OZARKS Entertainment Review:
Clue, The Musical
by Lois Ann Marler
Don’t have a “Clue” what to do this weekend? I suggest Clue, The Musical, the current attraction at Ozark Actors Theatre in Rolla.
I’m one of the lucky ones. My evening at Ozark Actors Theatre (OAT) on July 8 came compliments of Arnold Realtors, my real estate company that has sponsored “A Night Out at the Theatre” the past 10 years. Sue Arnold, noted real estate broker and accomplished vocalist, ardently supports the arts in Rolla and pulls out all the stops for a wonderful evening, including a gourmet catered spread by Something Special Floral/Miller’s Catering, following by a delightful OAT production. Menu items included fare such as “Colonel Mustard Marinated Tenderloin,” “Mr. Green Salad” and - for dessert - “Professor Plum Cobbler” with “Mrs. White Whipped Cream.”
If you’re familiar with the Parker
Brothers board game of the same
name, you’ll love Clue, The Musical.
Each of the six characters come to life
and reveal - for the first time - their
sordid motives for murder.
“Mr. Boddy,” unseen in the board
game, acts as emcee for the musical,
decked in a white suit and top hat
with black gloves and cane, revealing
clues throughout the game, both
before his demise and posthumously.
Two Rolla natives, Kevin Edwards and
Amanda Engelke, grace the stage as
Colonel Mustard (Edwards) and the
Detective, played by Engelke, which
is a new twist on the board game that
works beautifully on stage as the
audience plays along with the traditional
“detective notes” card.
So, who did it with what weapon in which room? Ah, you’ll have to see for yourself. The murder weapon, room and offender are chosen at the beginning of the show … by audience members! As in the board game, 216 outcome combinations are possible. The three oversized cards selected are then placed in an envelope on stage and remain there for the entire show, which, by the way, has no intermission. The show runs approximately one hour and 45 minutes, so be sure to make that last-minute stop at the little boys’ or girls’ room!
The six suspects - Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum, Miss Scarlet, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White and Mr. Green - exhibit less innocence than in the board game. Characters waste no time in expressing personality quirks. While we’ve all wondered if Miss Scarlet was a … well, a woman of ill repute, actress Kate Consamus leaves no doubt. Donning a full-length red satin dress and sultry attitude, audiences learn that Scarlett had a Las Vegas fling with Mr. Boddy, who subsequently drained Scarlett’s assets, leaving her embittered and ripe for revenge.
Scarlett isn’t the only suspect, however, who seeks justice from Mr. Boddy. The musical reveals that Mrs. Peacock has just married Mr. Boddy … her sixth husband. Mrs. Peacock is an unashamed gold digger, also a bona fide contender for first-degree murder charges.
Mrs. White isn’t exactly a “Mrs.” Jordan Peterson, who portrayed “Harmony Rhodes,” a hippie-vegetarian in Daddy’s Dyin … Who’s Got the Will earlier this OAT season, is masterful in his portrayal of the crusty, jilted old maid, whose working conditions are reminiscent of those found in the turn-of-the-century “company store.”
Professor Plum, in his Elton John-style purple glasses, corrects the English of the other characters and is smitten by the Detective. Colonel Mustard plays a Twister-type game with Mrs. Peacock on a 1939-era map of Europe. And Mr. (greedy) Green, aka the “Sultan of the Stock Market,” failed at a venture with Mr. Boddy to put vinyl siding on Egyptian pyramids.
As clues are revealed, suspense mounts and audience members make their final selections in the whodunit caper.
I highly recommend Clue, The Musical, for a light-hearted afternoon or evening of delightful cranial calisthenics. Missing this show could mean … you’re Clue-less.
For ticket information, contact Ozarks Actors Theatre at 573-364-9523 or visit ozarkactorstheatre.org.
Copyright 2009 Lois Ann Marler
Lois Ann Marler is an entertainer from Rolla, Mo., who is currently touring Missouri Veterans Homes with “A Tribute to Love,” a vintage USO-style variety show. For more information on entertainment in the Ozarks, visit her website, www.loisannmarler.com.
