Review: CLUE: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION at North Little Rock High School Performing Arts Center

What's more fun than playing board games? Watching them come to life on stage, which is what the thespians at North Little Rock High School, 101 W 22nd Street, in North Little Rock, did this past weekend Thursday, April 6, through Saturday, April 8 with CLUE: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION. Though there were some technical difficulties on Thursday (is it a true theatre experience if there aren't any tech issues?), the show indeed went on, and the troupe entertained the masses through the ever-changing challenges.

According to history.com, Clue the game was created by Anthony Pratt during the WWII air-raid blackouts and was later patented in 1947 and released in 1949. Though it has had a few updates, the three questions still remain: Who was the killer? In what room was the victim killed? What was the murder weapon?

Based off of the 1985 movie CLUE, this production, written by Sandy Rustin, adapted from the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn, and directed by DeAndre Lewis, hilariously brings together the beloved characters of the game: Miss Scarlet (Emily Bell), Mrs. Peacock (Jerzey Banks), Mrs. White (Lillie Ballany), Colonel Mustard (Alexander Self), Professor Plum (Carrington Turner), and Mr. Green (Jackson Rossi). Greeted by Wadsworth (Ethan Carr) and assisted by Yvette the maid (Jorgan Bethell) at a mysterious mansion, the partygoers are eventually told why they were summoned to the house and, after the introduction of six weapons, murders start taking place. Who kills the Singing Telegram Girl (Summer Davis), The Cook (Danielle Turner), Mr. Boddy (Derrian Turner), The Motorist (Lily Hirscheider), and The Unexpected Cop (Korey Edwards)? It's a mystery that isn't solved until the Chief of Police (Remus Edwards) comes in to arrest the killer.

Prior to opening the doors, the sound goes out. Is this part of the play? No. It's technical difficulties. Bless them. I know they all had to be panicking, but while on stage, they continued on without any issues. The student directors sat in the front row and played the music on their laptop so the actors had their cues, and they did a great job at projecting until the sound came on halfway through the show. Though this could have been detrimental in their performance, I was impressed that they pushed through and made the audience laugh and laugh and laugh.

The actors were so absurdly comical! Their exaggerated characters had great chemistry together. During their introductions, they were conservative in their mannerisms, but as the show went on, they became more and more over the top. The hysteria was fun to watch, and I enjoyed trying to guess who the killer was.

The set was amazing! Seriously, it was professional level. They had an archway that housed the Billiard Room and Hall, and then rotating panels that labeled the other rooms. The doors were easily moveable to accommodate the size of the cast, and it was all lit up mysteriously. Shoutout to the set construction team: Michael Klucher, DeAndre Lewis, and Josh Shipman.

Broadway World understands that it takes an amy to put on a production of this caliber, so we don't want to leave out the Student Production Leaders: Student Directors-Olivia Jones, Eli Lancaster, and Sheby Sharp; Stage Manager-Evelyn Moran; Student Technical Directors-Mac Dellinger, Jackson Freer, Abbie Killingsworth, and Anna Kate West; Student Cosume Director-ELane Degler; Student Makeup Director-Cade Barriere; Student Hair Director-Ayanna Williams; Properties Crew Head-Josh Strickland; and Light Crew Head-Jacoby Lewis.

Now if you haven't heard the big news, The NLRHS Theatre Arts Department has been chosen by a panel of judges from Music Theatre International, the Educational Theatre Association, and Disney to present FROZEN the Musical next fall!!! According to the press release, this is the first time that theatre programs and companies outside of Broadway and the National Touring productions will be allowed to perform this amazing show! Director Wyatt Hamilton applied to the "United States of Frozen" Competition along with other schools in Arkansas and approximately 300 other high school theatre programs from across the nation. Their entry earned them exclusive rights to perform the show in the state of Arkansas! The competition was based around the theme "Love is an Open Door," and focused on the ideals of inclusion, and outreach. NLRHS is so excited to have this opportunity to represent Arkansas and plan to involve the NLR community in a lot of fun ways! Broadway World can't wait to see what this talented group of entertainers brings to the stage next year.

Broadway World would like to give a big THANK YOU to Director DeAndre Lewis for these fabulous pictures.

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