Groves Performing Arts Company showing the high school adaptation of Clue

Left+to+right%2C+top+to+bottom%3A%0ARow+One%3A+Quinn+Rice+and+Corinne+Alrawi%2C+Owen+Glossinger%2C+Madeline+Zdrojewski%2C+Xavier+Drake%0ARow+Two%3A+Gigi+Maki%2C+Morgan+Goodrich%2C+Emmanuel+Scobie%0ARow+Three%3A+Cameron+Beem%2C+Rachel+and+Jai+Downing%2C+Blair+Jacobs+and+Haley+Sherman%2C+and+Justin+Acey+Photos+by+Helena+Zweig+%28April+17%29

Left to right, top to bottom: Row One: Quinn Rice and Corinne Alrawi, Owen Glossinger, Madeline Zdrojewski, Xavier Drake Row Two: Gigi Maki, Morgan Goodrich, Emmanuel Scobie Row Three: Cameron Beem, Rachel and Jai Downing, Blair Jacobs and Haley Sherman, and Justin Acey Photos by Helena Zweig (April 17)

Was it Mr. Green in the ballroom with the candlestick?  Or perhaps Professor Plum with the lead pipe?

There are so many ways this classic game could go, but always one main goal in Clue: discover the crime, obtain the weapon, and catch the murderer. Through deductive reasoning and expert sleuthing skills, a player can locate all of these three things and win the game, becoming a master of logic in the process. The origins of this ‘whodunnit’ are farther than even Hasbro would like to admit, as it was actually started by Anthony Pratt, who was searching for a way to create a game distracting players from the sadness of World War II. He was a piano player, and his “game” was based on actual experiences of murder-mystery parties he had witnessed while playing for wealthy families. The original idea for the game was called Murder!, and during air raids, he and his wife, Elva, would design the pieces and gameboard. He patented the game in 1947 to a British game manufacturer and the Parker Brothers. The two branched off under different names, and thus, it became Cluedo in the United Kingdom (ludo being Latin for “I play”), and Clue was born in America.

The movie Clue was released in 1985, now considered by many to be a cult classic. Jonathan Lynn creates a world all his own as the plot unfolds and characters are reduced to a single ethic: the basic motive of survival. The screenplay was soon after adapted into a stage play, and now, the murderous scene is broadcast to a local theater near you. This year, the Groves Performing Arts Company (GPAC) is putting on the play adaptation of this story, aptly titled “Clue”. It revolves around the same plot as the game, as one Mr. Body is killed and the guests must find the murderer. But wait! A catch is afoot! Each of the guests is being blackmailed by Mr. Body (a clever alias) and the murders continue. Will the innocent passerby be able to discover the killer before it’s too late?

Senior Owen Glossinger poses in character prior to his stage debut as Wadsworth in the GPAC production of Clue: High School Edition on April 17.

Excited to watch this show isn’t the right word, it’s more like ecstatic anticipation. Student Corinne Alrawi cast to play Yvette in the upcoming production adores how the cast interacts, and the entire plotline- especially the murder.

I just love how fun the show is. There’s so many jokes, and the cast is amazing, and the costumes are so colorful,” Alrawi said.

Several main characters are also a part of the award-winning Thespian Troupe. 

You aren’t just coming for a play, you’re coming to experience a mystery of epic proportions, one that thrills you, intrigues you, and draws you in with its witty banter and suspense of a real case. Forget mystery books and dive into a real-life action story, complete with everything a dreamer could want. So, are cooperating in our caper? Purchase your experience here.