But I gave the little theater here in Sebring another chance and behold, they unleashed a sublime jewel in the form of last year's performance of The Sound of Music. It was an unexpected delight.
Could the locals do it yet again? Could they pull off another winner? And this time, would they be able to strike gold with a play rather than a musical? Good singers and dancers, not to mention a proven book of music, is more than half of what makes a musical production, but a play? Well, it falls heavily on script, staging and acting. These skills are arguably more difficult to find.
Tonight, I attended the second Saturday night performance of the Highland Lakeside Theater's season opening production of Clue: On Stage.
Let me tell you, these guys and gals still indeed have a clue.
I gotta say though, the show started off with some vintage video footage of Senator Joseph McCarthy and his Anti-American Committee, and from the initial premise, it seemed, as it was eventually revealed during the dinner scene, that everyone on stage had some connection to Washington D.C. and, by circumstance, perhaps a connection to the Red Scare presumably on-going in the play's time setting.
But this whole connection started disintegrating very rapidly as the plot started to unfold that each house guest was actually being blackmailed for wholly different reasons. I don't know what the writer was going for really with the McCarthy connection at all by the end since it didn't factor in whatsoever. The only logical connection would likely have to anchor the time setting to the fifties when suspicions were running amok, old fashioned class systems may have been still in play and, of course, there were no cellphones and such for the many scenes requiring a sense of isolation/disconnection from the outside world.
Okay, first off, let me establish the really simple premise of the plot. Six unconnected and unaffiliated (presumably) guests are summoned by invitation to a dinner party at the remote manor of a mysterious host known only as Mr. Boddy. This follows the movie version pretty much. But then we have the McCarthyism back story, to muddle things perhaps, like as if it were a mere "Red" herring? Ha Ha Ha.
As the play unfolds, several people are murdered in various ways and in various rooms, all in the spirit of the original board game. The second half brings everything eventually to a nice wrap and not at all withstanding a number of plot twists, shocking reveals, "instant alternate version replays" and a ton of heart.
This one was quite the rush!
Favorites:
First off let me give a long, slow and well deserved applause to the set crew! Remember in other performances here how much I felt the set was such a let down? Well they really upped their game. Colorful props and staging, themed to the board game with set pieces like big dice and huge player pawns. This is budget setting done right! Shout out to Tom Staik, the director and Set Designer and his crew.
Next, I freakin' loved the performance of Mr. Green played by Larry Moore. Animated and obviously loving his role, this guy hit it outta the park. And, of note kinda, the first African American cast member I can recall here at HLT. Stay on sir, I'd love to see what else you could bring.
Other notable performances by Wadsworth (Marcus Conerly) who we saw play the Michael Caine role in DRS, but a much improved showing in this play. And Mrs. Peacock (Marcia Ward) lovingly sipping her shark fin soup. Oh, but what a nice bit of channeling done by Mrs. White (Jen Westergom) briefly finding her inner Madeline Khan (the flames!) and Kevin Hacker as The Motorist doing a darn good Ric version of Jimmy Stewart.
Oh, who did it, by the way? Funny you should ask.
It was....POW! Arrrgh!
I guess you'll just have to see the show to find out.