‘That’s the Spirit’ on stage this weekend at Cloverdale High School

The Cloverdale High School Drama Club will present the murder/mystery spoof “That’s the Spirit” on Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 11.

The play by Tim Kelly will begin at 7 p.m. each evening in the high school cafetorium. Admission is $5 per person.

After the murder of her Aunt Jenny (Jade Manning), Irene Lockwood (Sierra Kelly) inherits the historic estate of The Great Marvel, but she is not allowed to sell the home. While she stays at the house deciding what to do, there’s a lot to keep her busy: The grouchiness of long-time housekeeper Ruby (Izzy Oberkrom), Charlotte Prindle (Aleah Harris) and Bud Frazer (Kelton Fulkerson) have been on the case since Aunt Jenny’s murder, but they’re not any closer to discovering the culprit.

Bud’s detective skills falter because he’s a fanboy of both The Great Marvel and Wayne Hopkins (Jacob Whitinger), a local television actor. They’ve been looking to question Juan the Hermit (Alex Beasor), but are having trouble locating him (because he’s a hermit). Claire Voyant (Lionna Boyce) insists that she’ll find the murderer as well as The Great Marvel’s Book of Illusions – with some help from her friends in the Psychic Revelations Society and “the other side.” But Charlotte’s suspicious of her because of Claire’s past psychic fails.

Other members of the Psychic Revelations Society arrive — Ann Boyelyn (Lynne McMillan), Bella Donna (Phoenix Breedlove) with her ventriloquist’s dummy, Chester. Claire, certain that The Great Marvel will use a “spirit phone” to call and reveal the murderer as well as the location of his Book of Illusions, holds a seance to encourage contact. Ruby, Wayne, and Irene join the three psychics in an attempt to reach The Great Marvel. The seance ends with the sudden intrusion of a mysterious figure.

After an unsuccessful search, Bud and Charlotte fail to produce a human responsible for the intrusion. Claire, Bella and Ann insist that the figure was spiritual and not corporeal. But Bud finds a scrap of clothing that Charlotte hypothesizes belongs to Juan. A fourth psychic, Ernst Slater (Landyn Shaw), the “Man with the X-Ray Eyes,” arrives late. Then wildlife officer Scotty Nelson (Trevor Rady) hides in a lampshade, eavesdropping on conversations that are unrelated to coyote catching. Finally, Victoria Greenstreet (Aliyah Maldonado), antiquarian bookseller, shows up, laser-focused on The Great Marvel’s Book of Illusions.

Who’s the murderer? Ruby? Claire? Scotty? Juan the Hermit? Wayne? One of the members of the Psychic Revelations Society? With a second seance, will all be revealed? Or will the Sherlockian deductions of the detectives solve the crime?

Only one way to find out – be at the play on Friday or Saturday.

Production staff includes tudent director/stage manager Savannah Hubble, co-student director Chloe Gardner and stage crew Autumn Wheeler.

The Drama Club is under the direction of Brad Sandy.