North Putnam to present 'The Pink Panther Strikes Again'

Thursday, November 8, 2012
In North Putnam's production of "The Pink Panther Strikes Again," inspector Jacques Clouseau (Colton Cox, left) manages again and again to avoid the assassination attempts initiated by his former boss Paul Dreyfuss (Topher Poore). The comedy will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday and again at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at North Putnam High School.

The North Putnam Thespian Group will present its fall play, "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" this Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 11 at 2:30 p.m.

The play, written by William Gleason and produced by special arrangement of the Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Ill., is based on the familiar cartoon characters and on the film by Blake Edwards and Frank Waldman.

Admission will be $5 for adults and $3 for students at the door.

In this production, the audience can expect to meet familiar characters. Chief inspector Jacques Clouseau (senior Colton Cox) is a less-than-brilliant detective who must fight for his life and for the future of all mankind as he comes up against his former boss, now turned lunatic, Paul Dreyfuss (senior Christopher Poore).

Dreyfuss escapes from the asylum, kidnaps Dr. Fassbender (Lance Clodfelter), a brilliant scientist, and his daughter (Gwen Mazur) for the purpose of forcing Fassbender to build a machine that can create global chaos.

His intent: He wants Clouseau captured "or preferably, dead!"

In the romp across Europe that ensues, assassins from across the globe attempt to kill the bumbling detective, as does beautiful Russian spy Olga (Samantha Flannelly) who cannot bring herself to kill the man she loves.

In spite of the odds, Clouseau manages to avoid being captured or killed time after time. Two detectives from Scotland Yard (Tristan Montgomery and Lance Clodfelter) explain, "We've heard he acts incredibly stupid, but he always manages to solve his cases!"

Audiences will have plenty to laugh about, whether it is prim English butler Jarvis (Alexander Moore), who doubles as a female impersonator; the psychiatrist Dr. Duval (Austin Robertson), who is fooled into believing Dreyfuss is cured; the bank robber Tournier (Alan Skillern), who finds that disguising himself as Clouseau was not a good idea; or the karate moves executed by Clouseau's housekeeper Cato (Cheyanne Elliott).

Many members of the cast play multiple roles in this production and of course there are some Pink Panthers who help fill out the cast.

Additional cast members include Brittany Higgins, Jessica Games, Sydney Harmon, Rachael Lubinski, Jenny Zehner, Alexandra Moore, Sarah Asher, Jerica Bean, Miranda Milliken,and Elizabeth Alford.

The production is directed by Kathi Elliott with the assistance of Krysten Kingery and student director Alan Skillern. Jim Elliott serves as stage manager.

The production crew includes Zach Claywell, Annie Adams and D.J. Hubbard on lights; Taylor MacGruder on sound; Miranda Milliken on curtains and Whitney Willard and Mrs. Judy Proctor on costumes.

Sets were constructed and painted by Richard Elliott, Jake Quisenberry, Ben Horsley. Katie Kennedy, Samantha McDaniel, Laney Mink, Jessica Games, Zach Claywell, Devon Fritz, Makaela Hudson, Jake Quisenberry, Emily Stine, Josh Andreu, Whitney Willard, Elizabeth Alford, Cheyanne Elliott, Christopher Poore, Austin Robertson, Colton Cox, and Claire Dean.

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