Clue, The Musical
by Lois Ann Marler
Don’t have a “Clue” what to do this weekend? I suggest Clue, The Musical, the current attraction at Ozark Actors Theatre in Rolla.
I’m one of the lucky ones. My evening at Ozark Actors Theatre (OAT) on July 8 came compliments of Arnold Realtors, my real estate company that has sponsored “A Night Out at the Theatre” the past 10 years. Sue Arnold, noted real estate broker and accomplished vocalist, ardently supports the arts in Rolla and pulls out all the stops for a wonderful evening, including a gourmet catered spread by Something Special Floral/Miller’s Catering, following by a delightful OAT production. Menu items included fare such as “Colonel Mustard Marinated Tenderloin,” “Mr. Green Salad” and - for dessert - “Professor Plum Cobbler” with “Mrs. White Whipped Cream.”
If you’re familiar with the Parker
Brothers board game of the same
name, you’ll love Clue, The Musical.
Each of the six characters come to life
and reveal - for the first time - their
sordid motives for murder.
“Mr. Boddy,” unseen in the board
game, acts as emcee for the musical,
decked in a white suit and top hat
with black gloves and cane, revealing
clues throughout the game, both
before his demise and posthumously.
Two Rolla natives, Kevin Edwards and
Amanda Engelke, grace the stage as
Colonel Mustard (Edwards) and the
Detective, played by Engelke, which
is a new twist on the board game that
works beautifully on stage as the
audience plays along with the traditional
“detective notes” card.
So, who did it with what weapon in which room? Ah, you’ll have to see for yourself. The murder weapon, room and offender are chosen at the beginning of the show … by audience members! As in the board game, 216 outcome combinations are possible. The three oversized cards selected are then placed in an envelope on stage and remain there for the entire show, which, by the way, has no intermission. The show runs approximately one hour and 45 minutes, so be sure to make that last-minute stop at the little boys’ or girls’ room!
The six suspects - Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum, Miss Scarlet, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White and Mr. Green - exhibit less innocence than in the board game. Characters waste no time in expressing personality quirks. While we’ve all wondered if Miss Scarlet was a … well, a woman of ill repute, actress Kate Consamus leaves no doubt. Donning a full-length red satin dress and sultry attitude, audiences learn that Scarlett had a Las Vegas fling with Mr. Boddy, who subsequently drained Scarlett’s assets, leaving her embittered and ripe for revenge.
Scarlett isn’t the only suspect, however, who seeks justice from Mr. Boddy. The musical reveals that Mrs. Peacock has just married Mr. Boddy … her sixth husband. Mrs. Peacock is an unashamed gold digger, also a bona fide contender for first-degree murder charges.
Mrs. White isn’t exactly a “Mrs.” Jordan Peterson, who portrayed “Harmony Rhodes,” a hippie-vegetarian in Daddy’s Dyin … Who’s Got the Will earlier this OAT season, is masterful in his portrayal of the crusty, jilted old maid, whose working conditions are reminiscent of those found in the turn-of-the-century “company store.”
Professor Plum, in his Elton John-style purple glasses, corrects the English of the other characters and is smitten by the Detective. Colonel Mustard plays a Twister-type game with Mrs. Peacock on a 1939-era map of Europe. And Mr. (greedy) Green, aka the “Sultan of the Stock Market,” failed at a venture with Mr. Boddy to put vinyl siding on Egyptian pyramids.
As clues are revealed, suspense mounts and audience members make their final selections in the whodunit caper.
I highly recommend Clue, The Musical, for a light-hearted afternoon or evening of delightful cranial calisthenics. Missing this show could mean … you’re Clue-less.
For ticket information, contact Ozarks Actors Theatre at 573-364-9523 or visit ozarkactorstheatre.org.
