Hamilton Drama Society Presents: Clue
Photos submitted by Steighner.
Lauren Steighner
This winter, Hamilton Drama presents the chaotic and comedic farce, Clue! Based on everyone’s favorite murder mystery board game, Clue takes place in the infamous Boddy Manor, where six mysterious guests arrive for a dinner party… with murder on the menu! Meet Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, Mr. Green, and Mrs. White. each with their own secrets… ones that they might be willing to kill for (Josiah Bender, Jenna Korban, Fajr Said, Sydney Nicholas, Andrew Steele, and Emma Suneja, respectively). When the owner of the manor, Mr. Boddy (Matthew Cason), ends up dead, they’re all suspects. Led by the butler, Wadsworth (Lauren Steighner), the guests go on a spree to find the murderer amongst them.
This is one of the smallest casts of a mainstage show seen at Hamilton in years. Over 40 students auditioned to be a part of this 11-person cast. To allow more student participation, director Sarah Plamann provided swing opportunities to students.
“Swings” are essentially emergency back-ups for if the lead actor cannot perform for any reason. These students will learn and memorise the roles that they are a swing for, but oftentimes will never have a chance to perform. They fill in whenever the lead actors cannot be at a rehearsal, and are on call during the performances in case of an emergency. These are positions that exist in the professional world of theater, yet are rarely used here at Hamilton.
There are five swings in the cast of Clue, together covering all of the lead roles in the show. Sophomore Lauryn Heine swings for “Wadsworth,” sophomore Oktober Brown swings for “Miss Scarlet” and “Yvette,” freshman Payton Grindle swings for “Mrs. White” and “Mrs. Peacock,” junior Gia Quast swings for “Colonel Mustard” and “Professor Plum,” and freshman Brayden Ebel swings for “Mr. Green” and “Mr. Boddy.”
The casting of this show, while complicated, was probably one of the simplest aspects of this show when compared to the complexities of the rest of the process. This show is one of the most complicated shows Hamilton has put together in years. From memorizing lengthy monologues, creating an 8-room mansion, managing hundreds of different sound effects, and performing complicated scene changes, this show is a marathon of a performance for both the cast and the crew.
This cast has been working since November to bring this show to life. Rehearsals were Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday after school, up until “Tech Week,” when rehearsals are every day after school until late hours of the night.
Cast interviews about Clue revealed a challenging, fun show.
What has been your favorite part of Clue so far?
“I love how close-knit our cast is. I love the Hamilton Drama Program in general because of how positive and welcoming its energy is. To me, theater is beyond just putting on a show for an audience. Rather, it's a safe place for me to connect with my peers who I'm most alike, and through all of the time we spend together, I've found my best friends.” - Livy Powell, “Yvette”
“The productive chaoticness of the cast. Rehearsals are always incredibly fun, but we still get things done & that is such a rewarding feeling” - Oktober Brown, “Miss Scarlet” and “Yvette” Swing
“My favorite part has been vast opportunities for improv within the show. These situations allow us as actors to grow in different styles of acting.” - Emma Suneja, “Mrs. White”
What has been the hardest part of being in Clue so far?
“The hardest has to be memorizing my lines; as a swing you have more to memorize! So trying to remember the lines and blocking for both characters can be a struggle sometimes!” - Payton Grindle, “Mrs. White” and “Mrs. Peacock” Swing
“Learning how to make all the physical comedy moments authentic, and trying not to break on stage.” - Andrew Steele, “Mr. Green”
“All parts that I play within the ensemble have posed a challenge for me, but it is fun to work differently. I've also been struggling with the fact that we aren't breaking into song at any point in the show (besides the Singing Telegram Girl). I've never done a play before, so this show as a whole has been quite the challenge.” - Emily Muehlenbach, “Ensemble Woman”
What has been your favorite moment from rehearsals so far?
“I’ve really enjoyed spending time with and getting to know my castmates during rehearsals. It’s been great working together on stage and bringing the scenes to life. Having a supportive environment where I can take risks and explore the humor of the play has been a rewarding experience and something I don’t take for granted. The collaboration and creativity in this process have made it truly memorable.” - Jenna Korban, “Miss Scarlet”
Why should your classmates come and see Clue?
