Theater Review: 'Clue: On Stage' by Woodland High School Drama Dept.

The Woodland Regional High School Drama Department will present “Clue: On Stage” this weekend in the lovely auditorium on their high school campus. Tom Simonetti, assisted by Jill Jackman, directs the large (for a play) cast of high school students.

Simonetti, who teaches Theater, Acting 1, Acting 2 and Advanced Acting at Woodland, writes in the printed program that the actors and crew have had only six weeks to prepare for “this mad-cap, quick-paced farce,” making the performance all the more impressive.

The director was in the middle of directing this piece when the 2020 shut down happened; luckily they were able to salvage the show by presenting it in a unique online production, thereby bringing joy to the students involved as well as the online audience.

The students do very well with their kooky roles and are obviously having fun on stage, and it spreads to the audience. Everything went surprisingly well at the final dress rehearsal that I was invited to attend, although I hope that a few of the actors will be able to slow the delivery of their lines a bit to enhance understanding .

Woodland junior Claire Cummings “buttles” and shines in the role of Wadsworth, the butler. Brianna Cochran, a senior, is adorable as the French maid Yvette. Senior Laura Wiskeyman plays the Cook, “a threatening presence.” Runiyah Marie Albino-Weathersby, a sophomore, portrays Miss Scarlett, a D.C. madam in a sparkly red gown.

Alyssa Gillies, a senior, makes the most of her role of Mrs. Peacock, the churchgoing wife of a senator. Gillies is at times batty, neurotic and hysterical and always in character.

Junior Hannah Mudry is also strong as Mrs. White, a pale and morbid woman who may (or may not) have murdered here five ex-husband. Reese Fernandes, a freshman, delivers lines through a large mustache in the role of Colonel Mustard, a pompous military man.

Connor Doughney, a member of the junior class, embodies the academic Casanova, Professor Plum. Evan Moore, also a junior, wears a kelly green blazer in his role as Mr. Green, a timid rule follower who is a bit of a klutz.

Gabriella Dobos, a senior, plays a motorist in the wrong place at the wrong time and Ollie Sewitsky, a junior plays the “Unexpected Cop” who is just a “regular Joe.” Freshman Casey Mulvihill appears as a singing telegram girl and freshman Celia Misuraca plays Mr. Boddy, a slick James Bond-type.

Fynn White, a freshman, covers the role of the chief of police, with Rebecca Armstrong as an agent. Madeline Martin, a sophomore, is a reporter and ensemble core member. Auxiliary Scarlett is Katherine Soda and Auxiliary Mustard is Lily Rosenblum.

James Amato and Chris Tomlin are in charge of the spot on special effects, with Jared Moore and Anthony Simonetti serving as technical directors. Robert Primorac, who I remember from Two Planks, is in charge of both light and sound, both of which are excellent. Renee Purdy of the Warner Theater Costume Shop designed the colorful and appropriate costumes for the “colorful” game pieces. Keep an eye out for some great props, including a Clue gameboard.

Woodland’s 2021 production of “The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong” earned a Halo Award, and I am sorry that I missed it. As a Theater Department, the group is looking forward to continued growth and will soon announce the annual Spring Musical.

Performances are Saturday, Oct. 22 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 23 at 1:00 p.m. The show runs in one act with no intermission. There are sounds of thunder, gun shots and strobe effects in use.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.