Copyright 2009 Lois Ann Marler
Lois Ann Marler is an entertainer from Rolla, Mo., who is currently touring Missouri Veterans Homes with “A Tribute to Love,” a vintage USO-style variety show. For more information on entertainment in the Ozarks, visit her website, www.loisannmarler.com.
OZARKS Entertainment Review:
Clue, The Musical
by Lois Ann Marler
Don’t have a “Clue” what to do this weekend? I suggest Clue, The Musical, the current attraction at Ozark Actors Theatre in Rolla.
I’m one of the lucky ones. My evening at Ozark Actors Theatre (OAT) on July 8 came compliments of Arnold Realtors, my real estate company that has sponsored “A Night Out at the Theatre” the past 10 years. Sue Arnold, noted real estate broker and accomplished vocalist, ardently supports the arts in Rolla and pulls out all the stops for a wonderful evening, including a gourmet catered spread by Something Special Floral/Miller’s Catering, following by a delightful OAT production. Menu items included fare such as “Colonel Mustard Marinated Tenderloin,” “Mr. Green Salad” and - for dessert - “Professor Plum Cobbler” with “Mrs. White Whipped Cream.”
If you’re familiar with the Parker Brothers board game of the same name, you’ll love Clue, The Musical. Each of the six characters come to life and reveal - for the first time - their sordid motives for murder.
“Mr. Boddy,” unseen in the board game, acts as emcee for the musical, decked in a white suit and top hat with black gloves and cane, revealing clues throughout the game, both before his demise and posthumously.
Two Rolla natives, Kevin Edwards and Amanda Engelke, grace the stage as Colonel Mustard (Edwards) and the Detective, played by Engelke, which is a new twist on the board game that works beautifully on stage as the audience plays along with the traditional “detective notes” card.
So, who did it with what weapon in which room? Ah, you’ll have to see for yourself. The murder weapon, room and offender are chosen at the beginning of the show … by audience members! As in the board game, 216 outcome combinations are possible. The three oversized cards selected are then placed in an envelope on stage and remain there for the entire show, which, by the way, has no intermission. The show runs approximately one hour and 45 minutes, so be sure to make that last-minute stop at the little boys’ or girls’ room!
The six suspects - Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum, Miss Scarlet, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White and Mr. Green - exhibit less innocence than in the board game. Characters waste no time in expressing personality quirks. While we’ve all wondered if Miss Scarlet was a … well, a woman of ill repute, actress Kate Consamus leaves no doubt. Donning a full-length red satin dress and sultry attitude, audiences learn that Scarlett had a Las Vegas fling with Mr. Boddy, who subsequently drained Scarlett’s assets, leaving her embittered and ripe for revenge.
Scarlett isn’t the only suspect, however, who seeks justice from Mr. Boddy. The musical reveals that Mrs. Peacock has just married Mr. Boddy … her sixth husband. Mrs. Peacock is an unashamed gold digger, also a bona fide contender for first-degree murder charges.
Mrs. White isn’t exactly a “Mrs.” Jordan Peterson, who portrayed “Harmony Rhodes,” a hippie-vegetarian in Daddy’s Dyin … Who’s Got the Will earlier this OAT season, is masterful in his portrayal of the crusty, jilted old maid, whose working conditions are reminiscent of those found in the turn-of-the-century “company store.”
Professor Plum, in his Elton John-style purple glasses, corrects the English of the other characters and is smitten by the Detective. Colonel Mustard plays a Twister-type game with Mrs. Peacock on a 1939-era map of Europe. And Mr. (greedy) Green, aka the “Sultan of the Stock Market,” failed at a venture with Mr. Boddy to put vinyl siding on Egyptian pyramids.
As clues are revealed, suspense mounts and audience members make their final selections in the whodunit caper.
I highly recommend Clue, The Musical, for a light-hearted afternoon or evening of delightful cranial calisthenics. Missing this show could mean … you’re Clue-less.
For ticket information, contact Ozarks Actors Theatre at 573-364-9523 or visit ozarkactorstheatre.org.
