Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Thank you so much for the two of you joining me today.
I know you guys are busy on tour. Jeff, how's the tour going?
[00:00:07] Speaker B: It's going great. We've been all over the country. We have many more cities to go, and audiences are really, really enjoying this, which has been very satisfying. We're making a lot of people laugh.
[00:00:20] Speaker A: Which is the best medicine. You know, as a therapist, I would say laughter can cure pretty much anything.
[00:00:26] Speaker B: Yeah, I agree. I agree.
[00:00:28] Speaker A: Graham, how about for you? How's the tour?
[00:00:30] Speaker C: Tour's going pretty well for me. I'm in a little different boat. I just joined up with the tour about two and a half weeks ago.
I'll be taking over the role of Plum, Professor Plum, and actually performing it for the first time on this tour in Detroit. So while Jeff has been on stage running around, having fun, I've been rehearsing with some of the other new actors, getting ready to come up and take our places.
[00:01:00] Speaker A: Also, Detroit's special Make it your first. Your first Professor Plum.
[00:01:03] Speaker C: That's right. That's right. My Plum debut. It's very exciting.
[00:01:07] Speaker A: Well, that's really exciting growing up, you know, because obviously this is based off a clue, which is also based off the movie. There's a few different pieces here I grew up in. Professor Plum was absolutely one of my favorite characters. I always had to be him when I played the board game. So this is.
[00:01:19] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:01:20] Speaker A: This is kind of a big moment for me.
[00:01:22] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:01:22] Speaker A: Yeah.
So again with this being a board game that is easily recognizable, the cult classic film people are probably pretty familiar with the story, but I'm kind of wondering what the, like, the narrative setup for the stage play is, and then how your two characters fit in.
And we'll start with Professor Plump this time. So kind of how does the story begin and where do you fit in the story?
[00:01:45] Speaker C: The show as a whole, we call it. It's called Clue Live on Stage. So it really is based on. On the movie. So the. The setup and the situations are very similar.
And so from my perspective, Professor Plum, he. He arrives. You know, he's been asked to come to this spooky mansion on a. On a dark and stormy night. He runs into Miss Scarlet. He. He. He gives her a ride to the. To the rest of the way to the. The mansion. They meet up with all these various sinister or suspicious characters. Nobody's using their real names. And so in that way, the setup is very similar to the movie.
[00:02:28] Speaker A: Awesome. And, Jeff, who are you playing? Kind of. How do you fit into all of It.
[00:02:33] Speaker B: I'm playing Wadsworth the butler, the Tim Curry role from the movie.
And, I mean, I'm basically the guy who's invited all these six people who are being blackmailed to a dinner party in this mansion on a stormy night. I lock them all inside, and people start dying, essentially.
[00:02:55] Speaker C: Who knows how.
[00:02:56] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:02:58] Speaker A: And fun is had, you know?
[00:02:59] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:03:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
So did the two of you grow up as either, like, playing the game or seeing the film?
[00:03:04] Speaker C: Go ahead.
[00:03:05] Speaker B: I mean, I played the game. I didn't see the film until I was an adult, but I grew up playing the game. And I also wanted to be Professor Plum all the time because he was purple.
[00:03:13] Speaker C: I did. I did play the game a little bit when I was a kid. I came to it more from the movie. When it came out in the 80s. I was. I was. I really wanted to go. And back then, you know, it had. It had three different endings, but you had to go to three different theaters in order to see all those endings. And so I like, begged my parents if I could, like, go to all three. But I also liked Professor Plumb just because it was Christopher Lloyd. And. And Christopher Lloyd is. Will Live forever. In my heart is Doc Brown as.
[00:03:42] Speaker A: Well, and he's the comedy legend, you know, top tier here.
[00:03:47] Speaker C: Yeah, absolutely.
[00:03:48] Speaker A: So, Jeff, how for you, has, like, your relationship with Clue maybe changed now that you've been cast in the show?
[00:03:55] Speaker B: I mean, I think my.
Graham and I have both been in different productions of this play with the same director, Casey Hushin, and the playwright, Sandy Rustin. We've done different iterations of this production over the years. So my. I mean, I think my real relationship began when I played the role in 2021. I played Wadsworth in Los Angeles, and it's been a part of my life ever since. And now I get to do it all over the country.
[00:04:24] Speaker A: That's awesome. Graham, how about for you? Has there been any change in your relationship with it throughout the years?
[00:04:29] Speaker C: I've gotten to. I've gotten to know it better and better. When I. The first time I did this production with Casey Hushen directing was in 20 at Cleveland Playhouse. I played Mr. Body, who in the. In. In the play is. Is a track that. That plays multiple characters, which is sort of. Which is sort of my. My wheelhouse these days.
