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by James Yaffe
A Comedy/Mystery
Performed
October 6-16, 2005
Cliffhanger is a fast paced
comedy thriller with a few twists and turns. Professor Henry Lowenthal,
a respected
philosophy teacher, is nearing classroom retirement and is expected to
take up a prestigious post in semi-retirement at the University of Mesa
Grande. His equally respected wife Polly and he are involved in the
accidental death of another college professor. They are convinced no
one will believe the truth, so they lie and try to cover up. Enter a
comical police detective and a devious student and we are off and
running on a roller coaster ride of zany alibis, blackmail and mayhem.
Can this possibly innocent, basically honest, couple actually get away
with murder? Will that spoiled, wily Melvin force them to confess, or
worse, meet his demands? Is it conceivable that the fumbling detective
DeVito is as competent as Sherlock? Whatever the result: Enjoy the
ride!
Meet the Director
 SAM MCCLELLAND
- You've seen Sam here as actor, director playwright, stage manager,
and Member of the FWP Board of Directors. He has been involved in a few
dozen productions here and is the driving force behind the annual
benefit premier for the St. Petersburg College Art Scholarship Fund
(see the flyers in the lobby). He is a three-time Suncoast Theatre
Award Nominee, and a two-time "Lary Award" winner, once in 1979 as
Favorite Supporting Actor and once as Director for our 1993 version of
Bedful of Foreigners.
Meet the Cast
 SHANA COTE (Edith
Wilshire) - After an 8 year hiatus, Shana is happy to be back on the
FWP stage. She has been busy directing her own Broadway Musical variety
group, Generations, which consists of men, women and children from ages
8 - 80. They tour throughout the Tampa Bay area putting on as many as
50 shows per year. Shana thanks her husband Bob for all his support and
love.
 MIDGE MAMATAS (Polly
Lowenthal) - As an adventurous citizen of the world, Midge has lived on
5 continents and Clearwater! She is an inveterate performer, having
appeared locally in such shows as; Park Your Car in Harvard Yard, A
Streetcar Named Desire, The Old Lady Shows Her Medals, and the
critically acclaimed The Chairs, for Stageworks at the Gorilla Theatre.
You can often see her on the Home Shopping Network as a cosmetics model
for Signature Club A. She's delighted to be in this quirky show with
this amazing cast and fabulous director!
 TIM MATHEWS (Melvin
McMullen) - "Cliffhanging" on this stage before, Tim is excited to be
back at FWP. He last appeared here as Billy in Anything Goes and
merrily danced along in How To Succeed In Business. He recently played
Gideon in Seven rides for Seven Brothers at SPLT. Tim thinks his
Cliffhanger character is fun, exciting, neurotic, messed-up and makes
him want-to-jump-off-a-cliff! Thanks to all: "Break a leg!"
 ROB SAKOFF (Henry
Lowenthal) - Rob is the oldest of 12 children who illegally immigrated
here from Shamarob, Indonesia. His father worked as a burlesque clown
wearing stage make-up to hide his identity. The family lived below the
stage at the Lunt-Fontaine Theatre where Rob was able to hear the
actors. Rob ventured out from the family hiding place and met the agent
of the star performer. As luck would have it, the star had fallen ill
and because Rob had memorized every line of the play (having heard it
every night), he replaced the star and has gone on to appear on nearly
every stage here in Clearwater, Tampa and St. Petersburg.
 DR. JOHN PATRICK SMITH
(Lt. Dave DeVito) - Too bad John is a veterinarian. If he were a
psychologist, he could help this police character with his
schizophrenia. Of course, John does not have this problem: yes, he does
- no, he doesn't - yes, he does...no... He would like to thank Sam
and this highly versatile, talented cast for the opportunity to have
fun, cross the line and go over-the-top. Thank you Angie, stage manager
and wife, for all your help and support. Thank you audience for every
snicker, belly-laugh and snort; your enjoyment feeds the "comedic beast"
and makes all we do worthwhile.
 ANGIE SMITH (Stage
Manager) - Angie returns to the "scene of the crime", that is to FWP,
where she first started working backstage. She had to in order to ever
see her husband, John Smith. Her rap sheet includes: Murder At the
Vicarage, H.M.S. Pinafore, Sugar, Auntie Mame (all FWP) and The
Uninvited Guest( ---? ).
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