Clue: On Stage

The board game Cluedo (Clue in North America) was designed by Anthony E. Pratt and his wife Elva Pratt during World War II, inspired by murder mystery parlor games and detective fiction. The game was released in 1949, by Waddingtons in the United Kingdom and Parker Brothers in the United States (now Hasbro). Writing credits for Clue: On Stage include Jonathan Lynn, whose original screenplay for the 1985 film Clue is the primary source material; Sandy Rustin, who adapted Lynn's screenplay for the stage; and Hunter Foster and Eric Price, who provided "additional material". and Foster also directed the world premiere. However, the 2018 published version by Playscripts, Inc. and most subsequent credits establish Rustin as the principal adapter. Sandy Rustin aimed to preserve elements cherished by fans of the film, such as the famous multiple endings. She emphasizes strong story and characters, and views the play as "healing through laughter". ==Production==

Clue: On Stage is distinct from 1997's Off-Broadway Clue The Musical, which interacts with the audience to select cards to determine the murderer, weapon, and room, enabling 216 possible endings. In contrast, Clue: On Stage uses theatrically replayed scenarios for its multiple endings. The creative team included Anna Louizos as scenic designer, and Aged in Wood Productions, by special arrangement with Bucks County Playhouse. The West Coast premiere followed at La Mirada Playhouse between September and October 2021. For this staging, scenery and props were provided by Clue On Stage, LLC, with costumes from Cleveland Play House and Clue On Stage, LLC. directed by Casey Hushion, Often marketed as simply Clue, and based on the Paper Mill Playhouse production, ==Plot==

The setting is in 1954 at Boddy Manor near Washington, D.C., on a "dark and stormy night". They are greeted by Wadsworth the butler and Yvette the maid.) pile up. The play features multiple endings, similar to the film. ==Characters==

The characters are drawn from the board game and film.); Mrs. Peacock, a batty, neurotic wife of a senator; Mrs. White, a pale, morbid, and tragic figure; Colonel Mustard, a pompous and dense military man; Professor Plum, an academic lothario; and Mr. Green, a timid, clumsy, and anxious rule-follower. Other characters include the blackmailer host Mr. Boddy, the threatening Cook, the stranded Motorist, a "regular Joe" Cop, and a perky, tap-dancing Singing Telegram Girl. Ensemble roles include "Auxiliary" characters and FBI Agents. ==Theatrical elements==

Clue: On Stage is a murder-mystery farce Its pacing is fast and frenetic. Boddy Manor's multiple rooms (such as the Study, Library, and Kitchen) are represented through innovative staging, often using rolling set pieces, revolving stage, moving walls, and hidden passageways. ==High school edition==

Clue (High School Edition) was adapted by Sandy Rustin, and has been popular in educational settings. The plot and length are largely similar, and modifications include age-appropriate language, altered "risqué themes" (for example, Miss Scarlet's profession as madam is mysteriously obscured by a blackmailer), and a reduced cost of production package. with its popularity attributed to familiarity with the source material, its ensemble nature, and the opportunities it provides for comedic acting. ==Reception==

Clue: On Stage has generally received positive reviews, praising its energetic physical comedy, faithfulness to the source material, ensemble performances, rapid-fire dialogue, and set design. Some critics note that certain jokes may not land effectively, or that familiarity with the film enhances enjoyment of the play. At the Paper Mill Playhouse in February 2022, The New York Times called it "a very fun, very silly 1950s-set whodunit that strikes some contemporary parallels on the way to its grand reveal". In 2024, Clue: On Stage began a North American tour in the US and Canada. The Stages of MN found the February production at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis to be "suspiciously familiar but devilishly fun". In March, Kirby Adams of the Louisville Courier Journal noted that the PNC Broadway engagement had "its own unique soundtrack — the constant audience laughter that filled the Kentucky Center's Whitney Hall on opening night". In March, at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, Karita Reed of The Post-Crescent wrote that "The play is filled with rapid banter, slapstick comedy and some enthralling special effects that elicit 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the audience". Reviewing its August engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, Charles McNulty of the Los Angeles Times described it as having a "giddy sense of play [where the players] attack their roles with the breathless exuberance of clowns who know they're onto a good thing" and praised the "infectious quality to the knockabout antics". Maureen Lee Lenker for Entertainment Weekly called the Ahmanson show "funny and frothy and light, the kind of breezy night at the theater that most audiences would kill for right now". Steven Stanley of Stage Scene LA described the Ahmanson run as "A delish dose of nonstop whodunit hilarity", adding that "One-liners fly fast and furious with pitch-perfect rapid-fire comedic timing and bursts of side-splitting slapstick". Separately in July, a regional production at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle was reviewed by ''Seattle's Child''. It was called a "goofy" comedy particularly appealing to families, where familiarity with the board game might enhance the experience. It ran for 90 minutes without an intermission. ==Licensing==

The play is licensed primarily through Broadway Licensing. Playscripts, Inc. also lists the High School Edition but directs inquiries to Broadway Licensing. Dramatists Play Service handles some professional licensing applications in conjunction with Broadway Licensing. Production materials available include script editions, logo packs, scenic projections, and audio packages containing sound effects and underscoring tracks. ==References==