Review: ‘Clue’ musical brings game to life

T.R. BRADSHAW/for the Van Wert independent

Playing the Parker Brothers’ board game Clue will never be the same after seeing the zany antics and listening to the catchy tunes of Clue the Musical! You will see the faces of the cast of Van Wert Civic Theatre Clue come to life on the board game cards. This show is full of witty innuendos, references and hysterical lines delivered with perfect timing and facial expressions.

Posing the familiar questions of who dun what, where and with which weapon, Clue assembles the usual suspects in the Boddy manor house. The victim, Mr. Boddy (Jerry Zimmerman), serves as a rhyming narrator and interactive host, summoning participants to the stage to select cards that will identify the killer and weapon at the play’s conclusion. He also explains there are a possible 216 endings! Audience members are provided with scorecards to tally the clues. The cast is prepared to adjust the solution and finale for every performance. Even if one happens to choose the correct villain, be prepared for a tricky postscript.

Clue is full of fun and funny characters, each with plenty of motive to do away with Mr. Boddy. Mrs. White (MaryAnn Falk), the overworked, underpaid housekeeper, is being blackmailed by the nearly deceased. Mr. Green (Chris Lybold), a sleazy conman involved with Mr. Boddy’s shady business ventures, has been outconned. Mrs. Peacock (Nancy Williams-Shuffle), who has recently made Mr. Boddy her sixth husband, prefers being a wealthy widow to a bored housewife. She is partial to not-so-covert flings with Colonel Mustard (Harold Poppe), an old flame and forcibly retired military man who wishes Mr. Boddy were dead so he could have Mrs. Peacock all to himself.

Miss Scarlet (Jamie Allen-ream) is a former Vegas “performer” who got mixed up in Boddy and Green’s schemes, and Professor Plum (Joe Warnement) … well, I never did understand his motive — something to do with corporate funding for higher education.

The arrival of the hard-nosed detective (Amy Boley) attempts to liven up the show’s second half with an interrogation of the suspects. In “Seduction Deduction,” she wards off the advances of the lecherous professor before solving the crime. As Clue: The Musical went on we learned more about each character and their relation to Mr. Boddy. It seemed everyone has a deep-seated grudge and a familiarity with at least some of the weapons. By the end of the act, someone had done him in, in one of the rooms with one of those weapons.

I applaud the director, Jerry Zimmerman, for the excellent casting of this show and Music Director Dee Fisher for taking eight incredible voices and creating a musically delightful show. This talented cast also coordinated its own wonderful, witty, colorful costumes.

I loved it when the detective  looked the suspects over and asked “Who did your wardrobe, Crayola?” This entire cast is so equally talented, musically and acting, there is not a weak link in this production.

Clue The Musical! Is definitely a show you need to see. You will get your $12 worth of high quality entertainment or, as the new season brochure states, “A Broadway Experience with Hometown Style”. This show is Broadway caliber. There are four more opportunities to see the show: May 14, 15, 16 and 17. Call the box office at 419.238.9689, Monday through Saturday, between the hours of 2 and 6 p.m.