By Tina Hawley
For many theatregoers, theatre is a passive activity, but at American Fork Community Theater’s Clue: The Musical in American Fork, Utah, you have the chance to kick your brain into high gear and help solve a murder! The play was written in 1993 by Peter DePietro and Tom Chiodo and is based on the classic boardgame. Combining aspects of the game and the 1985 film, Clue: The Musical begins with audience members drawing three cards to determine the final answer to the who, how, and where of the murder of Mr. Boddy. The cards are placed in an envelope, then the characters (or rather, caricatures) expound upon their motives through song while the audience keeps an eye out for clues as to the real murderer’s identity.
Alongside musical numbers and funny, colorful characters, a key element of this story is the characters’ knowledge that they exist inside a board game. The production design shows a strong awareness of this from director Monique Derr and program manager Mindy Eckroth. Thanks to the set design by Derr, Eckroth, and Lindsay Barrett (assisted by set builders Eldon Randall, Curt Stowell, and John Barratt), the stage is clearly divided into the different possible murder locations, differentiated both by wallpaper and by helpful signs. Besides this, many tiny details in each room are reminiscent of the illustrations on the Clue board. Appropriate thunder and lightning effects by lighting and sound designers Joe DeSisto and Daniel Brassard add drama and mystique as needed.
Mr. Boddy, the infamous murder victim, gives instructions and clues throughout the play. Mike Handy delivers the expository lines clearly and with a devil-may-care attitude that transfers hilariously to his attitude about his looming demise. This is the second time Handy has played this role, so I assume Mr. Boddy’s delightfully dark laugh is a result of two productions’ worth of practice.
The six suspects are exaggerated archetypes with a grand range of hilarious motives. Costumes by Katrina DaKarver match each character’s signature color while still being creative (I appreciated Mr. Green’s alligator socks). The actors go all in on their characters, their enthusiasm drawing the audience into their hijinks. Kimberly McKell as the deadly black widow Mrs. Peacock pairs a high-class air with sporadic manic expressions that sell the idea that she was previously acquitted through an insanity defense. Derrick Cain’s Professor Plum is a cross between that one irritatingly grammar-obsessed friend and that guy who’s convinced he’s a lady-killer (the romantic kind)—a highly humorous combination.
Miss Scarlett (Merci Hase) and Mr. Green (Christopher d’Argy) make a great scheming couple. Hase sashays across the stage crowing about her Vegas exploits, while d’Argy becomes a sleazy, snake-oil salesman confidently reciting incorrect idioms. Kyle Fotheringham as Colonel Mustard crafts a strong-armed military demeanor spiked with good comedic timing whenever Mustard’s disorder kicks in, causing him to mistake people for inanimate objects. Fawna Jones is loud and proud as the housekeeper Mrs. White, her thick Cockney accent and clomping steps ensuring she is noticed in any scene she’s a part of.
With her cheery attitude and bouncy walk, the detective character (Sheryl Moser) is an unexpected but welcome balance to the other characters’ dour, devious. I especially enjoyed Moser’s duet with Professor Plum in “Seduction Deduction.” Indeed, the whole cast have strong singing voices and the musical numbers are cheerful and energetic. The choreography by DaMelly Alderete is uniform and cohesive with room for the actors to add their own characterization. JuVene Brown provides skillful accompaniment on the piano and even has a few star moments of her own, including a key moment after the murderer is revealed.
Because the cards are drawn randomly, Clue: The Musical can end in any of 216 possible ways, and the clues given, as well as the dialogue, change for every one of American Fork Community Theater’s performances, an intriguing prospect at the least. And let me be clear for the more skeptical audiences: this game is not in any danger of being too easy. While some clues seem obvious, others are couched in riddles, and the resulting puzzle is an exciting challenge accessible to any age group. In fact, if you get the wrong answer, feel free to come back and give it another shot! The same rules apply to murders and murder mysteries: practice makes perfect.
American Fork Community Theater Presents Clue: The Musical, with Book by Peter DePietro; Music by Galen Blum, Wayne Barker, and Vinnie Martucci; and Lyrics by Tom Chiodo.
Alpine Community Theater, Dan Valentine Auditorium, 839 E Ninth N, American Fork, UT 84003
October 10–21, 2019, 7:30 PM
Get Tickets: $10 Adults, $5 Kids
American Fork Community Theater Facebook Page
Clue: The Musical Facebook Event
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