Montezuma-Cortez High School will present “Clue: The High School Edition,” a comedic murder mystery based on the classic board game, on Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9, at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.
The production, written by Sandy Rustin and based on a screenplay by Jonathan Lynn, unfolds on a “dark and stormy night” at Boddy Manor.
Guests arrive using the aliases of Miss Scarlet (played by Grace Noyes), Professor Plum (Preston Tanner), Mrs. White (Mayra Rascon), Mrs. Peacock (Hannah Ford), Mr. Green (Troy Yoder) and Colonel Mustard (James Hall) for a dinner party hosted by Mr. Boddy (Max Hatch), who becomes the center of the mystery.
With champagne, murder weapons and a growing body count, the story delivers twists and turns that keep audiences guessing until the surprising reveal at the end, the team behind the show said.
The show features 24 students supported by an eight-member crew. Auditions were held Feb. 19, followed by six weeks of rehearsal.
Directors Lon Simmons and Carter Cox have guided the students as they prepare the play. Stage managers Emma Story and Evaristo Ruiz, along with head crew member Elsa Hamerschlag, have coordinated transitions and production logistics.
“This show has had a plethora of memories that I am certain all of us will carry for a long while,” Story said. “One of our members mentioned the days of construction with Mr. Cox and watching him help us all out so much, she endearingly mentioned him burning himself on a freshly placed screw, although I’m not too sure how endearing it was for him.”
The production faced early hurdles in recruiting participants and building momentum after the departure of former director Nicholaus Sandner. Students stepped up, however, to ensure the show could proceed.
“At the beginning of this year, nobody was expecting to be where we are now,” Yoder said. “We have gone through arguments, miscommunications, quitting and many more obstacles that made it seem almost impossible to put on this show. … Everyone was on the brink of giving up, but I watched my fellow students try, time and time again, to make this program work.”
Ruiz emphasized how proud he is of the cast and crew and what they have accomplished leading up to the show.
“We have pushed the limits of what’s possible on stage to create a very fun show,” Ruiz said. “I can’t wait for the community to see the scale of what we’ve built. I’m sure the community will be on the edge of their seats by the end of the show.”
Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for students and seniors and free for children five years old and under.
Community members are encouraged to attend what students described as a new beginning for the theater program.
“The humor is quaint and the drama is picturesque,” Story said. “Anyone who comes and sees it will be laughing one second and gasping the next. It’s truly full of artistic designs and choices, sensory engagement that transport the audience into the story we are telling and authentic acting.”
