Photos by Ralph Freso
Junior Chloe Rose had one overriding thought as she made the costumes for "Clue": Make them bigger than life, just like the characters.
Rose, who's majoring in theatre and minoring in musical theatre, is lead designer for the Grand Canyon University theatre department's production of "Clue." The final shows of the whodunit's two-weekend run will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Ethington Theatre.
"Clue," set in the 1950s, is a comedic adaptation of the classic board game, which was launched in 1949.
The show welcomes viewers to open their imaginations with larger-than-life props, effects, and of course, costumes. Some adaptations even draw in audience members to become part of the show. The play itself can unfold in one of more than 216 possible endings, which has increased its popularity over the years. Theatregoers know they might not ever see the same show twice.
The GCU Costume Shop, packed with hundreds of pieces designed for previous productions, is where the new creations are put together.
This fall, for "Clue," Rose and her team have been hard at work curating designs for eight main characters and dozens of ensemble and featured characters.
The classic murder mystery is an outrageous drama that combines the beloved characteristics of the board game with its own theatrical flair.
“My personal concept statement for 'Clue' was to have the game characters have their attributes exaggerated in bigger-than-life costumes,” Rose said.
She has loved art since she was a child but only recently started designing and sewing. All her knowledge has come from the time she has spent in the costume shop alongside mentors.
“I spent a lot of time doing what’s called a whip stitch, and I kept learning more. Last year, I started learning how to machine sew. Then, I graduated into cutting patterns and building my own patterns. There's a lot of different things involved in sewing, and you always have something to learn,” Rose said.
"Clue’s" 1950s style was a huge part of the design process and coming up with the final outline.
“I draw sketches of what they should look like. I have a board, which is a bunch of images that are used as inspiration for all the costumes,” Rose said.
Each character is known for their signature colors, and Rose has been making sure each concept captures their unique essence.
“I picked the color, and then I built my designs off their personality traits,” she added.
Her favorite character to create was the infamous Mrs. Peacock, who has eccentric taste and wears a blue color palette.
Rose collaborated heavily with the show’s director, Claude Pensis, and Costume Shop Manager Cynthia Calhoun on Mrs. Peacock, having to make minor tweaks here and there to land on the final design.
“From the first class I had with Chloe, she was eager to learn and eager to be a leader,” Calhoun said.
When tapping into her design process, Rose is heavily inspired by the GCU alumni that have come before her. She especially takes inspiration from alumna Cora Epton, who designed pieces for the productions of "Little Women" and "Little Shop of Horrors".
“I took so much inspiration from how creative she was and how confident she was in her work. She put a lot of heart and effort into her work, so I want to put heart and effort into my work,” Rose said.
“I think seeing these designs come to life and knowing a lot of people have worked really hard will be a very proud moment for me.”
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IF YOU GO:
What: "Clue"
Where: Ethington Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: Click here
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GCU News: GCU theatre has more than a 'Clue' planned for 2026-27 play season
GCU News: Alpha Psi Omega keeps the show going for theatre program
