With Support From

Hello and Welcome to Pumpkins & Punchlines!

It’s a scientific fact that good things come in PAIRS:
• coffee and donuts
• wine and cheese
• Batman and Robin
And so, in the spirit of great PAIRS, Stage 55 is proud to present Pumpkins & Punchlines, the perfect PAIRing of improvisational comedy and classic old-time radio mysteries.

While it might initially seem like an odd combination, it’s not: Our show combines the thrill of performing off the cuff with the excitement of hearing an audience respond to the radio plays we’ve been PAIRfecting for the last several weeks.

We’re beyond excited that professional improviser Anthony Francis has helped us experience the joys of improv, which features another famous PAIR: the words ‘Yes, and…’ It’s the notion that, in improv, we accept and build on one another’s ideas, allowing great comic scenes to appear, as if out of thin (P)AIR.

The scripted radio shows you’ll hear today are drawn from Five Minute Mysteries, a classic radio program that aired on the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1947 to 1950. Of its 82 episodes, we’ve selected six and given them our own Stage 55 spin—including original commercials that we had a PAIRfectly wonderful time writing ourselves.

In addition to the CFCArts staff and crew for this show, we have a PAIR of Saras to thank for bringing this show to life: the unPAIRalled Sara Myers, Artistic Director; and Sara Breitfelder, the Program Manager for both Stage 55 and Upbeat!, for whom there is no comPAIRison. By now I hope it’s apPAIRent that we’re excited about our show. We hope you have as much fun watching it as we have had prePAIRing it for you.

Now that I am completely out of sub-PA(I)R jokes, the only thing left for me to do is to hope you enjoy the show. And in the spirit of Halloween I warn you to be prePAIRed for anything!

Christine Hicks
Associate Artistic Director, Stage 55

Hello and Welcome to Pumpkins & Punchlines!

It’s a scientific fact that good things come in PAIRS:
• coffee and donuts
• wine and cheese
• Batman and Robin
And so, in the spirit of great PAIRS, Stage 55 is proud to present Pumpkins & Punchlines, the perfect PAIRing of improvisational comedy and classic old-time radio mysteries.

While it might initially seem like an odd combination, it’s not: Our show combines the thrill of performing off the cuff with the excitement of hearing an audience respond to the radio plays we’ve been PAIRfecting for the last several weeks.

We’re beyond excited that professional improviser Anthony Francis has helped us experience the joys of improv, which features another famous PAIR: the words ‘Yes, and…’ It’s the notion that, in improv, we accept and build on one another’s ideas, allowing great comic scenes to appear, as if out of thin (P)AIR.

The scripted radio shows you’ll hear today are drawn from Five Minute Mysteries, a classic radio program that aired on the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1947 to 1950. Of its 82 episodes, we’ve selected six and given them our own Stage 55 spin—including original commercials that we had a PAIRfectly wonderful time writing ourselves.

In addition to the CFCArts staff and crew for this show, we have a PAIR of Saras to thank for bringing this show to life: the unPAIRalled Sara Myers, Artistic Director; and Sara Breitfelder, the Program Manager for both Stage 55 and Upbeat!, for whom there is no comPAIRison. By now I hope it’s apPAIRent that we’re excited about our show. We hope you have as much fun watching it as we have had prePAIRing it for you.

Now that I am completely out of sub-PA(I)R jokes, the only thing left for me to do is to hope you enjoy the show. And in the spirit of Halloween I warn you to be prePAIRed for anything!

