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On a dark, wintery night, North Salem Middle/High School students gathered in the school quad to learn about the shocking murder of Mr. Peabody. Where did this happen? How did it happen? And, most importantly, who did it?
Colonel Mustard, Ms. Peacock, and Professor Plum were among the likely suspects. The student sleuths interviewed the characters, jotting down notes and challenging their alibis, trying to solve the Clue in the Quad mystery.
The Thespian Society of North Salem hosted the evening event inspired by the board game. Seniors Kylie and Kara wrote the script giving each character a brief backstory and alibi. From there, the society members improvised the rest of their stories, using props and costumes assembled from their homes and previous shows.
“I read a lot of play scripts to get ideas for each character,” said Kara, who has only watched clips of the 1985 film of the same name. “We all decided early on which person would play the murderer, and went from there.”
“I hope we inspired someone to use their observational and investigational skills in their daily life,” said senior Amanda. “This was another great Thespian Society event that I will remember as I move toward college.”
“We’re a family, people see that community reflected on stage,” said Kara, who hopes to build a larger audience and name for the fledgling theater society. “Though I’m graduating, the group will continue to grow and be stronger. I would like to see us go further by reaching out to other community theaters.”
“I would absolutely be interested in performing our murder mystery game in other community spaces,” added senior Amanda. “I think community members would love to participate in a student-led event that’s accessible to all ages.”
Perhaps the next audience will be more successful at deducing the solution.
“Everyone thought the murderer was this one character, but we threw them a total curveball and shocked them,” said Kara. “Nobody correctly guessed who the murderer was, even though we purposefully left holes in their alibi.”
See the thespian society members perform in the Chicago: Teen Edition musical this weekend. They will “Razzle Dazzle” the audience with the satirical tale of Velma and Roxie seeking stardom while being tried for murder, vying for fame, fortune, and acquittal.
Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 12, at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets are $10 in advance | $15 at the door
Purchase advance tickets here: https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/north-salem-middlehigh-school/63c1bb50babd8c0e3f9987a4/
Sarah Divi is the Communications Specialist for the North Salem Central School District. This article is part of an ongoing series of stories that showcase student experiences and exemplify the district's mission statement in action.