And I, I. I played the same character again in a production at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. And then the. A year later. A year after that, I sort of moved into the Professor Plum role when we did it at stages in St. Louis. So, and I've also understudied other, other roles in the show. And so I, I, I, I just feel, I just feel like my, my knowledge of it gets deeper and deeper because I sort of, I've, I've been able to know it from, from more and more angles.
[00:05:22] Speaker A: I say you kind of covered a little bit of everything.
[00:05:24] Speaker C: A little bit of everything. Yeah. Yeah, it's very fun.
[00:05:27] Speaker A: Is there ever any pressure with like, getting like, with the movie and with these characters stuff? Is there like pressure to like, get it done like a certain way or like way people expect it? Or do you feel like there's, there's not as like much pressure to have to perform like Professor Plum, you know, Graham, for you? Like, is there, is there pressure to getting this character right?
[00:05:48] Speaker C: I think that the, if there is any pressure, I think we want to present, we want to present this, this, the show and the story that, that a lot of people know and love. We want to remain faithful to its, to its core, which is that it's, it's very funny, very fast paced and, and just, and just fun. You know, I don't think anybody feels pressure to, to try to emulate, you know, a performance that came before. There's, there's, there's lots of people, there's lots of really talented actors who've, who've also been doing this, this particular production. You know, when we have, when we have our offstage covers go on in, in roles, they bring their own, they'll bring their own personalities to these parts. And so I think that it's not about sort of replicating performances, but it is about replicating that sort of zany clue essence. And I think the show does that really well.
[00:06:48] Speaker A: How about for you, Jeff?
[00:06:51] Speaker B: Yeah, same. I've never, I mean, I've never been, there's never, it's never even been mentioned to, you know, do things a certain way or to, you know, to bring, you know, anything from other iterations, especially, you know, the movie. But like Graham said, we do. It's, it's, it's this, you know, it's the same story. It's the same like, like slapstick, hilarious, fast paced kind of thing that people, I think people who, you know, people who love the movie will, will love this. We have, we have some surprises in our production, but we do, we, it stays faithful to the, it's the same story.
[00:07:31] Speaker A: And you know, I think that's one of the things a lot of the people that I've talked to in Detroit, they are so excited to see it because they are familiar with the film and it is such a. It's like a family favorite for so many people. And so being able to get to see that, but also with slight twists and, you know, maybe changes, is exciting.
[00:07:48] Speaker B: And what you, you know, you hear, like when iconic moments happen and iconic lines are said, you hear the audience reacting and, you know what I mean, people, you know, even, you know, Ms. Mrs. White's flames on the side of my face speech, people oftentimes go crazy.
[00:08:06] Speaker A: What is that energy like for you two as actors? You know, grandma, start with you, like when you're on stage and you're getting those laughs. I know you haven't experienced that yet with this production, but, like, what is that? Like, like, do you feed off that?
[00:08:19] Speaker C: Not yet with this production, but as I said, I've done this role before and other parts in the show before.
It's electrifying. You know, we. It's. It's such a. Among other things, it's, it's a very, it's a very tight ensemble piece, which means that, which means that all of our comedic rhythms are in sync. And it's like, it's like, you know, we get that comedy ball just sort of up in the air and we got to keep it up in the air. And, and what helps is when that's going right and then the audience starts to laugh. It all just sort of. It. It creates its own sort of manic energy and, and you write it all the way towards the end, and before you know it, you know, 90 minutes have passed and the show's over and everybody's. Everybody's on their feet.
[00:09:06] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:09:07] Speaker A: Jeff, is that energy? Like, do you feed off of that at all?
[00:09:10] Speaker B: Oh, yes. Oh, yes, absolutely. And it's exciting, you know, when you first notice, when you first catch on. And it's at different moments in the beginning of the play where you feel the audience kind of as a whole, click into it and get what you're doing. You know what this is.
That's always very exciting. The moment you're like, okay, what we. We've got them there, like, coming along with us. It's. That's, that's really exciting. And yeah, the, you know, when you have these full, huge, you know, houses of, you know, everyone's sort of like agreeing to have fun, that's a really exciting feeling.
[00:09:44] Speaker A: I also didn't realize you had mentioned, Graham, that this is 90 minutes. So this is a one act play, essentially.
[00:09:50] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:09:51] Speaker A: Okay. What is, what is there a challenge to that? Because I know, like, other. I've heard other productions that I've talked to, such as Six. They're like, you know, the biggest challenge is, like, bathroom breaks and stuff like that. But, like, is there challenge is just 90 minutes straight through, no breaks. You're just going.
