LEHI — It boggles the mind that Clue, one of the most popular and beloved film comedies of all time, bombed at the box office in 1985. Maybe it was poor marketing or multiple endings. Maybe it was just ahead of its time. Who could’ve guessed that a film based on a board game of all things could be such a crackling good time?
In the decades since, Clue has entered into the public consciousness, and like many popular intellectual properties, became a stage play in the 21st century. Although it never played on Broadway, this stage version, adapted by writer Sandy Rustin, has been widely performed since its 2017 debut.
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The adaptation sticks closely to the familiar film, including the whodunnit plot in a scary New England mansion as well as familiar characters, from the closeted Mr. Green to the lascivious Professor Plum and scandalous madam Miss Scarlet. All are invited to a dinner party only to discover they’re being blackmailed by one Mr. Boddy — thus begins a night of murder and mystery, done through a heavily comedic lens. In Clue’s world, the deaths aren’t tragic, they’re played for laughs.
Lehi Arts’ production boasted some strong technical elements and performances. As usual, Lehi made the most of their small theater, this time by extending sets into the wings. I was personally seated just inches from the fridge from which Cook would inevitably fall dead, a macabre and enjoyable feeling. Garrett Roblyer’s mansion set design was true to the spirit of the film and board game, with a couple extra touches added in. The pane window front door made for lovely silhouettes during character’s entrances, and the fact that the Unexpected Cop (Ethan Cecill) was bludgeoned to death with a candlestick wielded through a tiny framed picture was a lovely and unexpected touch.
Performances varied, as is expected for community production. Actors who demonstrated more control and smaller performances tended to be stronger. For example, Aubree Langford gave a realistic and enjoyable performance as notorious D.C. madam Miss Scarlet — demonstrating the strength necessary for someone to succeed in her shady vocation. And Mike Kim as Professor Plum laid on the swarminess, creating an equally confident and morally questionable character. Brittney Miramontes and Courtney Knight as Mrs. White and Mrs. Peacock also gave performances that will be familiar to fans of the film.
Although their roles weren’t as large as others in the cast, Misha Bean, (who also did properties design), as Yvette and India Porter as Cook / Singing Telegram Girl gave some of the evening’s strongest performances. Bean’s scene with the revolver where she delivered the line “You can come out now, I’m done shooting at you,” was laugh-out-loud hilarious; and this production put a fun little twist on the legendary Singing Telegram scene by having Porter place a tap dance board down before delivering her brief, tragic message.
Some of the other performances felt too broad, too large. When everything is delivered in an over-the-top fashion, there can sometimes be diminishing comedic returns. This is true for some of the smaller cameos of Act II as well — it was confusing why the Motorist (Kaleb Phillips) and Unexpected Cop (Ethan Cecill) were smiling so much after being imprisoned and locked into a murderous mansion. Additional restraint in these performances and in those of Colonel Mustard (Jay Breckenridge) and Mr. Green (Elijah Newall) may enable this production to unlock additional comedic opportunities. Mr. Green’s adlib about having The Force, (from Star Wars), also felt out of place.
As the primary protagonist and narrator Wadsworth, Charles Damon Hudson was careful to avoid veering too close toward the recently departed Tim Curry’s iconic performance. While Hudson did affect a slight British accent, his Wadsworth was more of a manic mad scientist, complete with unkempt hair, who has worked carefully behind the scenes to set up a perfectly terrifying night.
While the production contained many laughs, there are opportunities for improvement in director Cali Wilkes’ show as well. There were times when the focus of the stage action felt unclear, which resulted in main actors filling space with meaningless, filler dialogue. Sometimes this happened when punchlines didn’t quite land.
Scene changes were generally impressive, and the actors’ abilities to move heavy furniture with apparent ease was quite a feat, (the playbill also credits stage hands Drew Breckenridge, Conrad Johnson and Nick Dunn). While set design was strong as noted, one thing that stood out was this — why were there two scenes in which actors knocked on invisible doors, while doors-on-wheels were carted out for other door scenes?
Rounding out the technical aspects, Denise Gull’s costumes felt familiar and appropriate to the famous characters and their obligatory color schemes. Hair and makeup design by Shaylia Johnson also complimented the actors. Professor Plum’s pencil mustache and slicked-back hair worked exceptionally well to set up the character; and Peacock and Scarlet’s wigs also felt correct to their characters — with the loose Scarlet’s long locks flying free and the uptight social-climber Peacock with a rigorously set hair-do.
Content-wise, the production would likely garner a PG-13 rating, although this adaptation does dial up the number of sexual jokes from the original movie, (which is hardly squeaky clean to begin with). Sensitive patrons looking for a family-friendly farce may find themselves feeling a bit uncomfortable with the show’s bawdy references. Given other productions I’ve seen at Lehi Arts, (including the kid-friendly version of Puffs), I was a bit surprised to see this production lean into the more adult elements of the show.
Lehi Arts has earned a reputation of strong productions, sometimes wildly punching above their weight as a community theater (my personal favorites being 2022’s Into the Woods, 2024’s Puffs, 2023’s Newsies). While this production may not reach those lofty heights, it does contain noteworthy technical and performance attributes that appeal to local audiences. Saturday night’s audience was appreciative, with some even standing for their favorite actors. And if this production of Clue didn’t exactly absolutely kill the whole audience dead, it clearly had its victims.
MORE INFO: Lehi Arts’ production of Clue runs October 9-24, 2026 at the Lehi Arts Council building, 685 North Center Lehi Utah 84043. Adult tickets are $19.65 plus fees. For tickets and information, visit https://lehiarts.org/.
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