Dozens of locals have spent weeks running lines, building sets, sourcing props and having fun preparing for a stage performance of the 1980s cult classic film.
By Julia Barton DIGITAL PRODUCER
BIG SKY—With a cast and crew of roughly 30 locals, the Big Sky Community Theater will bring their biggest show yet to the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center on Nov. 11 and 12.
BSCT has a rich history of bringing community members from various backgrounds, occupations and ages together through theatrical performances of shows such as “Nothing Serious,” “The Great Gatsby” and last fall’s show of “Almost, Maine.”
According to director Ashley Dodd, the community theater has been interested in a stage adaptation of the 1985 film “Clue” for years.
“We’ve looked at it a few times,” Dodd said. “It’s funny, it’d be great for families to come to. We could really showcase a lot of our actors. It’s bright and colorful and silly.”
The limiting factor that kept “Clue” off the stage for so long is the need for a large cast—one so large that BSCT just wasn’t sure there was enough interest in Big Sky to make it happen.
“After last fall’s production of ‘Almost, Maine’ we had a lot of new folks come out,” Dodd said. “We finally felt like we had enough folks to be able to get [‘Clue’] going. And it has been a challenge.”
The cast—Lone Peak High School staff John Hannahs and Jeremy Harder among them—has been preparing for weeks. The eight leading actors will have rehearsed twice weekly for about two months by the time the show debuts. Nine more actors have been at many rehearsals during that time as well, and another dozen community members have volunteered their time to build sets, paint props and help the cast.
Although it’s a tough undertaking, the “Clue” crew uses the theater as another avenue for recreation in Big Sky.
“We do get to play a lot in this town,” Dodd said. “Everybody gets to do all kinds of sports and outdoor adventures, but as adults, most of us don’t get to have that kind of playtime, that make believe time that you have when you’re a kid. I think people forget how fun that can be.”
In the spirit of fun, BSCT is encouraging audience members to show up in their best “Clue”-inspired costume, prepared to interact with the cast.
Tickets to see BSCT’s production of “Clue” are available at warrenmillerpac.org/event/clue-on-stage/.
