“Clue: Live On Stage!” a CIBC Theatre farce of murder, mania and multiple endings

Photos provided by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

The board game broke sales records since the 1940s and the movie became a cult classic of the 1980s, so it’s probably only a matter of time before “Clue: Live On Stage!” follows in their footsteps as a top-tier touring farce, especially considering it’s adapted by original screenwriter Jonathan Lynn.

Although it was previously staged locally by the Mercury Theater, a run through Sunday, March 2 at the CIBC Theatre marks the show’s Broadway In Chicago debut, where on opening night, the laughs were flowing as fast as weapons were wreaking havoc throughout the Boddy Manor.

Set in the 1950s, “Clue” tracks the private lives of six mysterious dinner guests, who don’t necessarily know each other, but all share the fact they’re being blackmailed for something scandalous that could ruin their reputations.

While the characters are already iconic, they are thankfully played by a convincing cast consisting of Christina Anthony (Miss Scarlet), Mariah Burks (the Cook), David Hess (Colonel Mustard), Joanna Glushak (Mrs. Peacock), Donna English (Mrs. White), John Shartzer (Mr. Green), Jonathan Spivey (Professor Plum), Jeff Skowron (Wadsworth), Alex Syiek (Mr. Boddy), Teddy Trice (the Cop) and Elisabeth Yancey (Yvette) with direction by Broadway’s Casey Hushion.

Together, they try to stay alive in the haunted house of sorts on a particularly dark and stormy evening, simultaneously trying to kill anyone who stands in their way during power outages and distractions of several hilarious stripes.

“Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench?” are just a few of the questions attendees will be asking on their way to the heart-pounding conclusion, or rather, multiple endings of equally plausible mania.

At 90 tightly-packed minutes without an intermission, “Clue: Live On Stage!” flies by, yet utterly satisfies at every twist, turn or threat from the toolbox, candlestick, dagger, revolver and rope.

Though the light-hearted drama draws some loose parallels to today’s array of current events, it’s otherwise comedic escapism at its finest, that is of course for those who can get out of the CIBC Theatre alive.