Longmont High School’s Drama Club stole the show over the weekend with three engaging performances of the timeless murder mystery play, “Clue,” inspired by the iconic 1985 Paramount movie and the Hasbro board game.
The story begins with six mysterious guests gathering for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail take center stage. As their host, Mr. Boddy, meets an unfortunate end, each guest becomes a suspect. Guided by Wadsworth the butler, the ensemble – featuring Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, and Colonel Mustard – races against the clock to uncover the killer, with the body count steadily rising. Longmont’s rendition of Clue delivered not only suspense and intrigue but also humor, leaving the audience in stitches as they attempted to unravel the mystery.
Dac Cederberg, play director and drama teacher, said Clue was chosen for this semester’s production because, “It has great name recognition, good roles for students, and I felt we would be successful at it. However, the number one reason was because of the hilarious script. The minute I read that script, I fell in love and wanted to produce the show.”
Cederberg, who selected the production in May, conducted auditions in August. Rehearsals were held most days after school. “Between cast, crew, lighting, sound, set, costumes, and props, we had over 30 students working on this show. Clue has a lot of sets, plus the sound cues, lots of dialogue, and lots of props; it was a lot of work. It’s safe to say hundreds of hours of work went into this production. It was well worth it.”
Junior Brooklyn Rowinski, portraying Miss Scarlet, shared a memorable moment from the show, “The entire cast was getting tired since we were halfway through the show. We had a scene in the billiard room, and when we got to the room, the door fell off. There was a slight panic, and everyone was trying not to laugh as my castmate, who plays Colonel Mustard, was holding up one side of the door, and I was holding up the other. Improvising, I said, ‘This really is an old house!’ The funniness of something going wrong brought up the energy backstage and made that moment one of my favorites.”
All students at Longmont have a place in the Drama Club whether it’s in tech or acting. “This group made me so proud,” shared Cederberg. “Despite the long hours we worked, I never heard one complaint from a cast member. They were all the best of friends and they told me they’ve had a blast working on this show. I was especially proud when most cast members were off-book (meaning not using scripts) well before the deadline. That almost never happens! This group was super dedicated and talented. I think they knew what a special show they had on their hands.”