The Community Players of Greene County upcoming production of Clue: The Musical will introduce audiences to a seasoned actor from Ames and also return familiar faces and talents to the local stage.
David Michael of Ames is making his debut performance with the Community Players by taking the role of Mr Boddy in Clue: The Musical.
Michael, a microbiologist at The National Center of Animal Health in Ames, studies swine viruses and emerging diseases. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with degrees in veterinary medicine and microbiology.
He grew up at Elkhart and did high school theater there. It wasn’t until after college, though, that Michael became involved in musical theater.
“I’ve been in productions with Ames Community Theater, theater groups in Boone, Webster City, Marshalltown, Ankeny, and a little ISU theater,” Michael said.
When asked about favorite roles, he mentioned Aslan in Narnia: The Musical, the Cowardly Lion in Wizard of Oz, Emile in South Pacific, and Long John Silver in Treasure Island.
Michael has toured around Iowa with the Pump Town Touring Company performing Farmer Song: The Musical written by Joe Hynek, an Iowan. The company has performed at the Iowa State Fair.
Michael sings with the Ames Choral Society and is a Scottish country dancer, a form of dancing which developed into square dancing. He likes to sing, dance, read, and travel with his wife.
“Professor Plum is the biggest character of my acting career,” Bill Monroe told GCNO, as he returns to the stage in the upcoming production of Clue: The Musical produced by the Greene County Community Players.
“I prefer to be in the background, ensemble acting and singing, but the beautiful, new theater facility at the high school led me back to this production,” Monroe said. It has been several years since Monroe has been involved in a local play.
Monroe acted and sang in major Community Players productions over the years, starting with Pajama Game in spring of 1988. Roles in local productions of Brigadoon, Sound of Music, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma, Carousel, and Music Man followed.
Work and family life made Monroe temporarily absent from local musical theater, but he is back, acting, singing, and dancing onstage March 11, 12, and 13.
“Now that I’m retired, I have time to learn the lines,” he said.
Monroe grew up in Knoxville and was in high school plays there. Later, he sang in the University of Iowa choir, at weddings, and at funerals. He earned degrees in pharmacy at the University of Iowa.
Monroe and his family moved to Jefferson in 1987. Over the next 20 years, Monroe operated the Medicap pharmacy and was also director of pharmacy at the hospital. He has directed the Presbyterian Church choir for many years. Monroe currently programs electronic music for the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower.
Monroe remembers past musicals fondly. “My daughter used to be in them with me,” he said.
Darren Jackson teaches history and English at Greene County High School. He has played many roles in Community Players’ productions including Arsenic and Old Lace and Life Begins at 50.
Jackson also has acted in community theater in Grand Junction, Boone, Fort Dodge, and Perry, including roles in Macbeth, Young Frankenstein, and Treasure Island.
It was Jackson who invited David Michael to audition for Clue: The Musical. The two have been in other productions together.
Linda Nichols, the Detective in Clue, has acted with the Community Players for many years since her debut in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. She works both onstage and behind the scenes. Nichols is a member of the Greene County Singers and has been a pharmacy technician at Medicap in Jefferson for 22 years. She enjoys reading, crocheting, and music.
Alicia Sloan, playing Mrs. Peacock in Clue, has also acted in several Community Players’ productions including Our Town, Death by Dessert, and Murder at Café Noir. She lives in Jefferson with her husband and cats. She is a credit analyst for VisionBank, working in the Ames and Ogden offices.
Tim Pound plays Colonel Mustard in Clue and is another seasoned actor with the Community Players as well as being on the board of directors. Pound’s most recent role was in the 2019 production of Our Town.
Chad Stevens as Mr Green and Alexis Stevens as Miss Scarlet round out the cast. Chad is originally from Scranton, a contractor, and currently the building inspector for the city of Jefferson. He sings in the Carroll Community Chorus and the Greene County Singers. This is his second performance with the Community Players, having played Mr. Webb in Our Town in 2019.
Alexis Stevens acted in Our Town and played Morticia Addams in an Addams Family Train event for the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. Clue is her first musical since high school. Alexis is a farm management specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach in Jefferson. She enjoys public speaking and talking to people about agriculture. Alexis and Chad are married.
Wes Anderson, musical director and accompanist for the production, earned a bachelor of music education from Coe College and is nearly finished with a master’s degree, also in music education, from VanderCook College of Music. He is the band director at Greene County High School.
His musical theater experience has been in the orchestra pit, playing trumpet, trombone, tuba, drums and electric bass for many musicals including Music Man, Shrek, Wizard of Oz, Freaky Friday, and Beauty and the Beast.
Clue: The Musical, is directed by Clay Ross, a veteran of many Community Players productions and president of the Community Players board. The book for Clue the Musical is by Peter DePietro, with lyrics by Tom Chiodo and music by Galen Blum, Wayne Barker, and Vinnie Martucci. It is performed under agreement with Concord Theatricals.
Three performances are slated for the Greene County High School auditorium, with general admission tickets $10 each. Tickets for Friday, March 11, at 7 pm are available at Peoples Bank. Tickets for Saturday, March 12, at 7 pm are available at Home State Bank. Tickets for Sunday, March 13, at 2 pm are available at Heartland Bank. Tickets will also be available at the door.