Copyright 2009 Lois Ann Marler
Lois Ann Marler is an entertainer from Rolla, Mo., who is currently touring Missouri Veterans Homes with “A Tribute to Love,” a vintage USO-style variety show. For more information on entertainment in the Ozarks, visit her website, www.loisannmarler.com.
Lois Ann Marler's
"Life is a song ... sing it." --Mother Teresa
Copyright © 2009 Lois Ann Marler • All rights reserved
OZARKS Entertainment (tm)
Your Guide to Music, Theatre and Entertainment in South-Central Missouri
OZARKS Entertainment Review:
Fine Linen Drama Debuts Twelve Angry Men
by Lois Ann Marler
A darkened stage … shuffling footsteps. An eerie, dim light reveals a lineup of a dozen men who are called upon to decide the fate of a young man accused of homicide.
“Prejudice always obscures the truth,” says Juror #8.
Reginald Rose’s 1954 play, Twelve Angry Men, comes to Cedar Street Playhouse, home of Ozark Actors Theatre (OAT) in Rolla, on October 2 and runs through October 10. A Fine Linen Drama production, the all-male cast is set to thrill theater goers with a stage full of frustration, hot tempers and prejudice.
Director Kim Nisbett, who founded Fine Linen Drama with her husband, Keith, chose a marvelous production for her group of local talents. The cast primarily consists of homeschooled students and fathers, as well as friends from the community. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a bunch of amateurs: Fine Linen Drama has made its mark in the theatre community by providing top-notch entertainment in the Rolla area. Their spring production, The Pirates of Penzance, was the talk of the town as Fine Linen spared nothing in costuming, sets and vocals. Fine Linen has also produced The Prince and the Pauper, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Miracle Worker and more.
Nisbett relies on Associate Director Michael Morgart, as well as Assistant to the Director Alana Brown, to make Twelve Angry Men yet another well-received production.
The play is set in New York City in the mid ‘50s and has no set or costume changes. Twelve male jurors - all Caucasian - deliberate the fate of an 18-year-old underprivileged man who is accused of murdering his father. In this teeter-totter plot, only one juror, “#8,” believes the accused is not guilty. Dan Goff portrays what is often referred to as the “bleeding heart” character, challenging the other 11 to question the holes in the testimony. Goff is no stranger to the stage, and has starred in other OAT productions, including White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life.
Goff’s character is pitted against Juror #3, played
by Paul Hamacher, whose brutish prejudice and
intolerance leads to more than one rant.
Hamacher’s brilliant performance is scary at times
as he wields the murder weapon, a switchblade,
and exhibits tirades the likes of which Coach Bobby
Knight is famous. Hamacher, whose character aches
from a broken relationship with his own son,
vicariously attempts justice through the case at
hand.
Costume Designer Laura Light uses sepia tones for
each man’s costume - except for Juror #4, portrayed
by Kevin Edwards, who wears a sharp, expensive
black suit, distinguishing him from the others as a
wealthy tycoon with a cool, methodical disposition.
An abundance of hair pomade is the finishing touch
on this group of vintage-looking gentlemen.
The simple set, designed by the Nisbett family,
consists of a 16-foot table and wooden chairs. A
photo of Harry Truman hangs on one wall, with a
print of the U.S. Constitution on the other. A
neutral backdrop and costuming allow the
characters to shine in their idiosyncrasies. The bailiff, played by Justin Mosher, locks the door, turning the room into a prison of sorts where the jurors play a classic game of tug-o-war between ego and objectivity.
As the play unwinds, juror after juror begins to doubt his confidence in a guilty vote. Conquered men melt in puddles of humiliation as the jurors reach a unanimous decision. Exhausted from the struggle like a fish on a line, hot-headed Juror #3 (Hamacher) finally capitulates, outdone by an open-minded will that refuses to allow societal hate to dictate the death penalty.
