Some underlying connections are revealed.”

Mr. Boddy of Boddy Manor is played by junior Ty Klatt; SEV senior Jonah Siebert plays Mr. Green; Mrs. Peacock is played by sophomore Alissa Speck; Professor Plum comes to life by SEV sophomore Kian Clark and Jacob Snyder, junior Is the motorist.

Geisler, who is assisted by co-director, Todd Hamilton said they are hoping for a great turnout next weekend.

“We have put in so many hours and they have done so much memorization,” she said. “This is a very intricate script with a lot of one liners – they are really having to work hard to commit to memory.”

For those that have grown up playing the game Clue, Anderson said will especially enjoy the show.

“Clue is a piece of a lot of people’s childhoods,” said Anderson. “This game has been around forever and now you get to see it come to life on stage. You see people embody the characters you get to play and it is something really cool. It is funny too – such a funny show.”

Jepsen said preparing for this year’s spring play has definitely been a lot of work, but also a lot of fun.

“It is super fun. There is a ton of movement, ton of talking,” she said. “It’s been fairly difficult learning the lines, but the cast is great. There has been a lot of work that has gone into this show. Hours, and hours and hours including set, sound, costuming – everything. This is going to be one of our best plays yet.”

Stapp said he enjoys all of the mystery surrounding the play.

“I love how there is a different corner, where they think they have something found and they don’t quite have anything found,” he said. “I think this is a great show for my senior year and I think it was well chosen for our cast. You can expect a set that has had a lot of work put into it.”

Tickets

Advanced tickets are on sale by contacting the Southeast Valley High School office for $3 for students and $5 for adults; or they are available at the door. Masks are required and social distancing measures will be taken.

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