Christine Hicks
Associate Artistic Director, Stage 55

Navigation

Scenes

Cast

Production Team

Special Thanks

Upcoming Events

The People Behind CFCArts

Sponsors & CFCArts Giving Society

CFCArts Stage 55 presents

Pumpkins & Punchlines

Scene 1: A Mysterious Beginning 

• Improv: Emotional Symphony – Susan, Vicki, Wendy, Keith, Leo
  Improv: Carpool – Steve, Victor, Wendy, Paul

Scene 2: The Book Case

• Improv: Good Bad Ugly – Susan, Shirley, Victor

Scene 3: Murder on the Set

• Improv: Sing It – Keith, Steve, Victor, Betsy

Scene 4: The Horse Stable Murder

• Improv: Alphabet – Sharon, Marilyn

Intermission

Scene 5: Command Performance

• Improv: Slide Show – Florence, Paul, Sue, Candy, Wendy
  Improv: Panel of Expert – Ted, Linda, Jenny, Paul, Jean

Scene 6: No Leg to Stand On

• Improv: Three-Headed Singer – Keith, Florence, Jenny
  Improv: Oscar Moment – Jenny, Catherine

Scene 7: The Sapphire Theft

• Improv: Questions – Laura, Candy
  Improv: Things You Never Hear – Everyone

Scene 8: A Ghostly Ending

Pumpkins & Punchlines Cast

* Member Ambasssador

The Book Case
Announcer – Paula Burke
Mrs. Bland – Jenny Summers *
Rosemary – Laura Firtel
Bowling – Sue Provost
Inspector – Leo Holzenthal *
Commercial – Marilyn Withrow
Foley Artist – Maxine Derington

Murder on the Set
Announcer – Paula Purke
Billie – Linda Grosz
Marcia – Jean Witherington
Margo – Catherine Foster
Miss Jennings – Candy Dawson
Commercial – Keith Walls
Foley Artist – Maxine Derington

The Horse Stable Murder
Announcer – Paula Burke
Willy – Florence Galbraith
Hillary – Ted Thomas
Inspector – Leo Holzenthal *
Dream Girl – Sharon Dentler
Commercial – Jeff Milligan, Betsy Brantley
Foley Artist – Maxine Derington

Command Performance
Announcer – Paula Burke
Terry – PJ Storm
Josephine Roberts – Shirley Brown
Mack – Marilyn Withrow
Inspector – Leo Holzenthan
Commercial – Susan Jackman, Florence Galbraith
Foley Artist – Maxine Derington

No Leg to Stand On
Announcer – Paula Burke
Dr. Warren – Jeff Milligan
Millie – Betsy Brantley
Ms. Floyd – Vicki Alley
Commercial – Wendy Levine
Foley Artist – Maxine Derington

Sapphire Theft
Announcer – Paula Burke
Mrs. Nottingham – Sharon Dentler
Philip – Victor White
Jamie – Steve Princotta
Inspector – Leo Holzenthal *
Commercial – Jean Witherington, Paul Witherington
Foley Artist – Maxine Derington

Production Team

Director – Christine Hicks
Assistant Director – Anthony Francis
Stage Manager – Sara Breitfelder
Technical Director – Joshua McKinney
Audio Designer – Veronica Santana
Audio Assistant – Nick Hartman
Lighting Designer – Cooper Pyle
Teleprompter Operator – Allison Cothran
Production Assistant – Lucia Chan
Front of House Manager – Erisan Awaya
Personnel Manager – Sara Breitfelder
Script Writers – Christine Hicks, Stage 55 Members

Special Thanks

Megan Taylor and First Congregational Church of Winter Park
Randy Parson, Jacob Rivera, and St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church
Chris Shepard and One Senior Place for community support
Lindsay Taylor, Amy Orr, Cambridge Planning Group for community support
Leah Porrata and Youth Theatre members for trick-or-treating
Trisha Houlihan (Snaps by Trish) for production photography

Up Next With CFCArts

CFCArts Board of Directors

Chad Faulkenberry, Chair, Hightower Signature Wealth
Dr. Meghan Frederick, Vice Chair, AdventHealth
Sara Osborne, Secretary, Orlando Health
Tom Clements, Treasurer, Katmai Government Services and Ouzinkie Native Corporation

