Written By: Daphné Panie

This year, the fall play is Clue, a murder mystery-comedy inspired by the well-known board game of the same name. The show is set in a large mansion near Washington, DC. The six guests arrive, and it is revealed that they are all being blackmailed by the host. Soon after, the host is discovered dead and so begins a series of events to determine the murderer. 

Viñas, the new Upper School drama teacher and director of the play, shared that she chose Clue “because, as a new teacher, I wanted to have something students would know, and I hope that most students know or have played the game Clue.” She also emphasized that after reading through several scripts, Clue stood out for its humor and ensemble nature. She shared that since the winter musical (Les Misérables) is a dark and dramatic piece, she wanted “something funny and ridiculous” and described Clue as “the most funny and ridiculous thing I could have picked.” Molly Hart ‘27, playing the character of Miss Scarlett, shared her opinion on the show, sharing, “I like it. I think it is a perfect balance between comedy and drama.”

Furthermore, unlike other plays that only spotlight one or two characters, Clue is an ensemble show. With at least nine lead characters who have significant stage time, the play gives various students “the opportunity to be on stage and gain experience.” 

In addition, contrary to other years, there will be three productions instead of two. One will be an understudy-only production, further working toward the goal of having the most number of people acting on stage. However, while it allows for more acting time, Viñas described this initiative as adding another challenge, as it “doubles the rehearsal time needed for students.” 

Rehearsals take place every day until 5:30 for actors. Viñas shared that the cast is almost done blocking the show, a process where actors learn the layout of each scene and practice their entrances, exits, and stage movements. On Friday, October 10, the whole crew ran through the entire production aiming “to see how much students remember and what needs to be fixed.” Hart shared that “rehearsal is fun. It is a bit chaotic with the introduction of the understudy cast but we are all managing it very well and Viñas is doing a very good job.” 

Placement is a challenging part of the show. Viñas expressed her desire to block the show in a three-quarters space, meaning that three out of the four sides of the stage are surrounded by the audience, a very unusual situation for some of the students. She also added that they have to ensure that every audience member, no matter where they are sitting, always sees the face of an actor, a considerable challenge when staging the show. 

Finally, Viñas shared that she hopes the audience will walk away from the performance carrying a portion of the joy and ridiculousness found in the play. She stated, “Although I know things can be very serious and intense, especially with tests, quizzes and assessments at school, I hope the audience will have a really good time.” She also added that she hopes “the audience will see the characters with their flaws and lack of perfection” and embrace this idea as they reflect it in their daily life.