Premiering on Oct. 27, the Clue play was performed by Carlsbad High School’s theater department. The play featured several iconic characters from the board game and brought elements of drama and comedy to the stage. 

After taking a long break after the spring musical and transitioning to the leadership of a new advisor, the cast was excited to perform again. For senior Breanna Masters, who played Mrs. White, rehearsing daily helped her get back into the groove of acting. 

“We had so many rehearsals over the course of those 3 months and after going over everything so often and so many times, it all just sort of stuck,” Masters said. “Prior to rehearsals starting, though, I watched a bootleg version of the show on youtube to get a feel for what we’d be doing.” 

As a senior, Masters wants to make the most out of her last year of high school, especially when it comes to theater. On closing night, the hardest part of the show was saying goodbye to her final fall season of high school theater. 

“It’s so bittersweet and it was definitely a reality check,” Masters said. “I did tear up during bows on closing night, but it’s so beautiful to see all the underclassmen and even the juniors who are the future of the department have such a wonderful time performing and being a part of something.”

For junior Charlie Larson, however, handling rehearsing, performing and academics was a challenge. Larson played the lead FBI agent Ms. Green, and had to balance her school life with her stage life. 

“It was a little difficult to balance the play and getting a grip on my academics so early in the school year, but it was overall a really fun experience,” Larson said. “People definitely weren’t kidding when they said that junior year was the busiest and hardest year.”

Over the summer, the drama department hired a new advisor, Andrea Shuck. For Larson, having a new advisor was a difficult adjustment. However, the transition allowed her to grow as a performer. 

“Change is always a little clunky at first, growing pains and all,” Larson said. “But Ms. Schuck worked with us and I think we created some really great work. We love Ms. Schuck because she genuinely cares about us and brings so many new ideas to the department. She’s really made the department a positive place to be and I’m so thrilled that I get to work with her another year.”

Under the advisement of Ms. Schuck, the drama department put on three shows over the course of three days. While the end to Clue was bittersweet, Larson felt that it allowed her to embrace a new role and do what she loves most: telling stories through her performances. 

“I’ve always loved telling stories, that’s why I love theater so much,” Larson said. “I want people to see a show and leave feeling like they learned or felt something.”