Brian Bennett, Kimray, Inc.
Carol Cowan, Fiserv (retired)
Dr. Glenn Dym, Florida Cardiology, P.A.
Jack Feivou, High Angle Productions
Frances Guthrie, Siemens Energy, Inc.
Ken Ingraham, Interactor Simulation Systems
Dr. Briyanna Jenkins, Seminole State College
Arum Lee Lansel, ALL-in 4 Impact
Andria LaRocco, Baker Barrios Architects
Jason Locker, Orange County Public Schools
Esu Ma’at, Community Leader
Jeffrey Moore, University of Central Florida
Mark Morales, Attorney, State of Florida, Dept of Children & Family Services
Dr. Jeffery Redding, University of Central Florida

CFCArts 2025-2026 Member Ambassadors

Elijah Allred, Youth Theatre
Marlana Antifit, Big Band
Lauren Blake, Community Choir
Courtney Verna Burns, Community Choir
Courtney Coil, UpBeat! Theatre Troupe
Stephanie A. Daugherty, Community Choir
Chantel Eubanks, Symphony Orchestra
Elaine Evans, Symphony Orchestra
Diane Giordano, Community Choir
Leo Holzenthal, Stage 55
Ken Ingraham, Symphony Orchestra
Deklan Jacobi, Youth Theatre
Rachel Reinhardt, Symphony Orchestra
AuBryahnna Sherrod, Youth Theatre
Jamaal K. Solomon, Community Choir
Jessica Stein, Symphony Orchestra
Jenny Summers, Stage 55
David Theisen, Big Band
Judy Thomas, Community Choir
Amanda Vidal, Symphony Orchestra
Keith Walls, Symphony Orchestra
Mackenzie Wood, UpBeat! Theatre Troupe
Kyle Young, Big Band

CFCArts Staff

Erisan Awaya, Community Choir Program Manager
Sara Breitfelder, Stage 55 and UpBeat! Program Manager
Randi Clark, Operations Administrator
Brandon Fender, Community Choir Artistic Director
Christine Hicks, Stage 55 Associate Artistic Director
Olivia Knight, Director of Marketing & Communications
Christopher Lynch, Social Media Manager
Justin Muchoney, Big Band and Symphony Orchestra Artistic Director
Sara Myers, Managing & Artistic Director
Leah Porrata, Youth Theatre Artistic Director
Rose Purdy, Manager of Donor & Patron Services
Ashley Samuels, CFRE, Grants Administrator
Juan Torres, Production Director

Thank You to Our Funding Partners!

Central Florida Community Arts is funded in part by Orange County, Florida through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and United Arts of Central Florida, your local agency for the arts.
Sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Thank You to Our Funding Partners!

Central Florida Community Arts is funded in part by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and United Arts of Central Florida, your local agency for the arts.
Sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Thank You to Our Funding Partners!

Central Florida Community Arts is funded in part by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and United Arts of Central Florida, your local agency for the arts.
Sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts.

CFCArts Giving Society Members

This list includes all individual donations from 2/1/25 through 7/17/26. We value your gifts, but sometimes mistakes happen – if your name is not listed the way you’d like to see it or you notice any other errors, please let us know so we can update it!

$10,000 +

Anonymous
Jim and Barbara Caldwell
Tom Clements
David Greene
Arne Haak
Carol Ann Pohl
John and Anne Pucci
Frank and Winn Merritt Fund within the GiveWell Community Foundation

$5,000 – $9,999

Russ and Cindy Airington in honor of Stephanie Daugherty
David and Carol Cowan
Steve and Arum Lansel
Jessica and Vance Guthrie
Jane Berg
Doug Whitehead
Frank Santos

$2,500 – $4,999

David Andrade
Carlos and Cathy Barrios
Randy and Anette Boughner
Don Chancy
Angela Divjak
Edmund and Barbara Greenwell
Barbara Greenwell
Laverne Herzog
Alyssa Noll and Jesse Kreger
Rebekah Lane
Jeffrey and Mindy Moore
Clark and Carol Morris
Julie Muchoney
Shirley Piercy
Diane Sandquist
Nancy Shutts
Stephen Summers
Hardy Vaughn