Additional staff for Twelve Angry Men include Josiah Nisbett on lights, Philip Houser on sound and John Nisbett as stage manager.
Twelve Angry Men opens on Friday, Oct. 2, with a 7:30 p.m. performance, with evening shows repeated on Oct. 3, 9 and 10. Saturday, Oct. 10, also features a matinee at 4 p.m.
Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for children 16 and under, with a $35 price cap for immediate family members.
The Ozark Actors Theatre box office opens one hour prior to each show. Fine Line Drama productions typically sell out, so secure tickets early. Tickets are available at A Slice of Pie in Rolla, or may be reserved by calling 573.261.0244. Concessions are available prior to the show and at intermission.
For more information about Fine Linen Drama, visit their website: www.FineLinenDrama.com
Copyright 2009 Lois Ann Marler
Lois Ann Marler is an entertainer from Rolla, Mo., who is currently touring Missouri Veterans Homes with “A Tribute to Love,” a vintage USO-style variety show. For more information on entertainment in the Ozarks, visit her website, www.loisannmarler.com.
Fine Linen Drama Debuts Twelve Angry Men
by Lois Ann Marler
A darkened stage … shuffling footsteps. An eerie, dim light reveals a lineup of a dozen men who are called upon to decide the fate of a young man accused of homicide.
“Prejudice always obscures the truth,” says Juror #8.
Reginald Rose’s 1954 play, Twelve Angry Men, comes to Cedar Street Playhouse, home of Ozark Actors Theatre (OAT) in Rolla, on October 2 and runs through October 10. A Fine Linen Drama production, the all-male cast is set to thrill theater goers with a stage full of frustration, hot tempers and prejudice.
Director Kim Nisbett, who founded Fine Linen Drama with her husband, Keith, chose a marvelous production for her group of local talents. The cast primarily consists of homeschooled students and fathers, as well as friends from the community. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a bunch of amateurs: Fine Linen Drama has made its mark in the theatre community by providing top-notch entertainment in the Rolla area. Their spring production, The Pirates of Penzance, was the talk of the town as Fine Linen spared nothing in costuming, sets and vocals. Fine Linen has also produced The Prince and the Pauper, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Miracle Worker and more.
Nisbett relies on Associate Director Michael Morgart, as well as Assistant to the Director Alana Brown, to make Twelve Angry Men yet another well-received production.
The play is set in New York City in the mid ‘50s and has no set or costume changes. Twelve male jurors - all Caucasian - deliberate the fate of an 18-year-old underprivileged man who is accused of murdering his father. In this teeter-totter plot, only one juror, “#8,” believes the accused is not guilty. Dan Goff portrays what is often referred to as the “bleeding heart” character, challenging the other 11 to question the holes in the testimony. Goff is no stranger to the stage, and has starred in other OAT productions, including White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life.
Goff’s character is pitted against Juror #3, played
by Paul Hamacher, whose brutish prejudice and
intolerance leads to more than one rant.
Hamacher’s brilliant performance is scary at times
as he wields the murder weapon, a switchblade,
and exhibits tirades the likes of which Coach Bobby
Knight is famous. Hamacher, whose character aches
from a broken relationship with his own son,
vicariously attempts justice through the case at
hand.
Costume Designer Laura Light uses sepia tones for
each man’s costume - except for Juror #4, portrayed
by Kevin Edwards, who wears a sharp, expensive
black suit, distinguishing him from the others as a
wealthy tycoon with a cool, methodical disposition.
An abundance of hair pomade is the finishing touch
on this group of vintage-looking gentlemen.
The simple set, designed by the Nisbett family,
consists of a 16-foot table and wooden chairs. A
photo of Harry Truman hangs on one wall, with a
print of the U.S. Constitution on the other. A
neutral backdrop and costuming allow the
characters to shine in their idiosyncrasies. The bailiff, played by Justin Mosher, locks the door, turning the room into a prison of sorts where the jurors play a classic game of tug-o-war between ego and objectivity.
