CRNY Drama's hit play, Clue, enraptured audiences and critics alike last weekend with a murder mystery that packed houses and literally shook New York City.

 

Another triumph for the Cristo Rey Players, Jesse Green's piece in The New York Times praised the show's "effervescent commitment to its madcap microcosm. Biank’s philosophy of building from a trust-centered performance style is a perfect fit for the silly symbiosis required of this tenacious tightrope walk. Clue’s victory lies in how this fearlessness allows every cast member to capture a tricky balance of breathless energy and authentic, breathable character moments. The behind-the-scenes labor of love is conveyed in every corner of the stage.”

 

The New Yorker's Vinson Cunningham was blown away by “how the CR players continue to prove why they are the royalty of the under 18 off-Broadway world. Mia Rodriguez not only excels beyond the realms of thespianism but reaches feats of athleticism as exhilarating as anything we’ve ever seen in Keenan Commons. The entire ensemble is a dynamo, with the

adage that there are ‘no small parts, only small actors’ proved beyond a doubt when cameos from Ernesto Serrano and Anthony Reyes earn some of the biggest laughs of the night. The always indomitable Alicia Rozier had our audience laughing, swooning, and gasping in equal measure.”

 

In Vulture, Helen Shaw's rave heralded the craft on display: “Clue at its best isn’t just a screwball whodunnit, it’s a puzzle box where the smallest weapon, location, or character mark disruption can throw off the thrill. What elevates each aspect of this show – and its brilliant performances from its colorful cast – is a top-notch behind-the-scenes crew. The move to the balcony for stalwarts like Lucero Alvarez and Wendy Hernandez to orchestrate the sound design pays off in dividends, and aided by stealth MVP Ikram Dara’s lighting work, it makes Clue a shoo-in to sweep the Tony’s technical awards.

 

It’s final climatic twist may not be on stage at all, but the fact that a show with so much murder and carnage has so luminously brought its audiences to life."