Kirk Players to stage virtual iconic whodunit May 22-23
Whodunit? Where? And with what? Kirk Players invites audiences to follow the clues to solve the mystery as they present "Clue: The Stay-at-Home Version" Saturday, May 22, and Sunday May 23.
The play, based on the 1985 movie inspired by the Hasbro board game, and adapted from the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn, with additional material provided by Hunter Foster, Eric Price, and Sandy Rustin, begins when six guests assemble at remote and mysterious Boddy Manor for an unusual dinner party.
Dinner begins with a bowl of shark fin soup, but mayhem, murder, and blackmail are also on the menu. When the host, Mr. Boddy, turns up dead, Wadsworth, the butler, along with guests Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Miss Scarlet and Professor Plum search the mansion to find the killer.
The body count rises as unexpected visitors arrive at the mansion, weapons change hands, and accusations mount.
Close to 70 actors from near and far auditioned virtually for these iconic roles. The cast includes Kirk Players' Patrick Blake, Natalie La Voie, Meghan Lane, Susie Hill and Mandy Stebbins, and Honorary Kirk Player Dave Kennebeck.
Guest performers are Terry O'Brien, Dane Rogers, Brenden Zwiebel, Guy Wicke, Monica Stark, Jenilee Houghton, Tekolya Brown and Matt Anderson.
The technical and crew team consists of director Peter Grassl, assistant director Betty Slack, stage manager Gretchen Grassl, virtual technical director Jessica Rattanasena, video editor Martin Hill, costume designer Jessi Rodriguez, prop designer Fran Hansen and sound technician Doris Nagel.
Mounting this virtual production presented some special challenges.
"What if two characters in two different locations have to dance together? Suppose an actor in Cincinnati must pass a weapon (a candlestick, perhaps, or a revolver) to an actor in Mundelein? What if a body has to fall on someone? Working out this virtual staging, while also employing traditional stage elements like remarkably authentic props, stunning costumes, and professional quality sound has been an enlightening learning adventure," director Grassl said:
Kirk Players' production of "Clue: The Stay-at-Home Version" will be available on the Broadway on Demand website beginning at midnight Saturday, May 22, until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, May 23. Tickets are $5, plus a $2.95 service charge. The public can purchase tickets at www.broadwayondemand.com/series/NxnZlZ8dFSky-clue-stay-at-home-edition-the-kirk-players and pay via credit card or through PayPal.
Once audience members have purchased their tickets, they will receive a confirmation email with the link to watch the production. Ticket holders may watch as many times as they like and stop, start and pause their viewing anytime during the 48-hour window the production is available.
While many theaters have gone dark during this past year, Kirk Players' production of "Clue: The Stay-at-Home Version" is its fifth virtual performance and first full-length play this season.
For more information, visit www.kirkplayers.org or email info@kirkplayers.org.
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