Previews: CLUE at Straz Center

On stage at Straz Center from May 28 – June 2 is CLUE. Get ready to enter a world of mystery and hilarity with the live-stage adaptation of the beloved board game celebrating 75 years and the 1985 cult classic film. This uproarious production promises a night of intrigue and laughter, where murder and blackmail go hand in hand.

CLUE is a comedic journey through the twists and turns of a classic whodunit. Join the iconic characters—Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, and the rest—as they navigate the treacherous waters of Boddy Manor, where everyone's a suspect and nothing is as it seems.

Jonathan Spivey, who plays Professor Plum, has a fun Tampa connection. He did his first professional gig right out of college at 22 – a theme park show at Busch Gardens called "The Mirage Canteen" for six months.

When asked if he related to his character, Spivey said he hoped he was the antithesis of the man.

"I describe Professor Plum as a classic mansplainer. He thinks he is the smartest person in the room, so at many points, he is the master of the obvious. He's in love with the sound of his own voice. He has an over-inflated ego. It does remind me of some public figures. All of the characters in the show are incredibly flawed -these are not perfect people - who are in dire circumstances, and you get to watch them panic for 80 minutes."

Spivey says the play does a great job of satisfying the same kind of itch as the film version's multiple endings. He explained that adding the bare-bones costume pieces and hand props helped bring the character to life in rehearsal.

He explained, "The overcoat, the hat that we lose, and, of course, the pipe – the first time I worked with this gave me insight into this is the prop that goes with the archetype of the character I'm playing."

He described the play as slapstick disguised as a murder mystery. The deaths that happen are hilarious, and the show is definitely family-friendly for preteens and the like.

"There's a lot of physical comedy, not subtle humor. It's an old-school vaudevillian door-slamming farce. While the mystery element is a big part of the story, with bodies stacking up and the audience trying to figure out who does it, this production leans heavily into that broad comedy," he said. "It's a quick 80 minutes of lots of laughs. This show is a mental vacation. We're in such a divisive period in our country. Even though the show is ridiculous, there is something significant about what we're doing. We have 2500 people a night sitting together with people of different backgrounds, political affiliations, and opinions laughing together.

Even though the audience might not think about that when they're leaving, I think something is healing about the experience of sitting in a room with so many different people focusing on the same thing and laughing together. This is a great show for younger people because they get to watch full-grown adults be totally stupid and make idiots of themselves. The show demonstrates that it is okay not to take yourself seriously. It's okay to make a fool of yourself sometimes."

With a sharp script and a sharper wit, CLUE will keep you guessing until the end.

CLUE is at Straz Center on May 28 – June 2. Performances include a sign language interpretation and audio description. Get your tickets at www.strazcenter.org/events/2324-season/broadway/clue

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