A Note from the Assistant Director, Dan Lake:
Clue has been one of the simplest joys I have ever had the pleasure of helping to put on the Linganore stage. Where most shows we’ve produced in the past several years were complex puzzles requiring careful planning and constant rescheduling, the rehearsals for Clue leapt ahead of schedule early. The actors’ aptitude for chewing through the work at an incredible pace generated more time for us to practice the show’s scene-to-scene flow much earlier than we have in past seasons. Ditto the tech crew: Presented with a tightened fall schedule, the crew worked in an almost hyper-focused manner to develop a multi-tiered set that would turn this show into absolute gold. The combination of everyone’s dedication and thoughtful work has resulted in a hilarious and beautiful show that I hope you enjoy as much as I have!
Special thanks, of course, go to: Angela Smithhisler for her perseverance through a challenging and option-filled design process; Victoria Pietanza for throwing every bit of her talent and energy into that design process, wherever it led; Carter Kircher for his clear vision, unwavering energy to develop the most interesting version of this show, and relaxed team spirit; and the Drama Boosters for buoying the entire endeavor in every way. Who really did this job? It was These Students, in the Theater, with their Incredible Skills!
A Note from the Director, Angela Smithhisler:
Clue has been a long-time favorite board game of my family for many years, and my own children. have started playing it as well. Who among us hasn't heard of this iconic board game, with the well known 6 potential murderers and weapons to boot? The history behind the game itself is fascinating; it was created by a British musician and his wife who were attempting to come up with something fun to bide their time during air raids in World War 2. And now, here we are, more than 70 years later, bringing the game to life on the Linganore High School stage! This show appeals to multiple generations, whether from previous knowledge of playing the board game, or from having seen the 1985 movie starring Tim Curry. And our cast and crew have worked so hard these past few months to really stay true to the classic themes and humor underneath a darker plot point of murder.
I am so very proud of my actors in this cast. Most of them are veterans on this stage, and they worked so hard everyday during rehearsal to become their character. And my (massive) tech crew this year came in diligently, even on optional Saturday mornings, to help construct and paint this fun set. And we have so many new faces this year, all of whom helped contribute something to the overall production value of this show.
There are so many people to thank and acknowledge, but let me start with my creative team. So much gratitude goes out to my assistant director, Dan Lake, who is a great partner to have in this creative process. A bajillion thanks to my student director, Carter Kircher, who really took charge of this cast and made such leaps and bounds with blocking and characterization with the actors. Tori Pietanza, thank you so much for being crazy enough to come back for a second time as stage manager. I'm incredibly proud of the leadership you exhibit each and every tech rehearsal! A massive shout from the rooftops to our favorite headshot photographer Stephanie Hatmaker, who so graciously donated her time and talents to create beautiful headshots for this cast and crew. And to Mike Miller, our other favorite photographer, who is so talented at being able to capture the real emotion and comedy in his pictures of our show. And of course, I would literally be nothing without the love and support of my husband, who is a stalwart rock in my life and who keeps me sane. Thank you Justin for always being there for me and for being my #1 fan.
And thank YOU for supporting live theatre in our school! We hope to see you back in April for our spring musical Shrek!
