ULM’s Visual and Performing Arts program (VAPA) unveiled the “Boddy Manner,” inviting the audience to immerse themselves in the murder mysteries behind the mansion’s doors. Directed by Steven Burnside, VAPA presents its first performance for the fall semester: “CLUE!,” a murder mystery comedy.
“CLUE!” took the stage from Oct. 2-5 in Spyker Theatre. The performance followed six house guests as they fight to keep their past scandals hidden after their host threatens to blackmail them. The audience witnesses each character frantically trying to conceal their dirty secrets while also attempting to solve the murders.
In an interview, Burnside stated that he aimed for the audience to have “their sides hurting from laughing” while witnessing “CLUE!” on stage. He expressed his satisfaction with the overall performance.
“This week has been great,” Burnside said. “Just seeing all the students make it happen.”
The students embraced their roles with great purpose. During the performance on Oct. 2, a sofa unexpectedly broke. The cast handled the situation confidently and maintained their roles. The audience filled the theater with laughter as they watched the scene play out.
After the show, senior French major Anna Chisholm shared that the most memorable moment of the entire show was the improv involving the broken prop. Chisholm imitated Ms. Peacock’s action of holding up the broken chair leg for the audience, who erupted in giggles.
“My favorite part was when one of the props broke,” Chisholm said. “I think they did a fantastic job.”
“CLUE!” had countless moments that had audience members dying of laughter. Professor Plum, played by junior art major Peyton Harris, shared how much fun they had on set.
“It’s been really, really fun,” Harris said. “I didn’t get to do theater growing up, so doing theater here is amazing.”
Along with Harris, the actor who played the Butler and Mr. Boddy shared their genuine enjoyment of the show. Senior psychology major Liz Frison hopes that “CLUE!” will inspire people to enjoy theater.
“I want this to be the show where people see that theater isn’t just stuffy plays,” Frison said. “It’s fun, it’s entertaining and it can be something you can immerse yourself in.”
“CLUE!” delivered hilarious entertainment to the audience, who erupted in applause at the end of the performance. The event created lasting memories, joining VAPA’s wide collection of remarkable performances.