As the play unwinds, juror after juror begins to doubt his confidence in a guilty vote. Conquered men melt in puddles of humiliation as the jurors reach a unanimous decision. Exhausted from the struggle like a fish on a line, hot-headed Juror #3 (Hamacher) finally capitulates, outdone by an open-minded will that refuses to allow societal hate to dictate the death penalty.
Additional staff for Twelve Angry Men include Josiah Nisbett on lights, Philip Houser on sound and John Nisbett as stage manager.
Twelve Angry Men opens on Friday, Oct. 2, with a 7:30 p.m. performance, with evening shows repeated on Oct. 3, 9 and 10. Saturday, Oct. 10, also features a matinee at 4 p.m.
Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for children 16 and under, with a $35 price cap for immediate family members.
The Ozark Actors Theatre box office opens one hour prior to each show. Fine Line Drama productions typically sell out, so secure tickets early. Tickets are available at A Slice of Pie in Rolla, or may be reserved by calling 573.261.0244. Concessions are available prior to the show and at intermission.
For more information about Fine Linen Drama, visit their website: www.FineLinenDrama.com
Copyright 2009 Lois Ann Marler
Lois Ann Marler is an entertainer from Rolla, Mo., who is currently touring Missouri Veterans Homes with “A Tribute to Love,” a vintage USO-style variety show. For more information on entertainment in the Ozarks, visit her website, www.loisannmarler.com.
Jurors #6 (Joe Davidson, left) and Juror #12 (Adam Nisbett, right) secure a furious Juror #3 (Paul Hamacher) during a heated scene in Twelve Angry Men, showing this weekend at Cedar Street Center, home of Ozark Actors Theatre in Rolla. Other jurors pictured are (L to R): Kevin Edwards, Nathan Hickle, Keith Nisbett and Joel Nisbett. For ticket information, visit A Slice of Pie or call 573-261-0244. (Photo courtesy of Debbie Hickle.)
Steve Skelton portrays Juror #1, who is also the jury foreman. Tempers percolate early in the deliberation, and Skelton struggles to maintain order. Jurors display the gamut of human disposition from the deeply compassionate, elderly character of Juror #9 (Keith Nisbett) to the calloused disregard of Juror #6 (Joel Nisbett), who has bigger fish to fry, showing contempt for a minority on trial for murder.
Juror #10 (Bruce Wade) brings his own bigoted flavor to the jury table, calling the defendant “a common, ignorant slob.” Other jurors are: Steve Quakkelaar, Nathan Hickle, Joe Davidson, Adam Nisbett and Scott Alford, who pulls off a European accent beautifully as an immigrant who escaped a tyrannical justice system. Rolla Municipal Judge Bill Hickle makes a cameo appearance as … what else? The judge. And he provides his own costume! Also making a cameo appearance is Kyle Alford, who plays the nameless defendant.
Juror #10 (Bruce Wade) brings his own bigoted flavor to the jury table, calling the defendant “a common, ignorant slob.” Other jurors are: Steve Quakkelaar, Nathan Hickle, Joe Davidson, Adam Nisbett and Scott Alford, who pulls off a European accent beautifully as an immigrant who escaped a tyrannical justice system. Rolla Municipal Judge Bill Hickle makes a cameo appearance as … what else? The judge. And he provides his own costume! Also making a cameo appearance is Kyle Alford, who plays the nameless defendant.
Several cast members of Twelve Angry Men, Fine Linen Drama’s latest production, argue and wrestle over the fate of a murder defendant.
(L to R): Joe Davidson, Joel Nisbett, Nathan Hickle, Adam Nisbett, Steve Skelton (standing), Keith Nisbett and Steve Quakkelaar.
(Photo courtesy of Debbie Hickle.)
(L to R): Joe Davidson, Joel Nisbett, Nathan Hickle, Adam Nisbett, Steve Skelton (standing), Keith Nisbett and Steve Quakkelaar.
(Photo courtesy of Debbie Hickle.)
