Clue: Mystery, Mayhem and a Whole Lot of Energy at The Adobe Theater
Not many movies have stayed as popular as Clue. With its quirky characters, quick jokes, surprising turns, and memorable performances, the 1985 comedy has become a favorite for many. Now, the Adobe Theater is bringing this classic murder mystery to the stage, giving Albuquerque audiences a fresh way to enjoy the story.
For the director, Mike Dethlefs, choosing Clue for the Adobe Theater was easy. The film has been a regular favorite for years and is especially meaningful because of his admiration for Tim Curry.
"It's one I watch multiple times over the year," admitted Dethlefs, "It's also, you know, a Tim Curry movie. In fact, this was my first, this was my first Tim Curry. It was not Rocky Horror."
Knowing the film well also means understanding how much energy the stage version needs. Clue moves quickly, and most of the cast stays onstage for much of the show.
"A lot of actors who've done this show have called it 80 minutes on a hamster wheel," Dethlefs explains. "Because this show runs nonstop."
Instead of letting the fast pace get to them, the cast has made it part of the fun. With so many characters always interacting, the performers share the excitement.
"Everybody's feeding off each other's energy," shared Em Carvey, who is playing Miss. Scarlet. "So it's like you just got this whole ball basically bouncing back and forth between everybody."
That chemistry is key when bringing well-known characters to life. For Carvey, the role felt natural because of a connection to Lesley Ann Warren's memorable performance in the movie.
"I realized maybe because the performance by Lesley Ann Warren kind of formed me as a person," Carvey says. "I feel like I, as a person, am very thankful because of her."
For Jesse Graff, who plays Wadsworth, this role is a dream come true after twenty years. He wanted to play this character even before there was a stage version.
"This has been a role that I've wanted to play for literally 20 years," Graff says. "It's literally a dream come true."
Deborah Schoenbaum, who plays Mrs. Peacock, has also found an intriguing way into the character. Rather than simply embracing Peacock's eccentricity, she has been thinking about the person underneath the performance—and whether the seemingly clueless character might be considerably more aware than she lets on.
"I'm always thinking, and I think all of us are thinking about the character behind the character because of the nature of the script," Schoenbaum explains. "And it's fun to find those moments when you can kind of give the audience a little pause and just a little bit to say, maybe I'm not quite as clueless as I look."
The production has also become more emotional after the recent passing of Tim Curry. Because his performance is so closely tied to the film, his death was especially hard for the cast as they worked to bring Clue to the stage.
"This loss happened at the same time as another death in Albuquerque's theater community," expressed Carvey, which made it an even tougher time for the cast. "It was just the third blow, and I didn't get out of bed that day."
Friends in the theater community offered support and companionship to help the cast deal with their grief. Because the show is so closely tied to a beloved film and actor, the timing made the experience even more meaningful.
Audiences can look forward to a show that celebrates everything they love about Clue, along with a few surprises. While the movie famously has three possible endings, the stage production offers six. Fans will recognize many of the iconic moments they love, while also encountering plenty of new material. "We have a lot of surprises," Schoenbaum promises.
With its quick pace, big personalities, and a mix of familiar scenes and surprises, The Adobe Theater's Clue promises a fun night full of mystery and excitement.
You can get tickets at adobetheater.org. Be sure to grab yours soon—they're selling fast!
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