The stage is set for a whirlwind of mystery and hilarity as CLUE: A New Comedy opens at the Orpheum Theater. Staying true to the 1985 whodunit cult classic by Jonathan Lynn and the iconic Hasbro board game, Sandy Rustin’s live adaptation keeps audiences guessing, and laughing, until the very end.
The story begins in the Boddy Manor with an unusual dinner party attended by six colorful guests—Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, and Mr. Green. The sudden demise of their host sets off a disorderly scramble to uncover the culprit before more bodies pile up.
Guided, or perhaps misled, by the ever-resourceful Wadsworth the butler, the characters find themselves in a whirlwind of clues, corpses, and comedic chaos. Fans of the movie will recognize many of the film’s iconic lines in between fresh surprises unique to the stage production.
“What makes it most exciting is the nostalgia factor,” said John Treacy Egan, who stars as the larger-than-life Colonel Mustard. “Even if you’re not familiar with the story, it’s an incredibly fun murder mystery-comedy. The bodies are dropping, and the audience is right there with us, trying to figure out who’s responsible.”
Egan, a veteran of the production since its Cleveland Playhouse debut in 2020, brings his own flair to Colonel Mustard. “He’s a character who absolutely believes everything he says,” Egan shared. “He thinks he’s in charge, or that he can save the day—but he’s just as befuddled as everyone else. People often ask, ‘How did he even become a colonel?’ My theory? Rich parents.”
The production’s rapid-fire banter and physical comedy demand peak performance and quick wit from the cast. Nonstop action should be expected, which Egan describes as “85 to 90 minutes of pure madness” every step of the way.
“Audiences love participating and piecing it all together—we’ve even seen the crowd dressed as everything from the chandelier to Mrs. Peacock,” Egan noted. The stage production is one-of-a-kind, he said, breathing new life into the iconic murder mystery with clever surprises that keep everyone on their toes.
“All I can say is, nobody walks out unsatisfied.”
CLUE: A New Comedy runs Jan. 7–12 at the Orpheum Theater. To purchase tickets, visit https://ticketomaha.com/Productions/clue.
