Those who have played the infamous board game Clue have often found themselves asking, “Which of the six suspects committed the crime? In what room of the remote mansion did the nefarious deed take place? What weapon did the murderer use? A rope, pipe, dagger, revolver or candlestick?”
All these captivating questions will be answered during the production of “Clue: On Stage” at the Starkville Community Theatre located in downtown Starkville at 7 p.m. April 11 – 13 and April 16 – 19. The theatre will offer matinee shows as well at 2:00 p.m. on April 14 and 20.
Tickets for the play cost $20 for the general public, and student admission and active military admission only cost $15. Tickets can be purchased through their website or by calling the box office number 662-323-6855. Potential viewers are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible since seats fill up quickly. While the opening weekend has already sold out, some shows still have seats remaining.
This farcical murder mystery inspired by the classic board game and 1985 film has a diverse cast of 14 comprised of Mississippi State University students and members of the Starkville community.
Grace Brown, a senior food science, nutrition and health promotion major at MSU, plays the role of Mrs. White, who ironically dresses in all black. Brown described her character.
“Mrs. White is a tragic, morbid and pale woman who may or may not have killed her five ex-husbands,” Brown said.
Brown has worked with the Starkville Community Theatre for two years, starring as Little Red Riding Hood in “Into the Woods” and Amy March in “Little Women,” but she has never played a role like Mrs. White.
“This role is different from any I have ever done. I play a lot of comedic roles, but this is a different type of comedy. Mrs. White is more reserved, prim and proper, and she does not speak a lot. She is a harder character to play, but the experience is rewarding,” Brown said.
Brown also found the collaborative nature of the production fulfilling.
“Everybody is so welcoming. They are really great people. I had never even met some of these people before, and they act like I am their child. Everyone laughs. Everyone knows everybody’s name. We have the same interest in this one thing that creates a community,” Brown said.
Corin Davis, a senior communication major with a theatre concentration at MSU and first time participant in a Starkville Community Theatre show, agreed with Brown’s descriptions of the cast’s camaraderie.
“I am used to educational theatre at State and working with people my own age,” Davis said. “It is a breath of fresh air working with people from the community of all ages. It is good to feel like I fit in. We are not getting paid to do this. It is all volunteer based. Having people put it together with sheer passion alone says something about it.”
Davis plays the character of Colonel Mustard, whom he described as rather dim-witted.
“He is this pompous idiot. He is way more confident in what he says than he should be. There is very little nuance. He is direct. He is military-esque, but he always misses the point,” Davis said.
In addition to acting, Davis had experience painting a set for another production of “Clue: On Stage” in Creede, Colorado, over the summer, so he has taken a leadership role in the set painting.
He talked about painting the stage to give the illusion of the board game’s different rooms. He said that this made blocking a challenge.
“It is hard to juggle all the physicality of the show especially since the blocking is often the joke. With all the prop tracking, line memorization and blocking, it is a lot to remember,” Davis said.
Brown offered a similar explanation.
“If you know the game, the game has lots of rooms,” Brown said. “We have to remember what room is what part of the set. On top of that, it is such an ensemble show. All the characters are featured equally, and there is not really just one protagonist. Having to remember where your one short line goes when all the characters are talking is difficult but creates the humor.”
Thomas La Foe, who has worked with the Starkville Community Theatre for over 20 years and served as the director of “Clue: On Stage,” has worked with Brown and Davis to brave these challenges and put the show together. La Foe also runs the MaxxSouth Digital Media Center as the Director of Technology and Innovation at MSU.
La Foe praised the work of the actors and actresses like Brown and Davis.
“The show is hilarious. It is fun watching the actors play with the jokes already written and adding some of their own. It is a lot of work in the beginning, but it is rewarding seeing it all come to life,” La Foe said.
Brown agreed with La Foe.
“It’s a fun time you don’t want to miss. You will laugh. There is no way you will get out of there without laughing. We know all the jokes, and we still laugh,” Brown said.
For those who have an affinity for board games, murder mysteries, jokes or perhaps a combination of the three, the funny and fast-paced “Clue: On Stage” is sure to entertain.
