By Hazel Hurlbut 

   Ms. White, in the billiard room, with the candlestick? This semester the 6th graders got to go on a field trip to a performance of “Clue,” a play based on the classic board game. 

   The play was both a comedy and a murder-mystery and the performance was filled with laughter and intrigue. Sixth grader Hailey Genova says, “The characters were hilarious,” and sixth grader Tess Hurlbut says, “The play was very interesting.”

   The production was directed by Mr. Sanderson, and put on by Arizona State University’s theater department. Mr. Sanderson says, “Almost everyone involved in the production, with only a few exceptions, was either a student majoring in theater or a theater faculty member.”

   All the sixth graders are taking drama this year and enjoyed attending the play as a way to learn outside of school. Sixth grader Brooke Sahl says it was a “good way to be out of school but still have kind of like an educational setting.”

   Some of the sixth graders even noticed things they have been learning in drama implemented in the performance, such as speaking loudly and projecting one’s voice. Brooke noticed this and said, “The actors had to speak really loudly … and they had to project so everyone could hear them.” 

   The sixth graders also noticed the actors’ expert use of accents. Tess mentioned that “the accents were done very well and seemed very authentic.” 

   Another aspect of the production the sixth graders really enjoyed was the set. Hailey says, “I loved the set … all the sets were like on wheels and hooks … some of the stuff … hung in from the ceiling, and some came from the side.” 

   According to Mr. Sanderson, the scenic designer is a professional who is also a scenic design professor. Mr. Sanderson says, “It was a very challenging show, as the technical aspects were very complicated.”

   After the show the students were able to interact a little bit with the actors and other members of the production. Tess said, “After the show the actors and tech stood on stage and we could ask questions.” The students also had the opportunity to get the actors’ autographs out in the courtyard where they had lunch.