$1,000 – $2,499

Roland and Tessa Anodide
Gary, Dana, and Joel Baumgarten
David and Lyn Berelsman
Caridad Bergnes
Rachel Bond
Steven & Nikki Botwinik
Stephen Brannon
Marcia Buie
Michael and Susie Cheatham
Carolyn Christena
Nancy Deskins
Vicky Diaz
Marcia Enos
Chad and Amy Faulkenberry
Jack and Ann Feivou
Brandon Fender
Matthew Frederick
Christine Gagliardi
Matt Gay
Chad Goote
Chris and Carolyn Grant
Priscilla Greenough
Grant Gribble
Frances Guthrie & John Hermann
Paul Harmon
Eduard Hoffmann
Jay and Kim Hood
Heiko and Patricia Kallenbach
Katie Leatherman
Olivia Lee
Anne Lee
Dean Lee
Teresa Lucchese
Deb McCrary
Deborah Mead
Justin Muchoney
Jessica Needham
Mark Neidig
Ted and Linnea Nelson
Nichole Oxley
Diane Rinkes
Maria Rubin
Kathleen Sanborn
Christopher Scocco
Catherine Scott
Richard Stevenson
Margaret Vives-Austin
Katy Reinsel Willis
Bickley Wilson

$500 – $999

Carlos Aquino
Danny Aybar
Andrew Ayoob
Charles and Kimberly Bailes
Tameem Bakkar
Christina Bianchi
Ann Black
Alan and Yazmina Blythe
Bryan Blythe
Susan Boucher
Meghan Brand
Robert Brown
Karen Buchan
Ryan Cheek
David and Marie Chivers
Marie Chivers
Cindy Price
Kelly Davis
Joseph DiMaio
Lisa Doolittle
Eric and MaryBeth Eliason
Andrea Ellis
Rizwana Fareeduddin
Laura Firtel
Alissa Forde
Courtenay Gallon
James Goodrich
Warren Gordon
David and Joanne Halloran
Jeff Harris
Wyatt Harris
Fraser Howe
Erica Huffstodt
Jill K Hughes
Miriam Hull
Ken and Kate Ingraham
Dr. Briyanna Jenkins
Gerald and Kathryn Keane
Micah and Olivia Knight
Vicki Landon
Margaret Lawrence
Travis Lefke
Tim and Toniann Lentine
Mary Lo
Jason Locker
Rob and Kate Lott
Nancy Matherly
Andrea Menendez-Aponte
Michelle Moore
Lettie Myers
Toby Myers
Daniele Pagenkopf
Susan Palma
Dw Perkins
Cindy Price
Jayne Reynolds
Christine Rieck
Robert Brown
David and Meredith Sauls
Nancy Schuehler-Harris
Jeana Smith
Kimberly Soto
Pamela Spears
Richard Starcher
Marcia Starcher
Andrew and Shannon Thompson
Lizzie Tricker
Karen van Caulil
Haylee van Dalen
Junius Walton
Charna Wiese
William Zoon

$250 – $499

Marlana Antifit
Susan Barack
Nancy Barnette Rapport
Ken Bays
Johan and Janet Bergh
Sara Brady
Tad Branham
Erika Britton
Sarah Brooks
Lennie and Paula Burke
Dale Burket
Sandra Carbone
Randi Clark
Cheryl Collins
Elizabeth Conklin
Val Cronk
Catherine Davey
Alan and Susan Davis
Glenda Day-Cummings
Carlos Del Pino
Gerald and Sandra Dooley
Tom and Vickie Emling
Terry Ern
Robert Ern
Randy Lord and Steve Fessler
Martin Folk
Maria Frasca
Kristin Gault
Tracy Gore
Jennifer Harden
Larry Henrichs
Alicia Houston
Jennifer Hunt
Chelsea Johnson
Etta Jean Juge
Claudia Kasen
Martha Kirby
Ross Leisten
Mark and Kathleen Londergan
Lisa Lopez
Sandra M Miller
Esu Ma’at
Heather Mahoney
Mary Dell Mattingly
Melissa Miller
Karalyn Moss
Sherry Mulvaney
Brian Paster
Ellen Penske
Robert Radovich
Rachel Reinhardt
Angie Roman
Dan and Ashley Samuels
Richard Sandler
Christi Searls
George Bridges and Michael Slaymaker
Jennifer Smith
Richard Smith
Donna Smith
Elizabeth Smith
Jennifer and Eric Smith Johnson
Frances Speight
Amber Steckel
Joyce Stefancic
Alexa Stone
DL Stone
Marty Sullivan
Jenny Summers
Carolina Summers
Mark Thomason
Linda Van Der Heyden
Adam Walker
Keith Walls
Hannah Weilminster
Trudy Wild
Michael and Paula Wilson
Julie Wolf
Pamela Yarrington
Molly and David Yuska
Peter and Jennifer Zanmiller
Ashley Zirkle

