Jordan-Matthews Theater Classes Bring Iconic Whodunnit ‘Clue’ to the Stage

SILER CITY, N.C. — Who? Where? And with what? Those are the mysteries to be revealed when Jordan-Matthews theater arts classes present “Clue: High School Edition.”

Performances are Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, both at 7 p.m. in the JM Auditorium.

Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie, inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, “Clue” is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu.

When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by Wadsworth — the butler, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up. “Clue” is the comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out: Who did it, where and with what!

General admission is $5 and tickets are available now at JMArtsTickets.com or beginning one hour before each performance at the door. Qualifying JMArts members will be admitted free according to benefits at their membership levels. The running time is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.

More information about “Clue: High School Edition” and other arts events scheduled for this season is available online at jmarts.org/events.

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Jordan-Matthews theater arts students present the iconic mystery, “Clue,” next weekend with performances on May 12 and 13 in the JM Auditorium. (Photo by Chip Pate)

Rehearsals continue at Jordan-Matthews for “Clue,” a whodunnit based on the 1985 movie and the Hasbro board game. (Photo by Chip Pate)

Student actors, from left, Aridai Carrillo Ibarra, Samantha Wieber and Vanessa Hernandez Moreno react to what they’ve just discovered in “Clue,” a farce performing at Jordan-Matthews High School next week. (Photo by Chip Pate)

Local Singer-Songwriter Jordan Pickett Named Guest Artist for JMArts Songwriting Workshop Finale Concert

SILER CITY, N.C. — Singer-songwriter Jordan Pickett will be the guest artist at “Sharing Our Musical Voices,” a free, public concert next week to conclude the JMArts songwriting workshop held this spring at Jordan-Matthews High School.

The “Sharing Our Musical Voices” outdoor concert is Wednesday, May 10, 6 p.m., at the Rotary Stage, next to The Chatham Rabbit and NC Arts Incubator in downtown Siler City. It also serves as the fourth and final session of the songwriting workshop taught by singer-songwriter Mark Dillon and funded by a grant from the Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund.

Earlier workshop sessions introduced students to songwriting basics and techniques — including production methods and how to copyright original work — and provided individual advice to help them compose original songs. This finale concert features songwriting students presenting their original work.

Guest artist Jordan Pickett, a Silk Hope native, is a 20-year-old singer-songwriter specializing in country and Christian music. While music has always been part of his life, it wasn't until age 16 that he wrote his first song, opening his eyes to the true passion he had for music. About one year later, Pickett began to perform live music at local venues before gradually performing out of state.

After finding acclaim through the Carolina Country Music Association, he formed the Jordan Pickett Band, which made its debut performance at the CCMAs in January as Pickett was nominated for the CCMA’s 2022 Entertainer of the Year.

While student performances have not yet been confirmed, “Sharing Our Musical Voices” workshop participants included Delaney Clark, Sandra Lopez, Serena Pietri, Mitchell Rist, Clara Rojas, Maggie Thornton and Samantha Wieber.

Workshop instructor Mark Dillon, a former Jordan-Matthews teacher, was born into a musical family. His first memories are of sitting on Dolly Parton’s lap while watching his great-uncle Lloyd’s country radio show. After finishing a degree in music theory and then a master’s degree in guitar building, he started a business repairing guitars while playing music most nights in the Chicago area. Later, he became a high school music teacher and specialized in teaching popular music and recording.

Dillon went on to earn a master’s degree and Ph.D. in music education. He currently performs regularly, including with The Zinc Kings folk and string band, and teaches commercial music at Guilford Technical Community College and songwriting at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

The Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund, which provided funding for “Sharing Our Musical Voices,” awards community grants to Chatham County not-for-profits, public schools and county government agencies to support food, shelter, education and community services projects.

Information about JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, including a schedule of all upcoming arts events and information on membership, is available at JMArts.org. More about the professional musicians participating in the workshop is available for Mark Dillon at markdillonmusic.com and for Jordan Pickett at jordanpickettmusic.com.

