From May 22 to May 24, the Displaced Theatre Company — a student-run contemporary theatre organization — will perform “Clue” at 7 p.m. in the Warner Bentley Theater at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.
The script, written by Sandy Rustin, is adapted from the 1985 film, which is itself based on the classic Hasbro board game. The production is directed, produced and performed entirely by students, with Nate Lopez ’29 directing and May Colgan ’27 producing.
Lopez wrote in an email statement to The Dartmouth that he pitched “Clue” to the Displaced Theater Company after discussing the idea with friends and recognizing its comic potential.
“The show is a farce and a comedy, so the story is not the most important, but I think the opportunity it provides for actors, such as physical comedy and movement, is,” Lopez wrote.
The cast and crew include students across class years and disciplines, from first-years to seniors and from English to engineering majors.
Sally Young ’26, who plays Mrs. Peacock, said student-led theater “brings everyone together in a way that’s so unique.”
“We’re all kind of building this craft together and really becoming a team like among your peers, and I always find that really special,” Young said.
She described the atmosphere created by fellow theater students as collaborative and supportive of new members.
“Everyone’s always so welcoming and warm and just willing to grow with you, along with you,” Young said.
Van Crocker ’29, who plays multiple roles including Mr. Boddy and the chief of police, is making his Dartmouth acting debut in “Clue.” He said the cast drew students from across campus, most of whom he had not met before joining the production.
“Everyone here has been from all over campus, a bunch of different folks,” Crocker said. “I only met one of them before this, and I’ve felt very welcomed.”
Eve Belding ’29, the show’s lighting technician, watched auditions and has attended rehearsals throughout the production process.
“I think the cast is truly wonderful,” Belding said. “I ran the audition room outside, so I met them all when they auditioned, and I feel like they chose an amazing, amazing cast. I’ve been watching all the rehearsals, and they’re so funny to watch.”
Young, who experiences the rehearsals from the stage rather than the audience, said the process has been just as entertaining from her vantage point.
“Every rehearsal, I come in and I know I’m going to laugh for two hours straight,” Young said. “When I’m actually on the stage, I can’t laugh as much because I stay in character. But the rehearsal process has been so much fun, just because my stomach hurts with laughter by the end.”
Beyond the actors’ performances, Belding said the backstage work required to mount the production without a professional crew has been distributed across a large student team.
“This show actually has been very organized in terms of tech,” Belding said. “I think there’s two people on every job, mostly. So there’s like two costumes, two props. We have two stage managers, then I think there’s a ton of people building the set.”
Crocker said Lopez had a “very distinct vision of what he wants to show” and has communicated clearly with the cast throughout the process.
“He’s pretty active in telling us what he wants about it, and you know it’s appreciated,” Crocker said.
Belding also said Lopez has been supportive of cast performances.
“Nate gave me a lot of creative freedom to just kind of do whatever I felt would look right in the scenes,” Belding said.
Crocker said he was most looking forward to the audience’s reaction at the close of the show.
“The whole show is going to be filled with laughs because the jokes are funny and we’ve worked them really well,” Crocker said. “But the ending is just the best part of the show — I’d say it’s just a really, really snappy gimmick.”
Young said she hopes the audience shares the enjoyment the cast has found in the show.
“I hope they find it as funny as I find it, because I’ll be trying not to laugh as I’m on stage,” Young said. “I’m hoping the joy that I feel on stage is reflected into the audience.”
