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From the audience with Giana
When a production is based on a piece of pop culture history, it carries the weight of decades of fan expectation. Originally a British board game called Cluedo, invented during World War II air raids by musician Anthony E. Pratt to alleviate boredom, it became the beloved American Clue, where players deduce the murderer, weapon, and location of Mr. Boddy’s demise within a sprawling Victorian mansion. This stage adaptation is based on the fan-favorite 1985 cult classic film, translating its rapid-fire wit and mayhem directly to the stage. Any uncertainty I had about capturing that cinematic genius was instantly put to rest by the sheer, exhilarating energy of the Brewster High School production. These students, expertly balancing classes, extracurriculars, and the general chaos of high school, gave an astounding 110% in their performance, leaving the audience absolutely blown away by this high-stakes comedic mystery.
Kate Sullivan shined as Miss Scarlet, delivering another standout performance. She brought the perfect blend of cool confidence and sharp wit to the role, nailing every sarcastic line with great timing and style. What makes Kate’s Miss Scarlet so enjoyable to watch is how she uses her dramatic acting background to add depth to this comedic character. She’s proven her range before, winning the ESAG Award for “Best Actor in a Drama” for her role as Antonio Salieri, a part she prepared for by memorizing practically an entire book. She’s described that experience as life-changing. That dramatic foundation serves her well in Clue. Kate’s Miss Scarlet isn’t just funny: she’s sophisticated and sharp-edged, with a cynicism that feels real. Kate manages to get all the laughs while keeping the character’s detached, world-weary attitude completely intact. It’s a smart, controlled performance that makes Miss Scarlet one of the most memorable characters in the show.
Two other actors brought excellent comedic timing to the show. Lily Jocelyn (Mrs. Peacock), performing in her first high school drama, stole every scene she was in. She nailed the character’s frantic, confused personality through great physical comedy and perfectly timed reactions of wide-eyed panic. Miguel Suarez (Mr. Green) was equally impressive in his third BHS production. He played Mr. Green as lovably anxious and extremely nervous, bringing an energy that was both funny and charming. His jittery performance became especially important during the play’s climax.
The seamless flow of Clue was fundamentally rooted in the dedication of its student leaders. Jimmy McCann (Wadsworth) was a force of nature, delivering a strong performance while simultaneously serving as Assistant Student Producer. His work ethic was matched by Mikaela Russano, who managed multiple crucial roles as Student Director, Hair/Makeup Charge, and the memorable Singing Telegram Girl. Mikaela’s artistry was vital in the makeup department, ensuring every suspect was visually perfect, and her leadership ensured the large ensemble moved with precision. Finally, Kate Sullivan, in addition to her starring role as Miss Scarlet, served as Assistant Student Director. Pursuing a BFA in Acting, the combined efforts of these three students, their acting skills, technical oversight, and passion were instrumental in transforming a complex cinematic script into a flawless live performance.
Beyond the stellar acting and focused direction, the technical team deserves significant accolades. The set design was a character unto itself, transforming the BHS stage into the labyrinthine, shadowy halls of Boddy Manor. The clever use of practical doors and revolving set pieces allowed the action to flow seamlessly between the Library, the Ballroom, and the Conservatory, perfectly mimicking the frantic movement of the board game itself. This rapid scenic shift helped maintain the comedic pace.
In the end, this production of Clue was a complete triumph. It had the perfect blend of impeccable comic timing, infectious energy, technical excellence, and deep dedication from both the cast and crew, making it stand out from everything else. It was evident that every person involved poured their heart into the production, creating a truly unforgettable experience that represents the student talent. I’m eagerly looking forward to the spring musical, where I’m confident these talented actors and crew will continue working hard and dedicate time to Brewster’s artistic theatre program.
