CVHS to present board game turned play

The game of Clue, first introduced in the U.S. by Parker Brothers in 1949, is a classic whodunit. In 1985, Paramount made a movie based on the board game, which told the tale employing comedy along with mystery. The movie takes audience members to a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests have assembled for an unusual dinner party mostly unaware that murder and blackmail are on the menu.

"I wanted a comedy, but I wanted a murder mystery," said Vince Whitman, director of the Conestoga Valley High School (CVHS) production. "I wanted a small cast show."

"Clue," which will be presented at CVHS, 2110 Horseshoe Road, Lancaster, on Thursday, Nov. 9, at 6 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 10, and Saturday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m., satisfied all Whitman's requirements. The Nov. 9 show at 6 p.m. will be for Conestoga Valley-area senior citizens who present special cards. Senior citizens who wish to obtain cards may call 717-397-5231.

In true murder-mystery form, when the host of the dinner turns up dead, all the guests become suspects. Along with Wadsworth the butler, played by Philip Le, the guests - Miss Scarlet, played by Avery Hehnly; Professor Plum, played by Evan Zimmerman; Mrs. White, played by Lauryn Sears; Ms. Green, played by Natalie Hopta; Mrs. Peacock, played by Reagan Bradley; and Colonel Mustard, played by Steelton White - race to find the killer as the body count stacks up. Other cast members are Hannah Gensel as Yvette, Meghan Smith as the cook, Micah Sauder as the motorist, Amanda Stoltzfoos as the singing telegram employee, Isaiah Baughman as Mr. Boddy, Eve Stoltzfus as the unexpected cop, Paisley Stoltzfus as the newscaster, Hopta as the auxiliary Miss Scarlet, Alana Shenigo as the auxiliary Colonel Mustard, Larissa Burkholder as the chief of police, and Kiley Andrew and Paula Wilson as backup cops.

Le, a sophomore who cut his acting chops as Marcellus in the CVHS spring production of "The Music Man," said he likes the show because of the humor and physicality. "It packs a punch," he said, noting that heavy line memorization is involved in learning his part.

According to Le, the cast members have become a tight-knit group who are all looking forward to opening night. "We are all excited for show time," he said, noting that rehearsals are full of "good laughs" and that the students are anxious to share the funny show with audiences. While he pointed out there will be a few political jokes, he said the production is family-friendly and will probably be enjoyed most by those in the higher elementary grades and older. "I really hope audience members have a good time with their families," he said. "(Although) it's a comedy, I hope they are immersed in the story (because it) really is interesting."

Tickets for all performances are available at http://www.showtix4u.com by searching for "Conestoga Valley High School."