[00:10:05] Speaker C: I mean, it is. It is a very. It is a challenging play for. For the actors. It's. It's. It's high energy. There's lots of running around, there's slamming doors. There's crazy slapstick and physical humor. And I think it's a. It's a. It's a credit to the. To the talents of. Of all the actors on stage and are in our offstage and the hard work of our backstage crew that everything, you know, once. Once the train, we often will describe it like, you know, getting on a train and just having to ride it to the end without stopping.
You know, we have. We have. I'm sure Jeff does too. We have, like, bottles of water strategically placed around backstage. You know, you know, if you get a second, you get a swig of water. But it's. I. I wouldn't call it a challenge to. To. To keep that.
I would call it. I would say that that's what makes it sort of exciting and fun to. To be on that train and to keep it going all the way towards the end.
[00:11:10] Speaker A: Okay, so for Jeff, you had mentioned you had been playing Wadsworth for quite a few years now. Do you feel like it. The role has, like. Have you changed it at all or has it, like, adapted as you've kind of grown with it?
[00:11:21] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, it. I.
This. This cast, when I first joined and I was rehearsing in. In dc, I would watch the show every night, and it's a very good cast. And, you know, I. Having played the role before, I figured out things that worked and things that maybe I wasn't make. I wasn't able, you know, I wasn't successful in making it work. And, you know, I've definitely. You know, you just grow and you find more stuff to, you know, in the role. And also, the first time we did it, it was. Right. It was like when theater first came back after Covid. So we all came in and we were kind of like these, like, creatures who had been in caves for a year. So it was kind of like, socially awkward to begin with, you know, coming into this production, and we had to wear, you know, masks every time we walked off stage. It was just a different, you know, it was more of a role coming back to life, you know, so this is. I'm enjoying it this time around a lot more.
[00:12:19] Speaker A: Both of you have strong, like, musical backgrounds. As I was doing my research, I was kind of looking and seeing and seeing some of these amazing shows that you've been in. What is it like to approach a show such as, like a comedy farce as this compared to, like a musical show? Is there a different approach or is it pretty much the same? And Graham, I'll start with you.
[00:12:36] Speaker C: I think I approach them in similar ways, actually, because I think that there is a.
There's a musicality to good comedy, especially in this situation where we have so many people on stage. There's lots of rapid fire dialogue, lots of. Lots of movement. There is. There is music in the show, although it is not a musical. And so I think that those of us with musical theater background definitely know how to. How to take those stakes and sort of elevate them into the, you know, into the absurd, but still have them based in something real, you know, which is. Which is. Which is the sweet spot that you want when you're doing comedy.
[00:13:22] Speaker A: Jeff, how about you? Is your approach any different than, like, a musical?
[00:13:26] Speaker B: No, no, it really is. It really isn't. You're just, you know, finding the truth, you know, finding the jokes. And like Graham said, a lot of the. This, this is such a fast paced farcical comedy that there. There are these rhythms and you feel it. You feel the rhythms. It is like, you know, it is like music.
So I think that does help that a lot of us do have some background in musical theater. The fact that we know. We know what rhythm is, you know, what rhythms are.
[00:13:56] Speaker A: So do you have a specific process for getting into the character at Wadsworth? Like, do you have to, like. I don't. I know some people, like, listen to specific music or that they have to, like, I don't know, jump up and down 10 times or.
[00:14:06] Speaker B: I just like. I really. I really like to be alone and just sort of focus and, you know, think about, you know, think about where I am and, you know, just especially going into a new space every week.
I like to. I mean, I mean, I just sort of, you know, I look over my script a little bit and I eat gummy worms. That's what I do.
[00:14:28] Speaker A: I mean, it's a good ritual, I think it is.
Graham, how about for you?
[00:14:33] Speaker C: I think that. I agree that you do need sort of to take at least a few minutes of sort of quiet concentration to sort of get yourself ready for what's to come.
Character Wise, I don't know. I don't have a real character warm up. Although every time I put my costume on, I have a practical bow tie. And there's something about the fastidiousness of, like, tying that bow tie that gets me into like a professor plum mode.
[00:15:00] Speaker A: So you can't help but feel like a professor when you have that.
[00:15:03] Speaker C: Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
[00:15:07] Speaker A: Graham, has clue challenged you as all as an actor or have you changed as an actor because of working on this? You know, like you said, you've worked multiple times in different roles. Has it changed. Challenged you or changed you at all?
[00:15:21] Speaker C: I think it's. I mean, it's always. It's always a challenge, but I don't think of. I think I love this kind of challenge.
Have I changed as an actor? I think the more.
