Interview: John Shartzer of CLUE at Saenger Theatre

Get ready for an unforgettable night of mystery and comedy as CLUE takes the stage at the Saenger Theatre from June 18-23. This theatrical adaptation of the beloved board game promises to keep audiences on the edge of their seats with its sharp wit and thrilling twists. To celebrate this exciting event, BroadwayWorld.com has an exclusive Q&A with John Shartzer, the actor bringing the quirky and anxious Mr. Green to life. Dive into the behind-the-scenes insights and discover what makes this production a must-see this week.

BroadwayWorld.com: Tell us about yourself and why you auditioned for CLUE. Did you specifically go for Mr. Green?
Shartzer: When I first auditioned for CLUE, it was for the West Coast premiere in La Mirada, California, with McCoy Rigby Entertainment. I had done a show there a few years before that, and they had brought me in because the role that I had done before was so very similar to Mr. Green. I think they were like, ‘This guy’s Green from the get-go.’ So, I messaged her when I got this tour. Julia Flores is her name, and I was so thankful to her because the reason why I’m on this tour is because she brought me in to audition for that regional show. And I’m so very thankful because I feel like there’s Nobody Else (i) could possibly play. I feel like Mr. Green through and through.

BWW: Everyone has memories of playing CLUE and watching the film, which is now considered a cult classic. Do you have any favorite memories of CLUE growing up?
Shartzer: I don’t remember playing the game. I do very much remember the movie. I loved the movie growing up, and at every opportunity I can say, I will say, that I’m very honored to be a part of the CLUE legacy. We go to all these cities, and it’s just so clear that the movie especially, but the game as well, has just touched so many people. People are showing up dressed in costumes; people are showing up quoting the lines during the show, and you hear the little rumbles of laughs before Tari Kelly does the flames moment because you know they’ve been waiting for it the whole night. It’s very cool to be a part of something big like that, and I’m very honored, especially as somebody who enjoyed the movie; I’m pinching myself knowing I’m here doing this show for all these people every week.

BWW: What can audiences expect from those who know the film and from those who are new to the story?
Shartzer: Well, I would say if you are new to the story, fear not, dear travelers, for you will have yourself a rip-roaring time regardless of that. And if you are a big fan of the movie, I would also worry not because all the quotable lines are there. Our writer, Sandy Rustin, and our director, Casey Hushion, have been very careful about honoring the source. We do make it our own, I will say. We have a lot of really great, talented performers on that stage who do just some great work as far as taking those characters to the next level. A lot of people ask about the multiple endings because that is such a big cornerstone of the film, and I will say without giving away too much that the show ends the same every night, but we do, I think, a wonderful job of paying homage to even the multiple endings that are in the film. Nobody will leave without a smile on their face; that’s my promise.

BWW: That was going to be one of my questions about the endings. In my mind, I thought it would be a perfect chance to do a different ending or switch it up a little bit. I’m excited to see what you do with it.
Shartzer: Well, I think if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

BWW: How do you keep up the energy of a farce while still maintaining the nuance of this being a mystery but also balancing the comedy?
Shartzer: Well, I think a lot of that goes to Casey. When we started this process, I remember her saying, ‘This is a comedy, this is slapstick, this is a farce, but it’s very important to keep these characters grounded. This is real for them.’ So, when that door opens, everybody has a very real, sometimes life-threatening secret. When I hit that stage, I just played it like that. I crank the stakes real high, and it doesn’t take away from the realness of it. I always talk about how I run. I run like a buffoon in this show. If you’ve ever seen a cartoon character run, that’s how I’m cooking through this show. And I think it’s just finding that balance of it always having to be real for these characters, but they’re also not afraid to get a little silly. It’s all about a balancing act.

BWW: How did you initially approach the character of Mr. Green?
Shartzer: The character description says something along the lines of he’s awfully anxious and a timid rule follower. And I kind of just leaned very much to those qualities. In the first rehearsal process, I let Casey tell me when I was doing something right or wrong, and it landed in a place; I think that’s good. I don’t want to give too much away, but there is a reason why you’ll hear Mr. Green has a particular voice in the way he speaks. And there’s a reason why I lean very heavily into that voice, but finding that voice was also a little bit of trial and error. I think we’ve landed on a place that fits in this world while also paying tribute to Michael McKean in the movie. Everything that he did, I feel like I’m just cranking it and making it a little goofier.

BWW: Michael has some very iconic scenes and lines. I was wondering how it was paying homage to him while making it your own.
Shartzer: I keep going back to being honored because I feel so lucky to be in this show with CLUE and to be doing that role. So, obviously, wanting to honor everything he did, but I feel we’ve been given great permission to make things our own. I haven’t thought of doing a side-by-side between what he and I do, and I think it would be quite different, but I hope there are some similarities. It started as, ‘Hey, this is what this character is, and let’s see what we can make it.’ And it grows in every city that we’re in. At this point, everyone can look at their character, and it does feel like [our] own…It’s going to be a very respectable tribute to Michael, but it’s going to be its own thing.

BWW: Is there room for improv in your performance?
Shartzer: Well, things I will say happen. Like last night, for example, the table I’m supposed to crash down on. It fell when nobody was near it, and we all kind of looked at the big crash, and I think that would have been a good moment to improv something, but I really just froze up. But there definitely is some room towards the end, and I would say that’s mostly reserved for the lead in our show, Mark Price, who plays Wadsworth. That end where things get zany, I remember our director saying, ‘If ever there was a time in the show for any wiggle room, it’s here in this moment, and it’s with Mark Price.’ There’s always room for that, and things do tend to go wrong. If something goes wrong, one of our savvier actors will jump in and improvise something to save the day, but I’m usually not that person. I’m too scared.

BWW: Is there anything else you’d like to add that I didn’t ask?
Shartzer: I would add that we are having just the most wonderful time experiencing all of these cities across the U.S. and meeting so many great people from different walks of life. I mean, you could get caught in a bubble in your life and just stay there and never know that there’s just so many more things to see and experience, and I’m so thankful for this tour for taking me out and all of us out to see the world. And we’re having such a great time, and audiences are having a great time, too. So, if anybody’s on the fence about whether I should come to see CLUE or not? We’ve been filling up houses of 2500 people, and everyone’s leaving, beaming, smiling. So, if you’re on the fence, I would say come and do it, and let’s have some fun.

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