Clue (musical)
Encyclopedia
CLUE The Musical is a musical
based on the board game
Clue
CLUE The Musical brings the internationally popular board game to life on stage. This is an interactive musical starting with three audience members selecting one card each from three oversized decks and placing it in an envelope marked "Confidential." The envelope is then left untouched until the end of the production. The chosen cards will determine the ending of the show, which has 216 possible conclusions. These card selections also determine some interchangeable dialogue between certain characters which are delivered as the play unfolds. CLUE The Musical ran Off-Broadway at the Players Theatre, after a run in Chicago and a world premiere in Baltimore.
In the Kitchen, Mrs. White prepares dinner and argues with Mr. Boddy over her forced servitude to pay debts because Mr. Boddy once helped her son. She laments Life is a Bowl of Pits. In the Billiard Room, Mr. Green, a business partner, clashes with Mr. Boddy over missing funds. In the Ballroom, Col. Mustard and Mrs. Peacock engage in an affair, and are then caught by Mr. Boddy. Over drinks in the Lounge, Miss Scarlet and Mr. Green are revealed to have been business partners of Mr. Boddy and former lovers, and that Mr. Boddy double-crossed them both and unceremoniously dumped Miss Scarlet. They muse revenge and that Everyday Devices (such as a wrench and lead pipe) are dangerous when used for the wrong reasons. In the Study, Prof. Plum recounts how Mr. Boddy ruined his family fortune to Mrs. White, while she tries to unsuccessfully flirt with him. In the Conservatory, Mrs. Peacock plans to add Mr. Boddy to her growing list of dead husbands. (Once a Widow)
After dinner, Mr. Boddy invites his guests and staff to fulfill their destiny—to murder him. They search through Corridor and Halls for the right combination of suspect, room, and weapon. (The Murder) Mr. Boddy is found dead of unknown causes (The Game (Act I Finale)) (Optional Act Break)
Mr. Boddy is dead, but he revives as host and introduces a new character, a hard-nosed, attractive Detective. As she searches the mansion for clues, the suspects nervously speculate She Hasn't Got a Clue.
She returns with six possible weapons--wrench, candlestick, pipe, knife, revolver, rope--found in six rooms--Lounge, Kitchen, Ballroom, Conservatory, Billiard Room, and Study, all of which have all the suspects fingerprints on them which were all made between 9 pm and midnight, the time of Boddy's murder. A fast paced recounting of their movements leads to a reprise of Everyday Devices.
In the Library, the Detective questions Prof. Plum, who tries to seduce her during Seduction Deduction. After his attempts fail, she in turn interrogates Col Mustard, Mr. Green, and the three ladies, as each speculates she is a Foul- Weather Friend.
As the Detective prepares to make her accusation, the Suspects cry Don't Blame Me and panic at The Final Clue. The Detective then reveals the random killer, location, and weapon as per the cards and the killer confesses. Then, it is revealed that the previously stated murderer was only an accomplice, and that the true murderer is Professor Plum. Plum is then revealed to be an imposter, the true Plum being disguised as a piano player in the orchestra.
The Suspects ponder life beyond the mansion, but are compelled by Mr. Boddy to repeat their fate and continue playing The Game (Finale).
(An unrelated, unofficial one-act musical written by Raymond Benson
was produced in 1977 at the University of Texas at Austin
as part of its Drama Department's playwriting program.)
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
based on the board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
Clue
Cluedo
Cluedo is a popular murder/mystery-themed deduction board game originally published by Waddingtons in Leeds, England in 1949. It was devised by Anthony E. Pratt, a solicitor's clerk from Birmingham, England. It is now published by the United States game and toy company Hasbro, which acquired its U.S...
CLUE The Musical brings the internationally popular board game to life on stage. This is an interactive musical starting with three audience members selecting one card each from three oversized decks and placing it in an envelope marked "Confidential." The envelope is then left untouched until the end of the production. The chosen cards will determine the ending of the show, which has 216 possible conclusions. These card selections also determine some interchangeable dialogue between certain characters which are delivered as the play unfolds. CLUE The Musical ran Off-Broadway at the Players Theatre, after a run in Chicago and a world premiere in Baltimore.
