A performance someone would kill to watch again

Stephanie Cheng

An ineffective eavesdropping | Mrs. Peacock (center), played by senior Jadyn Lozada, leans on Mr. Green, played by senior Ace Alfaro while all five characters put their glasses up to the door in an attempt to listen on what Wadsworth is saying. “I felt a bit uncomfortable during that scene because I had to balance myself to not fall down,” Lozada said. “I was mostly thinking about facial expressions, making sure that they were noticeable and hoping that the audience would laugh at them.

George Wang, Staff writer
November 2, 2022

Do you have a clue as to how amazing this play was? Well, it was definitely worth the watch. Drama performed its production of “Clue” from Oct. 20-22 at the Performing Arts Center.

In the play, six guests are invited to a dinner party by a mysterious host, all blackmailed for their darkest secrets. As they find their host dead on the floor, they must find the murderer before they become victims themselves. 

The show begins on a dark and stormy night, with the sound of thunder and dramatic flashes of light syncing well to produce a spooky atmosphere. It made me feel like I was on the stage along with the actors. Each of the performers entered the scene one by one, embodying their unique personas. I found Wadsworth’s (Cynthia Santana) accent impressive, which never slipped up. The dialogue and facial expressions of the characters added more emotion to the plot: Mrs. Peacock (Jadyn Lozada), for instance, was startled by the whiskey she thought was poisonous. 

I found the humor expressed by the characters very entertaining. Whether it be Colonel Mustard’s (Aaron Meng) silly remarks about how apple pie embodies America or Mr. Green’s (Ace Alfaro) unawareness of his surroundings, the characters added a sense of comedy and sarcasm into the mix, providing relief for the audience during intense moments. One of my favorite comedic moments was when the singing telegram girl came into the mansion, only to be abruptly shot dead. Her exaggerated fall to the ground contributed to the dark humor of the scene and created a wave of laughter among the audience. 

My heart skipped a beat during the climax when the lights turned off and the actors began to scream. In this moment of horror and thrill, I felt enthralled and had the

urge to scream with them. This play also had two major plot twists. I was shocked to discover that Wadsworth, the butler, was Mr. Boddy, the host of the dinner party. He left no clues regarding his identity, which was why I never expected this outcome.  Moreover, when Green later exposes himself as an undercover FBI agent, I felt betrayed that his talkative and clueless personality was just a facade to trick others. 

The stagecraft crew was particularly efficient with changing the stage props and the minimal background interruptions created a better experience for the crowd. The props were detailed and prepared with cutlery, plates, cups and napkins placed around the table, creating a more realistic play. The costumes were well thought out with outfits resembling the names of the characters such as that of Miss Scarlet (Athena Kusserow), who had a scarlet-colored dress. 

Case solved: this theatrical classic performed by the Drama Department was a major success and a favorite among the plays I have watched. I look forward to this year’s future productions.