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Country musician Jordan Pickett is guest artist for “Sharing Our Musical Voices,” a free, public concert on May 10 in downtown Siler City that concludes the JMArts spring songwriting workshop. (Photo courtesy of Jordan Pickett)

Singer-songwriter Mark Dillon was instructor for “Sharing Our Musical Voices,” a free student songwriting workshop and public concert offered by JMArts and funded by the Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund. (Photo courtesy of Mark Dillon)

Workshop instructor Mark Dillon, left, works with Samantha Wieber on the keyboard during an early session of this spring’s “Sharing Our Musical Voices” songwriting workshop, as Mitchell Rist, Serena Pietri and other participants look on. (Photo by Rose Pate)

Jordan-Matthews Theater Travels to the Swamp with ‘Shrek The Musical’ on March 30 through April 2

SILER CITY, N.C. — Everyone’s favorite ogre will take theater audiences on a fairytale journey into the swamp and beyond this month when Jordan-Matthews High School presents “Shrek The Musical.”

Performances of the Broadway musical are Thursday, March 30, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 31, at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, April 2, at 3 p.m. There is no Saturday performance. General admission tickets are $8 each and now available online at JMArtsTickets.com. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door before each performance. No passes — including Chatham County Schools and senior citizens’ passes — can be accepted. Everyone entering the theater, regardless of age, must have a ticket. 

Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, “Shrek The Musical” is a Tony Award-winning fairytale adventure, featuring all new songs from Jeanine Tesori — composer for “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “Caroline, or Change” — and a sidesplitting book by David Lindsay-Abaire. “Shrek” brings all the beloved characters you know from the film to life on stage and proves there's more to the story than meets the ears.

“Shrek The Musical” opened on Broadway in 2008, receiving nominations for 12 Drama Desk Awards and eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. Its success launched a North America tour in 2010 and, since then, the musical has entertained audiences on London’s West End and all around the world.

Jordan-Matthews brings a huge production to the stage, featuring a 39-member cast and 15-member stage crew with students in art and carpentry classes building and painting scenery.

“This show is a huge growth for the musical theater program this year,” said theater teacher Sawyer Shafer, who directs the musical. “Not only do we have about twice as many kids involved as last year during ‘Oklahoma!,’ but we have really been able to see these kids shine in a whole new light thanks to the contributions of choreographer and dance teacher Tara Rooks. A lot of these students are now getting the full ‘spectacle musical’ experience for the first time, and I’m excited for audiences to come experience this show.

“It’s on track to be the best show of my short tenure as director here.”

Producer Rose Pate agrees, pointing out the huge number of costumes and even bigger dance numbers. Some students could be intimidated by such a leap in complexity, but Pate said everyone in this production rose to the challenge.

“I’ve seen a lot of student leadership throughout the entire preparation process,” she said. “I couldn’t be prouder of how our kids have stepped up to make this great show work. And our adult leaders are a real dream team as well.”

More than 200 individuals and groups work together each year to bring the musical to life. Adults on this year’s ‘dream team’ include Elliott Peterson as assistant director and musical director, Cynthia Bredenberg as wardrobe supervisor and Heath Smith as hair and makeup supervisor. Several students also were part of the creative team, including Dylan Mendoza Huezos on set construction and Victoria Barlow on set design.

More information about “Shrek The Musical” and other arts events scheduled for this season is available online at jmarts.org/events.

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The Captain of the Guard (Louis Graham) sends frightening chills through Humpty Dumpty (Emmanuel Hernandez) and Sugar Plum Fairy (Mylie Cardman) in “Shrek The Musical,” running March 30 through April 2 at Jordan-Matthews High School. (Photo by Chip Pate)

Pied Piper (Sarah Dekaney) enchants some of the dancing rats (Andrey Ureña-Seceña, left, and Cheyenne Benton). About 40 student actors will be on stage at Jordan-Matthews from March 30 through April 2 with three performances of “Shrek The Musical.” (Photo by Chip Pate)

The Three Blind Mice from the famous nursery rhyme and song — played, from left, by Shara Tolentino Perez, Sarai Ibarra Rivera and Aridai Carrillo Ibarra — make an appearance during the ogre’s fanciful journey in “Shrek The Musical.” Public performances at Jordan-Matthews High School are March 30, March 31 and April 2. (Photo by Chip Pate)

Sanaiya Cheek, left, and Mitchell Rist are two of the dancers Shrek encounters in the kingdom of Duloc, one of the stops along his hilarious, fairytale journey. “Shrek The Musical” has three performances at Jordan-Matthews High School from Thursday, March 30, through Sunday, April 2. (Photos by Chip Pate)