Behind the stage with Sky
While the perspective of the audience is what we consider most when putting on a show, I’d like to recognize those working on stage and backstage to bring this production together. One of those people is our new Fall Drama director, Mr. Grasso. He has already taken on the difficult challenge of producing this show, after only working at BHS for three months. He told us he picked the show because it’s “a really wonderful way to show comedy on stage. I think that it’s zany and silly and fun, it’s got a really big following with the board game and the movie, but it also allows high school students to explore comedy. Physical comedy, the use of so many different props, in and out of rooms, and having fun as an ensemble piece as well is really important.” To his cast and crew, he said, “I think everyone’s working so hard. It’s nice to see that you can spend weeks and weeks working on something and putting this up in front of an audience, I’d tell everyone to have fun with it. The more that the cast and the crew work really hard but also have fun doing it, will show the audience that we’re all here to have a good time and work hard, but also to show that we want to enjoy the art of theater as best as we can.”
It’s also important to acknowledge our incredible build and paint crew who have been working overtime since early September to build the intricate mansion set. As a cast member, every day I would see the crew student leaders come into every rehearsal early and stay later than everyone else. Whether it was to paint and build sets, organize props, or work on lighting, they were always dedicating their own free time to this production, and their hard work really paid off. One of these leaders is our Student Producer and Scenic Paint Charge, 11th grader Sophia Negro. In comparison to shows we’ve done in the past, she said that this one was very different, “not that it’s difficult.” She said, “I would just say that we’re taking this a lot more seriously. I feel like with the show, we’re really trying to advertise this to more people. We’re trying to get people to watch this, and we’re trying really hard with all the advertisements. Like, we’re really getting into the detailed stuff, especially with the set.
I noticed that we want to do a lot more wallpaper designs. The rooms are going to be more difficult to do, I have to do my own research outside of it. They really want this show to look good.” She also said that the BHS theater program is different from those at other high schools, “I think they give the students a lot of freedom. I think with Tony (Kimble), he trusts us a lot, and he’s definitely more of a teacher to us instead of just, giving us directions on what we need, he definitely wants to teach us. He wants us to be independent, so do Grasso and Perdicho. And so the students have a lot of freedom, just like the student leaders. I’m in charge of the entire paint crew, Nico (Mennella) is in charge of the entire tech crew, Ray (Reyna) is in charge of the entire prop crew, and so the students get a lot of freedom to teach the other students how we do this job, and I think that’s really great for the school. It helps the students get that freedom, that independence that they need to go on in life.”
Mikaela Russano, who played the Singing Telegram Girl, may have had a small role on stage, but she played a huge part in this production. She was also this year’s Student Director, and after her incredible work as Student Hair and Makeup Charge for Once On This Island last Spring, it’s no shock that she came back to the job for her senior year. “My favorite thing has been watching everybody develop their characters.” Mikaela said, “there’s a lot of amazing talent in the show.
And it’s just been great seeing how everyone works together and feeds off of each other with their parts. It’s been incredible to watch Mr. Grasso direct, he’s an amazing director.” She said her favorite memory was “watching Miguel channel and get into his clumsy character by spilling water all over everyone during the rehearsal process.”
Kate Sullivan, who is in her senior year, portrayed Miss Scarlet and was our student assistant director. She said, “I’ve looked forward to this from the first time I did a show freshman year, but I think it’s a really incredible thing to be a senior in the theater department because it gives you such an opportunity to take in the underclassmen and to pass down the magic and the joy that we have all found within the department. My favorite part has been watching the underclassmen have that moment of discovering the joy that I found a few years ago, and it makes me really excited that they will go on and continue their high school career with the theater department at the center of it.” Her favorite memory was “after callbacks, when we were all standing in the front and waiting to get picked up. I was so excited because everybody was so complimentative of each other, and it was just a group of people who were so excited to be on stage together. The energy was just incredible. I think any moment that we have together, the cast, the crew, everyone, I think any moment when we all connect by sharing in what we love, those ones are my favorite.”
That sentiment is shared by the rest of the cast as well, I can not be more grateful for everyone who worked on this show. The cast were some of the most kind people I have ever shared the stage with, and every one of them is so incredibly talented. The crew was so hard working and always willing to help us with anything, even when they already had so much on their plate. And of course we had our incredible director Mr. Grasso, who gave us so much independence with this production, while still being there to guide us throughout the whole process. Not only were we able to put on an amazing show, but we also had so much fun doing it.
