After countless weeks of rehearsals, building sets, and running back lines, the fall play, Clue, is finally ready.
Theater director Mr. Thomas Mackey describes Clue as a “farcical murder mystery” where it “borders on absurdity” at times.
Senior Justice Campbell will be playing the lead role of Wadsworth, the butler.
“He’s very organized, while also showing a little bit of disorganization as well. Very cocky, in a way, but he gets very fidgety when you learn about a very sensitive thing that goes on in the show,” Campbell said.
Campbell felt a whirlwind of emotions upon finding out that he was cast the lead role.
“I was very excited. It was a lot of tough competition when it came to the audition, so when I found out that overall I got the lead, it was an array of different emotions,” Campbell said. “I was excited, but I felt nauseous, almost. It was a lot going on that day. Half of me was kind of expecting to get it, since seniority, but just looking at how everyone else auditioned, you never knew what was going to happen.”
Senior Adenike Zannou, who plays Mrs. Peacock, has many different feelings about the show.
“I’m nervous—really nervous because so many things that’s going to make the show really, really entertaining, but there’s a lot of technical elements aside from the acting that’s either going to make or break it, which I feel like we have a pretty good handle on it,” Zannou said.
“I’m also doing the makeup for the show, so it’s a little bit stressful knowing that some of the stuff I have to do, I have 15 minutes max to get it done. But, I think that the show is still going to turn out really, really good, so I’m excited but nervous.”
Though the actors and actresses of the show are what make the show, it is no doubt that it would fall through without the stage crew.
“The person who designed the sets, I feel like she had a lot more to do than everybody else…” Zannou said.
Senior Ember Wolstenholme is on the stage crew and believes Clue has the biggest set she has done in all of her years of high school.
“It’s been fun. I really am looking forward to the final outcome. It’s been stressful, but I know that putting in the work, making sure all the little details are accounted for; it’s going to make a great show,” Wolstenholme said.
She believes that the most difficult thing to make is each of the rooms.
“They all have to be pulled out in their own time and in a straight fashion. Each room has to look different according to what it is, like the library, the billiard room, the lounge; things like that—they all have to be different, so just making sure those look uniform but also like the audience could tell what it is,” Wolstenholme said.
Students in this year’s fall play have been rehearsing since September 5 and have barely had any breaks. Zannou believes that working on this play is fun, but definitely a commitment.
“It’s really fun, definitely, but it’s also kind of stressful, but in a good way—in a challenging way. It’s something to really work towards, trying to get the show to be watchable and good to perform for other people,” Zannou said. “It’s a commitment for sure. Yesterday was the one day off we had since September, no rehearsal. So, it’s just been a lot of work and a lot of practice, rehearsing. and learning lines, and things of that nature.”
Mr. Mackey believes that the show will be enjoyed by everyone, and encourages students to come and see it.
“Firstly, it’s such a fun and funny show, so people of all ages will enjoy the play. Beyond that, the design elements are shaping up to be pretty spectacular and the students put so much effort into this production and they deserve an audience that matches the size of their passion,” Mr. Mackey said.
