The Stone Bridge Running Dogs are preparing to perform their new fall play “Clue.” Stone Bridge is one of the few schools attempting to livestream their fall theater productions. 

“Clue” will be streamed virtually on December 3, 4, and 5. With a new drama teacher joining the Running Dogs this year, they are preparing to put on the show of a lifetime.

“One of the best things about our department is that we’re a community, and the way we experience that community is going to be very different this year,” stage manager and junior Rachel Leary said, “However, I think the challenges we will face with this production will make our community stronger and help us succeed now and in the future.”

Clue is based on the 1985 movie starring Tim Curry and Eileen Brennan among others, and the iconic 1949 board game which has sold 150 million copies.

“Without revealing too much of the plot, the concept is six people are invited to a dinner party with instructions to respond to a new name based on a color,” Leary said, “Over the course of the night, someone is murdered, but nobody knows who the murderer is. Everyone invited to the dinner party is a suspect, and the guests need to figure out who the murderer is before the police arrive.”

Virtual rehearsals are on a roll with the cast and crew working hard to create a fantastic virtual performance. 

“The challenges that this show presents are numerous,” drama teacher Mrs. Marks said, “But we are learning so much in this process already!”

The crew have their own set of challenges with having to design virtual sets and work with the actors to help with lighting and sound. 

“Our actors have been meeting with each other and our director through meets and our tech has been doing similar,” senior Maia Ocampo said, “It is a big change from before because we are used to seeing each other and interacting with other on a daily basis but im proud to say we’ve been getting through our social distance barrier to put on the best show we possibly can!”

The Running Dogs are determined to create a fantastic production utilizing streaming platforms such as OBS. 

“The choice was between not having a play or doing one virtually,” Mrs. Marks said, “What I know about Running Dogs is that we are unstoppable; we are determined to march forth and produce a show.”

With the switch to virtual, actors are having to tap into different skill sets in order to create and evoke different emotions. 

“The actual performance is an entirely different style of acting: film acting instead of stage acting,” senior Katie Reif said, “On stage, you have to exaggerate your movements and voice so that the people in the back can see you and hear you, but you can ignore little things. If your character cries, you don’t have to produce real tears because no one can see that. On film, you have to get every detail as realistic as possible.”

Emotions are running high and scattered as the cast and crew work around the virtual block. 

“I’m very excited! I get to play Mr. Green, and he has a lot of fun gags and awkward moments to play around with,” junior Diana Altenhof said, “I’m a little concerned as well, though, since this is the first time we’ve ever attempted a virtual show.”

Look forward to the return of the Running Dogs with “Clue” this fall. 

“I have complete faith in our department,” Ocampo said, “We will succeed and we all hope here at Running Dog that we’ll “see” you guys at our show!”