Clue: The musical

by Galen Blum

Musical comedy

Book by Peter DePietro. Music by Galen Blum, Wayne Barker and Vinnie Martucci. Lyrics by Tom Chiodo. Based on the Parker Brothers' Board Game.

Characters: 5male, 3female

Unit set.

The internationally popular game is now a fun filled musical which brings the world's best know suspects to life and invites the audience to help solve the mystery: who killed Mr. Boddy, in what room and with what weapon. The audience receives forms to help them deduce the solution from clues given throughout the fun filled evening. Three audience members choose from cards representing the potential murderers, weapons and rooms; there are 216 possible solutions Only one hard nosed female detective is qualified to unravel the merry mayhem. Comic antics, witty lyrics and a beguiling score carry the investigation from room to room. Even after the culprit confesses, a surprise twist delights the audience.

Genres: Plays, Musicals

84 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[The Shayne-Train]

Just got offered, and accepted, a part in a local production of this musical. So's I pretty much had to read it, right? Right.

So, I did. And it's pretty damn clever, actually.

[Paul Carlsson]

This play, when written, was way ahead of its time. The interactive nature of the piece is so wonderfully contemporary and relevant. Today, games are everywhere... in art, commerce and education. They should be in live theater, too. With Clue the musical, they are! I recommend this play very much!

[Scott Lee]

Definitely unique in my experience. That said, I've only attended/read one interactive theater piece--and that was the musical Return to the Forbidden Planet which is definitely limited in its audience interaction as far as those things go.

This whole piece is super-meta, openly self-aware and self-referential in way that feels very modern. The Mr. Boddy character is the prime source of this effect as he consistently interacts directly with the audience in speeches and songs that go far beyond asides.

The humor is fairly effective, I wasn't exactly laughing out loud, but as a director of fifteen years experience and an actor of even more I can see how when played this could be a truly hilarious comedy. Every character's a scenery chewer, so you're not looking at terribly subtle performing here, be as big, bright and brassy as you can imagine. It's not the type of play that's geared at a Tony, but it would be a sure audience pleaser in the hands of a solid director and cast.

[Jeanne]

Not as much fun as I expected.
But to be fair, this is a musical comedy script, so it should be seen performed, and the score needs to be heard to do it justice.
I hope to see it performed live.

[Deja]

Its a musical

[Shawn Deal]

Entertaining