The more you get to go up and do a certain. A certain play, and actors don't always have the opportunity to revisit a show as many times as Jeff and I have. I think it gives you the opportunity to find little moments that maybe you didn't have the opportunity to find before or a different actor in the role opposite you gives you something that you hadn't gotten from somebody else. And all of a sudden it opens something up for you. I think that it's just been a really exciting opportunity to get to know the character a little better, to get to know the play a little better, and in that way to sort of, you know, present it better to the audience, if that makes any sense.
[00:16:23] Speaker A: Absolutely it does. Jeff, how about you? How has this challenged or changed you as an actor?
[00:16:30] Speaker B: I mean, I mean, every, you know, every. Every sort of role challenges and changes you as an actor. And you keep building, you know, on things you've learned, especially with live audiences. You learn what does play or what does read and what doesn't. And especially doing this role again, you know, you think, oh, that, you know, if I do this, it's clear. If I do that, it's not clear. And you know what I mean, you want to have the audience with you. So, I mean, it's also, you know, it's gotten me back into a sort of, like, cardio mode. I mean, this is a really.
I sweat like crazy. I drink lots of. I mean, I feel like maybe I'm healthier. I don't know, I drink lots and lots of water and I do this like sort of high intensity cardio thing for at least like maybe a half an hour during the show. So it's good. It's made me realize I still have.
[00:17:23] Speaker A: Endurance like the film does. Clue, you know, the stage play, does it feature multiple endings?
Are you allowed to talk about that?
[00:17:32] Speaker B: I think I'm trying to think it.
We do our own version of the multiple endings, but. Yes.
[00:17:41] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:17:42] Speaker B: Right. I think that's what we're allowed to say.
[00:17:44] Speaker C: I think that's a fair way to put it.
It's not exactly like how the movie ends.
It has a different ending, and we accomplish it differently on stage than they do on film, but I think we do it justice.
[00:18:00] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:18:01] Speaker A: Okay, awesome. We're excited to see that. So as a psychologist, I always have to ask this question, but while you're on the road, how do you prioritize mental health?
[00:18:12] Speaker B: I mean, I mean, getting enough sleep, I think, okay, that that helps me mentally, you know, if I'm. If I haven't gotten enough sleep and I have this, you know, especially you have to. You have to sort of maintain. It's. I guess it's just maintaining things and maintaining for the long run to be able to do this, go into a new theater, do it for a week, travel on a Monday, and you keep going and going. And I think it's just about, you know, for me, like working out, getting enough sleep, eating well, and having enough time to myself to just be alone and rest. And I don't know, I think it's just about maintaining things to keep it going. Because it's a marathon.
[00:18:57] Speaker A: Absolutely. Graham, how about for you?
[00:19:00] Speaker C: I would second everything he said. I would also add to that. I started meditating about five years ago because the, The. The actors playing Wadsworth at the time, many. Mark Price teaches meditation. My wife had gone to him and I thought, well, you know, we're here in Cleveland together. Could you teach me? And he did. And it was that meditation practice ended up being very valuable when you're. When you're away from home and you're sort of trying to, you know, establish some sort of. Some sort of routine to keep yourself sane. I think that that's really helped me.
[00:19:38] Speaker A: I mean, absolutely. That's totally understandable. Routines are important, especially with the kind of work that you do. It sounds. Feels like you're always going, you're always doing. It's non stop. And so, yeah, it's good to have that moment to kind of break away from all of that. All right, one more question for both of you. What are we hoping audiences walk away with from Clue? And Graham, I'll start with you.
[00:19:58] Speaker C: Oh, boy. I think that all we really want is for people to have fun. You know, I think it's. It's a really.
It's meant to be a very fast, entertaining, sort of breezy night of entertainment, you know, and I think that if people come away talking about, you know, their. Their favorite jokes or their favorite moments or chuckling about, you know, something that happened on stage, that's. I think that's what we would really like to see.
[00:20:28] Speaker A: Perfect.
[00:20:30] Speaker B: That. I mean, that's exactly what I was going to say, too. It's. It's the best. It's the best feeling to, you know, when you sense sort of like an energy shift in a giant group of people, you know, hearing them laugh and hearing them cheer and having, you know, I.
Having. My boyfriend was in the audience last night, we're in Atlanta, and he said, you know, like, just telling me, like, how excited people were upon leaving the theater. That's always really nice to hear because that's really. That's really why, especially this. It's a really funny comedy with really funny actors and that we just want people to have a good time and laugh, and it's really exciting, too Succeed in that.
[00:21:12] Speaker A: Well, Graham and Jeff, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate talking with both of you.
[00:21:16] Speaker C: Thank you. Brian.
[00:21:17] Speaker A: Clue runs at the Fisher Theater from February 4th through the 9th. So get your tickets from Broadway in Detroit, and we look forward to seeing you there.
[00:21:24] Speaker B: Thanks.
[00:21:24] Speaker C: Thank you.