“Even if theater isn't your thing- This show is so interactive and fun that it would be interesting to truly any audience. We have put blood, sweat, and tears into this show and all of its challenges and it definitely would not be something I'd want to miss out on!” - Livy Powell, “Yvette”
“People should see Clue because it’s a fast-paced, funny show that brings the classic board game to life. It captures the mystery and excitement of the game, with over-the-top performances and plenty of surprising twists. The audience gets to piece together the clues alongside the characters, making it an engaging and entertaining experience from start to finish.” - Jenna Korban, “Miss Scarlet”
“Clue is a one in a lifetime show, for both the people performing it and the people coming to see it. It takes a favorite childhood game and allows for the audience to live through it. It is a hysterical show with high intensity drama, a match made in heaven for a murder mystery play. It is for sure to impress and everyone who comes sees it will leave seeing something they never would have expected.” - Andrew Steele, “Mr. Green”
This show is truly unique due to the witty dialogue that flows non stop throughout the show, as well as the giant mansion that the entire play takes place in, and the various movement pieces that appear throughout the play. Despite being something new to the Hamilton Stage, audiences can find comfort in the familiarity of the piece. You’ve already heard of all of the iconic characters, as well as the overall objective of finding “Who, Where, and With What.” Audiences will feel at home within Boddy Manor, fit with the familiar Study, Lounge, Kitchen, Dining Room, Great Hall, Conservatory, Billiard Room, and Library. With murder around every corner, you are sure to be kept on the edge of your seat throughout the entirety of this fast-paced comedic masterpiece.
With many different parts of the show that need to all come together, the crew is divided into teams. These teams include but are not limited to:
Build Crew, who are building the mansion.
Paint Crew, who will paint the individual rooms of the manor.
Props, who are in charge of selecting and making all props needed.
Run Crew, who is backstage during the shows and performs all scene changes.
Boards, which controls the lighting, sound effects, and actor’s microphones.
The person in charge of all of this controlled chaos is director Sarah Plamann, who not only guids the cast through the long rehearsal process, but also is in charge of making sure everything comes together nicely during Tech Week.
Plamann answered several questions about her experience putting on this challenging show.
What are you most looking forward to in the process of Clue coming together?
“I'm so excited for when the sets, props, and actors are all working together. With the way the rooms will be moving on and off stage as the actors are stepping in and out of them, as well as the "sleight of hand" that happens with the character weapon props and costume pieces, it's going to be so cool once it's all in place!”
What is your favorite moment from the show?
“Hm...this is a tough one. It tends to change every day as students try delivering lines and make different physical choices. Honestly, my favorite part is seeing each actor discover their character more and more and become comfortable with it.”
What is your favorite part of the rehearsal process?
“Every day at the end of rehearsal we give shout outs to one particular actor. At first, it's a bit uncomfortable because that's just not something we tend to practice regularly in daily life (though maybe we should!). Hearing everyone talk about each individual, what they see in them, their strengths, and who they are as humans fills my heart with so much joy and pride. Each person has something so important to offer, and hearing their peers see and acknowledge it is a really powerful thing! I also love the days that Logan Wroblewski is there. He's a 2021 HHS grad and an alum of the program. He has a great sense for comedy and brings so much to the table and rehearsal space every day he's here! Plus it's pretty cool to watch a former student come in and give back to their program as an adult.”
What has been the biggest challenge you have encountered while putting together this show?”
“I knew it would be a big show with a lot of tech, and that has definitely proven true! Just getting the giant set together, getting the crew comfortable moving it (and doing it quickly), gathering all the props needed, and the immense amount of sound effects has made it a challenge for sure!”
What made you choose to put on Clue this year with these students?
“We all love a good comedy murder-mystery, and it was time for one again. Plus, the name recognition. I wanted to do something that would really pack the HFAC!”
If you could play any character from Clue, who would it be?
“This is so tough.....but probably Mrs. Peacock because she gets to be crazy and eccentric and over the top. Those kinds of characters are always fun to play on stage.”
What moment in the show are you most excited for audiences to see?
“I'm excited for them to witness intermission because it's something we've never done before. But as far as the show goes, probably the early scenes in the Study, and the ending when the killer reveals themselves and what ensues after.”
Clue opens to the general public on February 7, with shows on the 7, 8, and 9. Be sure to come down to the Hamilton Fine Arts Center to see this masterpiece of a show. You don’t want to miss it.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the door prior to the performance.
