FUMC Harvest Festival
What’s for dinner? “Clue, the Musical” was at the Wichita Theatre Dinner Stage from Oct. 11 through Nov. 9, opening a season of holiday entertainment.
There are three ticket options at the Wichita Theatre Dinner Stage. The most expensive includes appetizer, dinner, dessert, gratuity, and the show. The most basic is just a seat, with tickets available after 10:30 a.m. on the day of the show.
Mr. Boddy is our host. Three audience members were invited to come onstage and draw cards, much like a game of Clue. These are hidden in an envelope marked “Confidential.” With six choices in each category, there are 216 possible room/suspect/weapon combinations, and the audience is invited to guess the ending.
This interactive murder mystery ignores the fourth wall. The characters make it very plain that they are pieces who live in a board game world. Mr. Boddy tells us not to be sad; he lives to be killed, over and over again. The only question is, who gets to be his murderer tonight? He distributes the weapons himself and wishes that the best murderer may win.
The characters are quirky and everyone has a motive. Mrs. Peacock has had five husbands. Mr. Boddy is about to be her sixth, although Colonel Mustard, who had been Mr. Boddy’s stepfather, is now interested in stealing away his stepson’s fiancee.
Mrs. White, unmistakably played for laughs by a man in the old music-hall tradition, resented being trapped in servitude after accepting a favor.
Mr. Boddy had destroyed Professor Plum’s family’s fortune. Mr. Boddy had partnered with con artists Miss Scarlet and Mr. Green, but had betrayed them, and they were ready for revenge.
It’s up to the Detective to interrogate the suspects and identify the murderer. And since it’s a musical, all is accompanied by a live pianist.
The entertainment was fast-paced, although some people might chafe at the frequent rhymes and fairy tale references.
Mrs. White, played by Carl Alfert, had the most laughs. The songs were strongest when the full cast joined together in harmony. (“Everyday Devices,” “Seduction Deduction,” “Foul-Weather Friend.”) The digital backdrops for each room were unabashedly generated by AI. Dinner was delicious, with wine from Horsehoe Bend Winery in Iowa Park and desserts from Margie’s Sweet Shop.
Even if you missed this one, “Anastasia” will be performed on the Main Stage Nov. 16-Dec. 21; Ken Ludwig’s “The Game’s Afoot” will be performed at the Dinner Theatre Nov. 22-Dec. 21; and the 2025 lineup looks strong.