College standouts enjoy learning from NFL greats
July 16, 2014
Summer Fun Kids Day returns for 15th year
July 16, 2014
Characters colorful in more ways than one spring to life in the Thibodaux Playhouse’s adaptation of a popular board game. “Clue: The Musical” takes audiences on a journey through six rooms to solve a case of murder committed with one aim – revenge.
In the classic setting of a mansion, shared with his maid and wife, Mr. Boddy (Seth Pontiff) hosts a dinner party with four guests. When he is found dead, everyone in the house is a suspect. The mystery revolves around who killed Mr. Boddy, in what room and using which of the six weapons found.
“I have some dirty secrets and have done something to all of these people that would cause them to want to murder me,” Pontiff said.
Naturally, someone with a shady past is implicated in the crime. Ivanna Brooks is Mrs. Peacock, whose five husbands mysteriously died, leaving her their fortunes. A prominent businesswoman and socialite, she recently wed Mr. Boddy.
“I’m pretty sure I just married him for the house,” Brooks remarked.
Cheyenne Miller plays Mrs. White, Mr. Boddy’s “overworked and underpaid” housekeeper from England who is “handy with a knife.” Mr. Boddy justifies his treatment of her by noting that he posted bail for her stepson, and she admits having few other options for employment.
Wit and comedy abound in “Clue,” with memorable character introductions, rhyming hints and catchy songs, such as “She Hasn’t Got a Clue” and “Don’t Blame Me.” Miller said her favorite scene is “Foul-weather Friend,” in which the female cast members emphasize acting as a team.
“It’s just the ladies of the house becoming quick friends in a time of crisis … frenemies,” she said.
Renee’ LeBlanc portrays Miss Scarlet, a sultry Las Vegas performer who met Mr. Boddy at one of her shows. Promising marriage, he used her to collect business funds before abandoning her. The singer-actress is also a heavy drinker whose actions are sometimes unwise, according to LeBlanc.
Despite Miss Scarlet’s propensity for folly, “(Mrs. White) wants to be me – don’t let her fool you,” said LeBlanc.
Director Doug DeGirolamo doubles as Mr. Green, a boisterous “entrepreneur” and Miss Scarlet’s former lover. Mr. Boddy, his business partner, believes Mr. Green is cheating him out of money. The clever con artist plays with words, altering common sayings: “I’m Mr. Green, jack-of-all-shades” and “You’re looking for a needle in a backpack.”
Rounding out the list of suspects are the intellectual author Professor Plum (Eric Bourg) and Col. Mustard (Orin Baskin), a war hero in his own mind. Both draw laughs from the audience, for instance when Plum unsuccessfully attempts to attract a female character in the “Seduction Deduction” scene.
DeGirolamo said the musical “Clue” is almost nothing like the 1985 film starring Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry and Christopher Lloyd. Though the characters have the same names, their backgrounds differ greatly. The musical also strays from the board game in the number of rooms (the game has nine), the plot and the characters. It focuses more on the suspects’ motives, expands Mr. Boddy’s role and includes a new character.
Brooke Summers arrives in the second half of the production as a “hard-nosed” detective who interviews the suspects, exposing their connections to Mr. Boddy and possible reasons for murdering him.
“She’s very to the point, but you can kind of tell she’s more or less feigning this confidence,” Summers said. “There are moments where she wants to come off as this hard-boiled detective who’s going to figure things out, but then people kind of see right through her.”
Even after his death, Mr. Boddy remains active. He serves as the host not only for the party but also the musical. He offers clues and makes side comments throughout, such as when he refuses Mr. Green’s invitation to play billiards (“I’m already involved in a game.”)
Crowd participation adds another level of interest, with audience members using the provided forms to take notes based on evidence presented. There are 216 possible solutions, and the correct one varies with each performance. The cast members are unaware of the answer until the musical begins.
At the start of the show, three crowd members choose answer cards, which they give to Mr. Boddy, who places them in an envelope without the audience or card-bearers seeing. When the detective solves the case, she pulls the answer cards from the envelope and shows them to the audience. Of course, no mystery is complete without a twist, which comes at the end.
“It’s a fun atmosphere, it makes light of murder,” said DeGirolamo. “It’s like playing the board game with real people, so come expecting to play Clue.”
The cast of “Clue:The Musical” – (seated) Seth Pontiff as Mr. Boddy (standing, from left), Renee’ LeBlanc as Miss Scarlet, Cheyenne Miller as Mrs. White, Brooke Summers as the detective, Doug DeGirolamo as Mr. Green and Ivanna Brooks as Mrs. Peacock – bring the popular board game to life at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center Theater in Thibodaux July 18-27.
