Cluelesque
A
PARODY based on the movie based on the board game based on the British board game
MAY 25 - JULY 26, 2024
MAY 25 - JULY 26
VEGAS THEATRE COMPANY
Presents the WORLD PREMIERE of
CLUELESQUE
By
Simone
DON’T YOU THINK I COULD’VE BEEN, OH I DON’T KNOW, MZ. PEARL OR EGGSHELL, CREAM, VANILLA, BEIGE, IVORY, LINEN, ALABASTER, PORCELAIN-- MS. Off White CLUElesque, Act 1
This performance runs Act 1 - 60 mins Act 2 - 30 mins
There is a 15 minute intermission between acts
Originally workshopped at The Space LV produced by Cheryl Daro.
WRITER / Simone
DIRECTOR / Daz Weller and Simone
CAST / Luke Allen - The Pool Boy
Christopher Brown - Wordsworth
Venus Cobb - Colonel Mushroom
Dina Emerson - Mrs. Woodpecker
Glenn Heath - Professor Prune
Jackie Lakoudis - Ivet
Karsyn Artemis Love - Ms. Off White
Ali Vesey - Ms. Cherry
Marcus Weiss - Mr. Grass
BAND / Adam Dunson (Guitar/Vocals), Michaelangelo Henegan, Miranda Johnson, Micah Smith (Keys), Ryan Harrison, David Vincolo (Drums), Sam Knapp, Eric Runquist, Scott Teeple, Keegan Carter (Bass)
SCENIC DESIGN / Whitney Lehn Meltz
LIGHTING DESIGN / Marcus Randolf
COSTUME & WIG DESIGN/ Jason Bennett
ORIGINAL COSTUME DESIGN Asia Milburn
SOUND DESIGN / Jake Harrell
MUSIC SUPERVISOR / Isaac Tubb
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER / Jinay Reitze
ASSISTANT
STAGE MANAGER / Gary Parlanti
SOUND TECHNICIAN / Toby Allen, Jake Harrell
BURLESQUE CONSULTANT / Annette Houlihan Verdollino
DANCE CONSULTANT / Tracey Correa
SET CONSTRUCTION / Daz Weller, Jake Harrell, Gary Parlanti, Alex Tivis, Simone
SCENIC ARTWORK / Barbara Jean
HOUSE MANAGER / Ian Bousson
BOX OFFICE / Alex Tivis
Vegas Theatre Company would like to thank the following people and organizations for their contributuions to the show: April Leopardi, Michael Radiff, Joe “Subshine” Harter, Heidi Rider, Tiger Martina, Allison Koroly, James Simpson, Danyel Arianna, Annette Verdolino, Grace Lusk, Christopher Keller, Kailey Tamarkin Little, Christopher Aguilar, Tracy Correa, Troy Heard and Majestic Reoertory Theatre, Ann-Marie Pereth and Joe Kucan, A Public Fit Theatre, Richard Brusky, Toby Allen, Christine Steele, Barbara Jean, Ian Bousson.
CLUElesque Playwright’s Note
CLUElesque has been a work in progress for seven years now. What began as a six-person revue at a fondue joint in Auburn, Maine’s fifth largest city, has grown into this four-piece band, three-week run, two-act play, genre defying spectacle of nostalgia, sex appeal and good ol’ fashioned parody, based on my number one favorite film of all time, CLUE.
I was around ten years old when I first saw the 1985 cult classic, and I fell in love immediately. The characters, the writing and the dark humor all watered the blossoming comic within me. I had never laughed so hard or been so enthralled with a movie before, and I began watching it on repeat. I’ve seen it countless times since and dubbed myself--and all the other superfans out there--a “CLUEhead.” We are the people who can quote a majority of the movie--and will, at the drop of a chandelier! We finish each other’s favorite lines with the one that comes right after, and we know all the little details included by the creators (like how each guest pulls up in a car of their game piece color).
For me, the movie became a muse, informing my comedic style more than any other inspiration. My family and I love to quote things out of context, and CLUE, along with Happy Gilmore, Napoleon Dynamite and Homestar Runner, stands out as one of our more frequent sources. To make a long story short (too late!), I. LOVE. CLUE. And CLUElesque was created for the CLUEheads like me.
For those of you who have only ever played the game, have no fear. If the bird’s-eye view mansion, process-of-elimination detective work, sneaking from tile to tile board game is your only connection to the material, you’ll love CLUElesque as well. Some of the easter eggs might be lost on you, but the familiar characters, rooms and weapons, the suspense of it all and your participation should nurture your nostalgia just as well. The game was a fun part of my childhood too, and certainly an inspiration for this production. See, I prefer sudoku to monopoly, and riddles to risk. Anything with a bit of mystery -something to solve--has always intrigued me, and I have brought that to this production as well. It is not just a parody of the film-there’s a game afoot as well.
