The theater program produced the first play of the year, Clue, a comedy murder mystery, for captivated students and adults alike from Nov.  7 through Nov.  9. Theater’s tech crew and cast members had been shaping this play since late August, consistently rehearsing over memorization, blocking, working on props, lighting and manipulating the black box to fit their scenes. Last week, after months of preparation for this one show, the theater program brought Clue alive to the school and supportive attendees.

In hindsight, the performance was a mirror imitation of what hard work and dedication to the arts looked like. When stepping foot, the stage exhibited a clever and clear distinction between the several rooms within the mansion, considering the limitations and complications of the lack of space in the black box. The actors embodied their individual parts perfectly, truly bringing the characters forged from white script paper to life. Every line sounded almost natural spewing from the actors’ lips.

Throughout the night, the cast victoriously made the audience roar with laughter with barely concealed crude and refined humorous lines and scenes, living up to its promise of being a comedy. Nearly every character interaction was a beguiling focal point in the limelight, such as the constant bickering between Colonel Mustard and Miss Scarlet, and the butlers’ outrage towards the six other guests while stressed; it proved to be one of the many highlights of the show, a monument to its success.  

The final quarter of the play was a well-done wrap-up that left watchers on the edge of their seats to see who was responsible for the piling bodies. Once it was revealed all six main protagonists were guilty of murder, the story concluded shockingly and satisfactorily, leaving no questions unanswered and money well spent. However, some instances of memorization errors left the actors stumbling over their lines, yet they were quick to save themselves in the end and bounce back like nothing happened.

As the night deepened and the performance ended, the actors walked hand-in-hand for their curtain call. A plethora of claps rattled the boxed room, flashing pictures of the cast and tech members were taken in a group photo, and everyone that night studded out the school with chests burning with warmth and faces stretched from joyous grins. 

Everything from the props, the stage design, the costuming, and the actors, Clue demonstrated the appeal of high school theater and gave young aspiring theater students the chance to showcase their skills and love for the art. The first play of the school year kicked off a high expectation for the following performances and made them greatly anticipated.