Photos by Ralph Freso / Slideshow
A butler, six guests and a murder in Boddy Manor. It’s a dinner party to remember.
The theatre department will bring a classic murder mystery, “Clue,” to the Ethington Theatre stage at 7:30 tonight, kicking off Grand Canyon University’s 2026-27 theatre season.
Jonathan Lynn’s slapstick, goofy production will run for two weeks.
“It is a popular movie and a popular game, so ideally we want to kick off (the season) with something that is a big draw,” Claude Pensis, play director, said. “The play and characters are constructed in a manner that allowed us to explore, improvise and create the wonderfully wacky characters needed to bring this play to life."
On a dreary and eerie night, six guests are invited to Boddy Manor. Miss Scarlet, Mrs. Peacock, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, Professor Plum and Mr. Green all receive mysterious letters from Mr. Boddy to join him for dinner.
Much to their surprise, Mr. Boddy knows their deepest secrets and is blackmailing them. But the night goes awry when the host is found dead, and everyone becomes a suspect.
The guests race to find the killer and the weapon.
“The game was my favorite growing up,” said Eva Britton, who plays Mrs. Peacock. “I wanted to be in the production because it was my favorite board game.
“When you play the board game, you choose your character based off which name you like the best or what your favorite color is, but then when you are playing the characters, you have to figure out who are they really? It’s fun to explore these board game characters that kind of go over your head and give them a fully rounded character.”
While “Clue” does not focus on a specific theme, it dives deep into character building and discovery, Pensis said. It is the quirky and versatile personalities of the cast that bring character to the production, captivating the audience with their adaptation.
On the first day of rehearsals, Pensis only required students to do one thing, and that was to play the board game. The second assignment was watching the movie. Before extending the nostalgia to the audience, students had to experience it for themselves by understanding their characters and what they bring to the table.
“It is a genius concept because it lures you in with this nostalgic feel of the board game that you grew up playing and this movie you love,” said junior Ashlynn Kasik, who portrays Wadsworth. “From the moment you sit down, you have a night ahead of you of laughing, enjoying and seeing a really funny show.”
Added junior Benjamin Aviles, the production's Mr. Green, “We always want to tell a story with a lesson behind it. But at the same time, theatre is for people to just have fun. The audience can expect a lot of laughs and a new grasp on it because people think of the movie in a certain way, but it’s fun to experience it in a totally new light.”
Moody wall colors, a swinging chandelier, rusty furniture and bookcases with hidden passages will turn Ethington into a foreboding manor that brings the famous board game to life, creating a sentimental atmosphere for the audience.
The stage features a setup of six reversable doors. As the cast opens and runs through each door, the set spins, the crew pushes furniture onstage and a new facet of the mansion is revealed.
“I always think about how, back in ancient theatre, they would do a drama and follow it with a comedy because nobody would want to come back to the theatre if they left feeling sad and depressed. While it is such an amazing way to story tell and mirror a real world with past experiences, it is also an escape from everyday life. That is what it was created to be.”
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
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IF YOU GO:
What: "Clue"
Where: Ethington Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, with more shows coming up at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 and 2 p.m. Oct. 18
Tickets: Click here
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Related content:
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