And if you haven’t even played the game, the humor stands alone and is paired surprisingly well (if you ask me) with Burlesque. The Art of the Tease is all about the revelation, and the manner at which we expose ourselves. With six characters on stage, all harboring skeletons in their respective proverbial closets, burlesque becomes the means by which we learn what’s literally and figuratively under the surface. Each act reveals a new body, but more than that, a new secret. Just as our clothing keeps certain parts of our body covered, the undressing will tell us who these characters are when no one is looking (all the while in view of everyone). This show really is a series of strange juxtapositions: it’s not quite a burlesque show, not quite a play, not quite immersive, and yet it is all of those things and more. A perfect show for Sin City.
I moved to Vegas in 2017 with this humble production in mind and over the years I’ve let it slowly evolve through a series of workshops, all spearheaded by the multi-talented producer and boss-babe Cheryl Daro. A smorgasbord of talented performers have contributed to it as well (where would I be without April Leopardi who’s attention, network and ideas gave CLUElesque such life early on?), and I am so grateful for each crucial contribution along the way. Luke Allen, the impressively dead body, has been flopping around for me since that first workshop, and Venus Cobb came on to the project soon after. It truly takes a village to raise a show, and this is no exception.
And with this first full production in swing, many more have joined the village, notably our creative and thoughtful magician-director, Daz Weller, who took a chance on me and has given this show a place to blossom. Whitney Meltz designed a playful set, Asia Milburn’s costumes are sophisticated, diverse and stunning (not to mention complexly engineered for simple removal), and let’s all give a standing ovation for Jason Benett’s wigs. If any one thing could steal this ensemble production, it would be all those wigs. And how about one more for the live band, playing arrangements and compositions by the impressive multi-instrumentalist (and soon-to-be daddy!) Isaac Tubb, who has been with this project for a couple years as well, helping turn the soundtrack into a character of its own.
And now it is time for the show. Enjoy it. Don’t take it too seriously but don’t miss the satire either - sexual politics, classism and wealth disparity, corruption and gun violence all hover over this dark comedy--they who have ears let them hear. Either way, sit back (if you can!) and keep your eyes peeled: you’ll be choosing the murderer tonight. The cast has no idea which of the six it will be, but you might. And if you’re wrong tonight, come back tomorrow: it’ll likely be someone else. Just like the movie. Just like the game. Just enjoy the show.
CB Aguilar and Jackie Lakoudis as Wordsworth and Ivet
VEGAS THEATRE COMPANY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael Roitman (Chair), Ann C. Pongracz (Vice-Chair), Greg Gordillo (Treasurer), Jessica Scheitler, Levi Fackrell, Terry Chi, Alexia Chen, Alex Raffi.
ARTISTIC & PROGRAMMING
Executive Artistic Director / Daz Weller
Associate Artistic Director/ Simone
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Jessica Scheitler and the Financial Groove team
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Social Media Manager/ Karsyn Artemis Love
Season Photographer / Taylor Pendelton
Production Photographer / Richard Brusky
Graphic Design / Daz Weller
TICKETING & BOX OFFICE
Box Office Manager / Roxanne Farrar
PRODUCTION
Technical Director/ Jake Harrell
Construction and Maintenance/ Gary Parlanti
Special Events
Stage Manager / Amanda Peterson
23-24 DONORS
Producers Circle $5000-$9999
Dina Emerson & Keith Barker
Cedar St
The Barnard Foundation
Designers Circle $1000-$4999
David Stalder
Michael Roitman
James Russell
Erin Timrawi
Terry Chi
Ann C Pongracz & Mark R Cole
Alexia Chen
Cedar St
Cast Circle 500-999
Russell and Brenda Frank
Matthew Mancour
Greg Gordillo
Crew Circle 250-499
Timothy Richards
Yvonne Weller
Norma Saldivar
Sherri Brewer
Debora and Mark Barney
Bob and Jeri Amblad
Geoffrey Schafler
Monica Johns
Michael Naft
Bleach Improv
Suzanne Bergfalk
Nancy Hunterton
Jason Jorjorian
Pam McGaha
Friends Circle 100-249
Brooke Jordan
Matthew Fox
Sue Christensen
Hilary Katz
Steven Biggs
Michael Red Earth
Jacob Moore
Jim Hrudicka
Jami Jones
Barbara King
James Rosman
Stacia Larsen
Joyce Lush
Kim Faubel
Elizabeth Brown
Billy Rowles
Joan Israel
Adriana Banchik
Torrey Russell
Johnathon Fayeghi
Kelly Hawes
Henry Lichtenberger
Ann-Marie Pereth
Barbara Brennan
Joe Basso
Norm Kresge
Judith Jenner
Marcia Godinez
Marianne Donnelly
Nadia Wiechmann
Anna Arphan
Saundra Durgin
M Susan Danielewicz
Swadeep Nigam
Laurie Scheitler
Eliane Stevens
Anna Peltier
Michelle Mark Rimler
THANK YOU
Joanna Wilson
Carol Leonard
Adam Kilbourn
Margaret Plaster
Sue Silva
Wesley Hirni
If you or someone you know is interested in donating or volunteering, we have many opportunities available. Email us at info@theatre.vegas