Over the course of six performances between August 4 and 13, the Columbia Heights Fine Arts Foundation (CHFAF) will answer a question that has eluded investigators the world over since 1949: Who killed Mr. Boddy? Was it Colonel Mustard, in the library, with the wrench? Or perhaps Mr. Green, in the study, with the lead pipe?
This stage adaptation of the classic board game “Clue” is set to be one of the foundation’s most ambitious projects to date, according to CHFAF secretary Kim Davis, who said during a tech rehearsal that despite the many challenges of this production, the cast and crew have high hopes for this show.
This will be CHFAF’s tenth production. It also doubles as a grand return to form after a year off because of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a year of smaller-scale productions that were easier to produce in the midst of the pandemic’s second year. Last year, rather than focusing their pandemic-diminished resources on a large-scale production, they instead produced a series of one-act plays written by local authors. The foundation’s members hope that this year’s performance will generate enough interest to not only get the foundation back to business as usual, but also kickstart the organization’s ambition to be able to mount two productions per year.
“It’s going to depend on timing, and whether we can get enough momentum,” said Davis.
Being able to put on more shows would mean more than just more revenue. The Fine Arts Foundation is a nonprofit founded by local teacher Keith Roberts to bring more opportunities for engagement in the fine arts to Columbia Heights. Proceeds from ticket sales for all of CHFAF’s productions go toward scholarships for graduating Columbia Heights seniors who want to pursue a career in the arts. More shows means more money for the scholarship program. However, because the foundation uses the Columbia Heights High School auditorium for their rehearsal and performance space, putting on a show during the school year would provide its own set of challenges.
Roberts founded the theater group in 2010. CHFAF put on four annual summer plays from the performing arts center in Columbia Heights High School. Tragically, Roberts died from an accident in 2016. CHFAF’s next project after his death was a production of “Steel Magnolias” dedicated to his memory. It was a play he had wanted to put on for a long time, but never got around to. After Roberts passed, board members stepped up to fill his shoes.
For “Clue,” the cast and crew had to get creative. If you’ve played the board game, you know that the mansion where the story takes place is huge, with many rooms and secret passages between them. Unlike the original 1985 film adaptation, CHFAF doesn’t have the benefit of an elaborate multi-room set, so they needed to figure out a way to bring Mr. Boddy’s mansion to the audience.
Set designer Eric Penniston said building each room of the mansion provided a lot of unique challenges, but members of the cast and crew were eager to lend a hand. Each room is on a rolling platform so stage crew could roll everything in and out as needed, and the doors are all on wheels so they can be rearranged to make a unique hallway layout for each of the potential murder scenes. When the design for the doors proved to be too top-heavy and easy to tip over, a cast member helped build new door frames that were steadier than the previous design.
“We look for people that have the passion,” said Davis. “We’ve had some obstacles for this that would have stopped any other production in its tracks!”
Many of the cast of “Clue” are longtime actors who are getting back in touch with their love for drama. This is actress Stella Shaffer’s first production with CHFAF, but she has, in her own words, “been playing old bats for years!” Shaffer auditioned for the role of Mrs. Peacock so she could get back in touch with the performing arts scene in Heights. Rachel Burton, who plays Miss Scarlet and also helped build the revised sets for the mansion’s door frames, played bit parts in Hollywood after college, but switched to a career in medicine. After 24 years, she felt the itch to get back into acting, and her kids urged her to try out for “Clue” because it sounded fun.
“This cast has been phenomenal to work with,” said director Lori Wolf.
“Clue’s” debut performance was Thursday, August 4, and showed each night throughout the weekend until Aug 7. The show will go on the following week on the evenings of Aug 11-12, and finish with a grand finale as a matinee on Aug 13. More information for show times and tickets can be found online at chfaf.wordpress.com.
Below: “Clue” cast members ran through a tech rehearsal at Columbia Heights High School. (Photo by Alex Schlee)