By Akira Sumpter

This year’s spring play was a murder mystery from 1985. Clipper Productions performed “Clue” on April 23rd and 24th.

The show was set in a mansion during the Reagan era, where a mysterious host has invited a group of adults who had never met each other and who were not to share personal information due to the risk of jail or isolation. 

These people were brought to the house for some unknown reason. It began at dinner when conversation began and certain data about their personal lives slipped out, making others suspicious. This, in turn, led to someone building evidence on all of the attending guests in order to blackmail them.

When they found out they were being blackmailed, the butler gave everyone a gift, inside which was a random object and potential weapon, leading them to again be suspicious. This led to a lot of murders and secrets.

The actors playing these characters truly were in character. Every emotion and movement was intentional and authentic.

“[This play] is definitely in my top 3, between Aladdin Jr. and Mean Girls. This play has definitely been my favorite because of the set design and doors as it was very immersive for me in that type of setting”, said senior actor Deontay Blackwell, who has been in theater since the second year of his high school career.

The play was also a hit with the audience.

“What a pleasure it was to witness our students’ talents in the production of Clue!”, declared Assistant Principal Ms. Berkeley. “Their murder-mystery performance was a testament to the collaboration of City Schools and the home. Our students do not come to us as empty slates. We take what they bring and polish it until it shines.”

Ms. Berkeley praised Ms. Ritter as a “visionary” and noted that the performance showcased a variety of skills that the cast and crew had developed during their time at Patterson, including memorizing, speaking, projecting, expressing, improvising, and more.

This dedicated group created a moment that will never be replaced or forgotten. It was a moment where time stopped and we all went into a different realm. This feeling is called the artist’s high. A special shout-out to all of the seniors who performed their last high school play: Amori Matthews, Akira Sumpter, Deontay Blackwell, Jamira Ellison, and Jeremy Jones.

The adult production team includes the amazingly well rounded director Ms. Ritter, the hardworking technical director Ms. Prince, the talented assistant director Mr. Jamel, and Michael Kerney for sound operation. The student production positions include Adrianne Battle for lighting, Sophie Cruz for sound operator, and Amori Matthews and Akira Sumpter for the set construction team. Ms. Holter, Adriel Osorio, Anthony Parra, Kaiya Patterson, Jecoria Roscoe, and Akira Sumpter made up the painting team, while Jordan Jefferson, Amori Matthews, and Akira Sumpter served as stage crew and handled foxie moxie productions for audio. Last but not least, the actors: Jeremy Jones, Romeo Merritt, Doryen Brockington, Lluvia De Los Santos, Alivia Wallace, Keyri Ramirez, Zenobia Owens, Deontay Blackwell, Jamira Ellison, Alvaro Ramirez-Badillo, Joy Jones, and Logan Lance.