The crime — murder. An aptly named millionaire, Mr. Boddy, lies slain in his mansion — the culprit, manner and location of his demise unknown. Everyone in the mansion at the time of the murder has been detained until this unfortunate business can be sorted out.

The suspects include Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum, Mr. Green and Colonel Mustard.

All have a motive — can you follow the leads and unmask the murderer? This is the challenge presented by the Society of Chemistry Undergraduate Majors in its 2005 chemistry demonstration and theater production “Clue.”

“Clue” continues SCUM’s tradition of staging a theatrical production each year to showcase its chemical wizardry, as well as try its hand at the less precise science of stagecraft.

“We see this as our one chance to be in the limelight, to be actors. Acting skills are not a requirement for [the show],” says Ellen Fisher, senior in chemistry.

Fisher says the annual event, usually held during Veishea, will not deviate much from its established formula in the past — good laughs, dazzling chemistry demonstrations and of course a healthy dose of pyromania. A spectacle of flame is also a staple of SCUM’s more common non-theatrical presentations the group brings to local schools, she says.

“They love it; we pace the shows so that we start out with the more tame demos, then we build it up fierier and fierier,” Fisher says.

The inspiration for “Clue” draws on the classic board game; however, the show is an original work unique to SCUM, complete with pop culture references and Hawkeye bashing.

The difference between the more diverse Veishea audience and a primarily student audience was originally a consideration in this year’s writing process, says script writer Valerie Hobson, senior in agricultural biochemistry.

“We were going to try to write the script toward an older audience, but once we finished writing it there was nothing in there to make it less PG-13,” she says.

One way that this year’s show will differ from past years is audience involvement.

One audience member will draw cards for the murderer and weapon used prior to the play to determine the final scene. During the show, the audience is invited to keep notes and make its predictions on inserts provided with the show’s program.

Before the final scene, the inserts will be collected, and the first sleuth in the audience to deduce the correct outcome is declared the winner.

Neither Fisher nor Hobson know exactly when the tradition of the Veishea show began, but they say they do know that it goes at least as far back as the ’80s, when SCUM members presented their demonstrations with the help of a cast of Muppet hand puppets.

To this day, “The Rainbow Connection,” a demonstration created at Iowa State and named for the song sung by Kermit the Frog, remains a standard of every SCUM show.

“Everybody in the club knows the whole song by heart,” Hobson says.

The process of bringing “Clue” to the stage began in January, when the club needed to choose a theme for the show. With just a few days of preparation left, SCUM members say they look forward to sharing the fruit of their labor.

“When we get out in front of the audience and we see that they love it, that’s the best part,” Hobson says.

What: “Clue”

Where: 1002 Gilman Hall

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Cost: Free