Whodunit?
This jam packed drama season starts with ‘Clue.’ Based on both the famous board game and movie, the auditions for the show are scheduled for August 21 at 3 p.m. in the black box theatre, room B216.
‘Clue’ was a bold choice from the theatre team.
“Ms. Standley came up with ‘Clue,’” theatre arts teacher Ms. Matlock said. “It fits our students absolutely well. It’s fun, entertaining, and we expect it to bring a good crowd.”
With a colorful cast of characters, both literally and figuratively, everyone is scrambling around to find out what character they wish to audition for.
“I’m auditioning for Ms. White, Ms. Peacock and Yvette because all of their characters are so interesting to me,” sophomore Annemarie Carmen said. “My main driving force is really my love for the show. It’s been one of my favorite movies since I was little, and I’d just love to be in it.”
The love of the play and the love of the stage are both strong reasons students are planning to audition.
“The reason why I wanted to do ‘Clue’ at first was because I really wanted to be more involved with the community of theatre,” junior Erica Sears said. “The more I read the script I became more interested in the humor; however, the way the characters interact with each other makes it more interesting as to why they’re there and how they all have something in common.”
Some students just want to be back on the stage where they feel they belong.
“The excitement to be on stage with my friends and do what I love motivates me to push further for ‘Clue,’” sophomore Ella Kouba said. “The joy to get back and do the things I love with the people I love makes me keep going, and I get to have fun on stage and be expressive.”
A motivated student isn’t anything when they don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing. As the theatre directors come into these sorts of auditions already knowing what they’re looking for months before.
“I’m looking for fun,” tech theatre teacher Ms. Standley said. “Someone spontaneous. Someone who can come in and take a risk. You need to be someone who doesn’t worry about acting a fool, and just generally be someone who is okay with being the punchline and embraces it.”
With the directors’ high expectations, it might take a toll on the students to learn how to become the best version of themselves during the audition process.
“I spend time reading over the monologues Matlock gave us to read beforehand to get a feel for the characters,” senior Avalon Barretto said. “Reading through the script during class also helps me scope out which characters I want to try out for and which characters I can connect with the best.”
The actors and actresses aren’t the only ones who are getting pumped up though. As the tech side of theatre is just excited as ever to push themselves to their limits for “Clue.”
“There’s so many things that happen from the lights to the sounds,” Standley said. “Not everything is as it seems. A simple door could easily turn into a double walkway. The tech side of ‘Clue’ could even be considered as its own role.”
This is the first time in years for the drama department to bring a play to the stage in the fall. The theatre department will also be part of the musical, one act and one children’s playbook show and one black box show. The choir is still excited to watch theatre show off their skills all year.
“I’ve seen the movie but never the play,” choir teacher Chelsea Jimenez said. “The idea of its portrayal excites me. I’ve also played the board game myself, so it makes me even more intrigued in the play itself.”
Despite the chaos, the drama department believes in its actors and actresses to succeed. The directors will be keeping their eyes out for the talent.
“Someone with the ability to take direction, that’s what we need,” Matlock said. “They need to have a natural sense of timed humor. They also have to be someone who is simply just excited to try.”
