BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – IU Auditorium and Union Board are partnering on a special campus visit by one of the most produced playwrights in America, Sandy Rustin, who penned the stage adaptation of the cult-hit film, Clue. Her visit on Friday, January 17 will culminate with a free public event at the IU Cinema for a film screening of the hit 1985 Paramount Pictures film Clue at 7 p.m., followed by a moderated Q&A with Rustin.

 

Also that day, she will lead a pair of masterclasses directly with IU students in partnership with the Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance as well the Department of English. Her visit with Theatre students will focus on playwright and dramaturgy while the masterclass with the English majors will dive into TV writing and writing dialogue in prose/fiction.

 

Rustin’s stage adaption of Clue has enjoyed over 4,000 productions worldwide and it is currenting touring the U.S. and will make a stop in Bloomington at IU Auditorium on January 21 and 22 just after her visit. Tickets for these performances are available now at IUauditorium.com.

 

Those in attendance for the IU Cinema movie screening will get the unique opportunity to hear directly from Rustin about her inspiration behind developing the script for the stage before the production arrives in town just a few days later.

 

Rustin’s original comedy, The Cottage, directed by Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) ran at The Hayes Theatre for a limited engagement on Broadway and starred Eric McCormick and Laura Bell Bundy. Her musical adaptation of MGM’s film, Mystic Pizza, directed by Casey Hushion will have its East Coast premiere at The Paper Mill Playhouse before launching a National Tour in January.

 

For television, Sandy is working with the Jim Henson Company on developing a new family dramedy  that utilizes their newly patented HDPS (Henson Digital Puppeteering System) and with the Australian company, JC Media Consulting, on a Broadway musical series for children.

 

With her family, Sandy created the Jerry Kraut Memorial Fund, which supports the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Chicago. She also serves on the advisory board for Camp Kesem, a national movement dedicated to helping children through and beyond their parent’s cancer. Sandy is a graduate of Northwestern University, as well as a member of ASCAP, SAG, AEA, and the Dramatists Guild. After being named to Florida Studio Theatre’s Playwright Collective in 2020, Sandy developed a masterclass: Writing Comedy for the Stage, which she teaches to a wide range of students all over the globe.

 

For tickets or information on the stage performance of Clue and the rest of the 2024–2025 IU Auditorium season, visit IUauditorium.com. For more info on the film screening of Clue and the rest of the 2024–2025 IU Cinema season, visit cinema.indiana.edu.

 

Snapshot of Schedule

From Page to Stage: Clue Playwright Sandy Rustin at IU

Friday, January 17

 

Masterclass with Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance

Topics: playwright and dramaturgy

12:30–2 p.m.

 

Masterclass with Department of English

Topics: TV writing and writing dialogue in prose/fiction

4–5 p.m.

 

Film Screening and Q&A

Screening of 1985 Paramount Pictures film Clue followed by moderated Q&A with Sandy Rustin

7 p.m.

Tickets are free and open to the public

 

TICKETS: Tickets are FREE and available now. Individual tickets may be reserved online at cinema.indiana.edu or in person at the IU Auditorium Box Office. The IU Auditorium Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.