San Francisco Playhouse Brings the Beloved Board Game “Clue” to the Stage
by Darlene Jurow
Welcome back San Francisco Playhouse (450 Post Street)! The opening night performance of “Clue” played to an excited packed house! This production, currently playing through April 22, 2023, brings the beloved board game “Clue” to the stage in a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. Murder and blackmail are on the menu as six mysterious guests arrive at Boddy Manor for an unusual dinner party. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects and race to find the killer as the body count rises. Based on the cult-hit 1985 film, which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, “Clue” has been deemed “a welcome throwback to an era of physical comedy” by The New York Times. This uproarious comedy whodunit is certain to leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to solve the mystery.
San Francisco Playhouse Co-Founder and Producing Director Susi Damilano helms a starry cast of theatre talents who personify the game’s iconic characters. Bay Area theatre veteran Stacy Ross returns to San Francisco Playhouse as Mrs. Peacock, the batty wife of a Senator while another Bay Area theatre veteran, Michael Gene Sullivan, takes on the role of Professor Plum, an academic Casanova.
Courtney Walsh plays Miss Scarlet, a madam who is privy to plenty of secrets while Michael Ray Wisely returns to San Francisco Playhouse as Colonel Mustard, a pompous military man.
Other cast members include Renee Rogoff, who returns to the stage as Mrs. White, a tragic woman who may or may not have murdered her five ex-husbands, Greg Ayers, who performs the role of Mr. Green, a timid and klutzy rule follower, and Dorian Lockett as Wadsworth, Boddy Manor’s butler. Will Springhorn, Jr., Eiko Yamamoto, and Jamiel St. Rose play a variety of characters as the ensemble. Together, the actors are cute, corny, and completely loveable!
The staging for this production is brilliant with doors opening and closing, simulating moving throughout the house. “Clue” features choreography by Nicole Helfer, scenic design by Heather Kenyon, lighting design by Derek Duarte, sound design by Dan Holland, props design by Michaela Creedon, costume design by Alice Ruiz, and intimacy direction by Maya Herbsman. Sarah Marie Selig serves as stage manager, with Ada May as assistant stage manager.
As a side note, before the curtain went up on opening night there was a cleverly imaginative game of Clue being played in the theater lobby before the actual stage performance. Audience members were allowed to follow the clues and win a prize, which was awarded at the bar. win a prize, which was awarded at the bar. A good time was definitely had by all!
For tickets or more information the public may visit sfplayhouse.org or call the box office at 415-677-9596.
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Photo caption: Miss Scarlet (Courtney Walsh), Mrs. White (Renee Rogoff), Mrs. Peacock (Stacy Ross), Professor Plum (Michael Gene Sullivan), Mr. Green (Greg Ayers), and Colonel Mustard (Michael Ray Wisely) eavesdrop in San Francisco Playhouse's "Clue," currently performing through April 22. (Photo Credit: Jessica Palopoli)