The cast of "Clue" has been hard at work rehearsing. Pictured, from left, are Lydia Gomez as Miss Scarlet, Donovan Rawlings as Professor Plum, Tracy Bjorklund as Mrs. White, Deb Jensen as Mrs. Peacock, and Tim Knight as Mr. Green.
Was it Colonel Mustard, in the drawing room, with the candlestick? Audience members will have a chance to find out as all the classic suspects, locations, and murder weapons come to life in the Actors' Mission's production of "Clue," opening this weekend.
The play is based on the screenplay for the 1980s film, which is in turn inspired by the classic board game. The film has become a cult classic, and is also a favorite of Actors' Mission Director Roy O. Hansen and Assistant Director Heather Pristash. Pristash described herself as "somebody who has been a nerd for this movie since she was a little kid," and Hansen explained that he was the one who introduced the possibility of doing "Clue" for the Actors' Mission's new season specifically because he wanted to direct it.
When he brought up the idea of doing the play, however, Hansen was sure to be open about what bringing his vision to life would require.
"I told them, it's going to be huge, the set's going to be massive, it's going to be expensive," Hansen explained.
Pristash noted that Hasen was very honest about why they "shouldn't" do the play, but also pointed out that she was immediately on board, and others from the Actors' Mission were excited about the project. She also added that the group has received help and support from the rest of the local theater community for the show, including significant help from Western Wyoming Community College's theater department, from lending costumes and set pieces to having faculty member Anthony Romeo-Adcock come in to help with choreography.
"I would definitely call this a real college collaboration," Hasen said. "There's been definite community involvement."
As everyone has come together and Hansen's vision has become a reality after many months of hard work, it has lived up to his prediction that it would be industrious and big. The large set features tall walls with multiple doors, and it transforms into seven separate rooms and scenes through the use of turntables, moving walls, and secret passages.
"It's a murder mystery in a mansion - you need secret rooms," Pristash said.
While the Actors' Mission often does small shows and blackbox style theater, Pristash explained that this show doesn't fit that model.
"I don't think there's a way to do this small," she said.
Hansen admitted that making everything work for such a large and complicated production has been difficult and nerve wracking at times, but everyone has worked together to make it happen.
"It's been a process, but seeing it grow is always good," he said. "I love watching it come together."
In addition to working with complicated sets, one of the main ways the show has come together is through the cast.
"The cast is what makes it," Hansen said.
Featuring a mixture of veteran and rookie actors, the cast of 15 brings both familiar and new faces to the stage, Hansen explained. Some of the actors, such as Donovan Rawlings, Deb Jensen, and Aaron Volner have done multiple shows for the Actors' Mission. Others have been involved in theater with other groups, and some cast members are stepping onto the stage for the first time.
One of the brand new actors in the cast is Green River resident Lydia Gomez, who is playing Miss Scarlet, a "bombshell" character, Pristash explained. Thankfully Gomez also happens to be a member of the Bittersweet Bombshells, the local roller derby team, and she is acting while navigating moving set pieces in heels "with the panache only a roller derby woman could," as Pristash put it.
Another Green River resident in the cast, Tim Knight, playing Mr. Green, is new to the Actors' Mission but not new to theater. With a background in dance and musical theater, he has been in many productions, and appeared on the stage this summer as the Tin Man in The Horizon Theater's production of "The Wizard of Oz." Acting in a straight play, without music, is a little different for Knight, but Pristash said he pulls it off incredibly well.
"Mr. Green is definitely a role with a lot going on," Pristash explained, adding that she was initially nervous about getting the casting right, but Knight has lived up to the character.
One of the strengths of the cast as a whole is in being able to embody their characters while making bold new choices for them. Pristash explained that as much as she loves the film and the characters in it, she sometimes likes the way this cast portrays the characters even more.
"It's an all star crew in the movie, so living up to that stage show is important but tough, but I think we've done it," Pristash said.
"Anybody that is coming because of the movie will recognize the characters, but then the actors have put their own spin on it too," Hansen added. "If we push them to be exactly the characters in the movie, then we'd just be doing the movie live action, which is not what you go to the theater for."
The directing duo also noted that the play stays close to the movie while making slight changes, to the point that there's enough of the movie to interest the fans, but enough differences to make it its own story that Hansen believes everyone will enjoy.
Pristash hopes those who see the show will have extra appreciation for the film, but ultimately her hope is that people will "come to the theater and have fun and watch some absolute madness and mayhem and real creativity."
"Clue" opens this weekend at the Broadway Theater in Rock Springs, and will have performances at 7 p.m. on Oct. 11, 12, 17, 18, and 19, as well as a 2 p.m. matinee on Oct. 13. Admission is free, and a complimentary meal will be served one hour prior to each performance.
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