Plot
Mr. Boddy acts as host. He invites the audience to play The Game while introducing each of the other characters—Mrs. Peacock, Prof. Plum, Miss Scarlet, Col. Mustard, Mrs. White, and Mr. Green. At the conclusion of the opening number three audience members are brought onstage to choose one card from each of three stacks, representing suspects, rooms, and weapons. These selected cards, unseen by the audience, are placed in an oversized envelope marked "Confidential", which is displayed on stage for the duration of the musical. The selected cards also determine which of the 216 different endings will be played for that performance. Mr. Boddy instructs the audience on how to play along. Throughout the musical, Mr. Boddy also gives clues in the form of rhymes, which provide the audience information they need to solve whodunit, in what room, and with what weapon.In the Kitchen, Mrs. White prepares dinner and argues with Mr. Boddy over her forced servitude to pay debts because Mr. Boddy once helped her son. She laments Life is a Bowl of Pits. In the Billiard Room, Mr. Green, a business partner, clashes with Mr. Boddy over missing funds. In the Ballroom, Col. Mustard and Mrs. Peacock engage in an affair, and are then caught by Mr. Boddy. Over drinks in the Lounge, Miss Scarlet and Mr. Green are revealed to have been business partners of Mr. Boddy and former lovers, and that Mr. Boddy double-crossed them both and unceremoniously dumped Miss Scarlet. They muse revenge and that Everyday Devices (such as a wrench and lead pipe) are dangerous when used for the wrong reasons. In the Study, Prof. Plum recounts how Mr. Boddy ruined his family fortune to Mrs. White, while she tries to unsuccessfully flirt with him. In the Conservatory, Mrs. Peacock plans to add Mr. Boddy to her growing list of dead husbands. (Once a Widow)
After dinner, Mr. Boddy invites his guests and staff to fulfill their destiny—to murder him. They search through Corridor and Halls for the right combination of suspect, room, and weapon. (The Murder) Mr. Boddy is found dead of unknown causes (The Game (Act I Finale)) (Optional Act Break)
Mr. Boddy is dead, but he revives as host and introduces a new character, a hard-nosed, attractive Detective. As she searches the mansion for clues, the suspects nervously speculate She Hasn't Got a Clue.
She returns with six possible weapons--wrench, candlestick, pipe, knife, revolver, rope--found in six rooms--Lounge, Kitchen, Ballroom, Conservatory, Billiard Room, and Study, all of which have all the suspects fingerprints on them which were all made between 9 pm and midnight, the time of Boddy's murder. A fast paced recounting of their movements leads to a reprise of Everyday Devices.
In the Library, the Detective questions Prof. Plum, who tries to seduce her during Seduction Deduction. After his attempts fail, she in turn interrogates Col Mustard, Mr. Green, and the three ladies, as each speculates she is a Foul- Weather Friend.
As the Detective prepares to make her accusation, the Suspects cry Don't Blame Me and panic at The Final Clue. The Detective then reveals the random killer, location, and weapon as per the cards and the killer confesses. Then, it is revealed that the previously stated murderer was only an accomplice, and that the true murderer is Professor Plum. Plum is then revealed to be an imposter, the true Plum being disguised as a piano player in the orchestra.
The Suspects ponder life beyond the mansion, but are compelled by Mr. Boddy to repeat their fate and continue playing The Game (Finale).
(An unrelated, unofficial one-act musical written by Raymond Benson
Raymond Benson
Raymond Benson is an American author best known for being the official author of the adult James Bond novels from 1997 to 2003. Benson was born in Midland, Texas and graduated from Permian High School in Odessa in 1973...
was produced in 1977 at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
as part of its Drama Department's playwriting program.)
Characters
- Mr. Boddy—The host and controller of the game, current husband of Mrs. Peacock, victim of the impending murder. He loves being killed each time and usually breaks proscenium to talk to the audience in order to give clues or crack a joke.
- Detective—Appears in order to crack the case and solve the mystery. She rebuffs Prof. Plum's amorous advances.
- Colonel Mustard—A mentally ill man who often views characters as inanimate objects, due to the fictional disease Non-identifyusitis, he fancies himself a triumphant war colonel. He is implicated in the death of both of Mr. Boddy's parents and he is currently having an affair with Mrs. Peacock. He is technically Mr. Boddy's father, having married Mr Boddy's mother after the death of her husband.
- Mr. Green—Con-artist and entrepreneur, he is a former lover of Miss Scarlet and business partner of Mr. Boddy. He often misquotes popular sayings.
- Mrs. Peacock—Black widow and chairwoman of Peacock Enterprises, married to Mr. Boddy and cheating with Col. Mustard. She was implicated in the murder of five previous husbands.
- Professor Plum—Super genius, author, intellect, imposter, his family fortune was ruined by Mr. Boddy.
- Miss Scarlet—The femme fataleFemme fataleA femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
of the game, a former Las Vegas lounge performer, and former lover of Mr. Green. - Mrs. White— Sometimes played by a cross-dressingCross-dressingCross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
man, the chief domestic of Boddy Manor, she is virtually enslaved by Mr. Boddy. - Piano Player—The true murderer, the real Professor Plum in disguise.
Music
- Overture--Orchestra
- The Game--Mr. Boddy and the Suspects
- Life is a Bowl of Pits--Mrs. White
- Do Unto Your Enemies--Mr. Boddy and Suspects (Taken out before going to Off-Broadway)
- Everyday Devices--Mr. Green, Miss Scarlet, and Suspects
- Once a Widow--Mrs. Peacock
- Corridors and Halls--Mr. Boddy and Suspects
- The Murder--Mr. Boddy and Suspects
- The Game (Act I Finale)--the Suspects
- She Hasn't Got a Clue--the Suspects
- Everyday Devices (Reprise)--the Suspects
- Seduction Deduction--Prof. Plum and the Detective
- Foul-Weather Friend--the Suspects and the Detective
- Don't Blame Me-Company
- The Final Clue--Mr. Boddy and Suspects
- The Game (Finale)--Mr. Boddy and Suspects
- She Hasn't Got a Clue (Reprise)/Bows--Company