$100 – $249

Anonymous
Brian Henley and Zac Alfson
Ray Alger
Rachel Allen
Joao Almeida
Judy Alper
Susan Anderson
Candice Bailey
Carelle Bailey
Blake Barisich
Mark Barker
Paula Barnett
Cheryl Belfay
Julie Bilinski
Carmen Bilinski
Kathleen Bishop
Gregory and Lisa Boger
Joanne Bolemon
Margie Borrero VIcente
David Boungard
Scott Boyce
Sara Brady
J. Joseph Brann
Frances Brann
Kellie Brinker
Stephen Brook
Janet Brower
Paul Brower
Alexandra Brown
Richard Brown
Chip Bryant
Shayne Budin
Elisabeth Butler
Kerri Byrd
Candice Calhoon
Joan Carter
Rebecca Clancy
Karen Cooper
Melissa Cowan
Susan Crowe
Diane Culler
Michael and Christina Daleiden
Fish Daleiden
Sandra Daum
Kayla Davidson
Vanessa De La Vina
Janet Denniston
Maxine Derington
Corey and Megan Derryberry
Melissa Deschamps
Joan Dougan
Mary Edwards
Anna Eskamani
Kalex Espinosa
Jennifer Evins
Bonnie Ferguson
Lindsay Fraser
Mark Gage
Robert Galano
Florence and Scott Galbraith
Kathleen Gallagher McIver
John Gehrig
Rick Gibbs
Diane Giordano
Emily Glickstein
Anita Gomer
Megan Greer
Keith Gridley
Carisa Groomes
Adam Gruler
Anna Guidubaldi
Julie Guidubaldi
Mel Hall
Daniel Hall
Christina and Gregory Hammock
Gregg Harkness
Susan Harris
Nathan Harris
Steve Harvey
Travis Haugh
Kim Heffner
James Heffner
Bryan Henley
Steve Herin
Suzanne Herin
Bradford Hewitt
Brian Hill
Gail Hill Smith
Leo Holzenthal
Patricia Houlihan
Bonnie Hubbard
Jill Hughes
Karen Hurley
Tim Hurley
Craig and Nancy Janisz
Barbara Jarvis
Darrell Jobman
Lynda Jobman
Eric Kahn
Thomas Karastamatis
Alejandro Karastamatis
Vicki Katsarakes
RK Kelley
Bethany Kelly
Robert Kirby
Sylvia Kirkendoll
Michelle P Klein
Vadim Klochko
Jolyon Lamwatt
Denise Lamwatt
Denise Lamwatt
Emily Le
Liza Lergier
Laurie Lesher-Lockcuff
Christina Liu
Marilyn Logan
Grace M
Wendy Mammino
Chiara Marcario
Carole and Cory Mayback
Lisa McCoy
Pamela McCoy
Pamela McLaughlin
Scott Meltz
Tommy Mendoza
Danny Meneses
Mimi Michels
Pamela Midboe Penn
Doug and Pamela Miller
Carolyn Minear
Erin Miner
Geoffrey Moehl
Mark and Jaime Morales
Sibyl Morgan
Deborah Mork
James Mork
Alan Morris
Gary and Carol Moss
Heather Mount
Jacqueline and James Munoz
Bruce and Donna Mylrea
Elmer Nagy
Kenneth Ng
Angela Nicholson
Joseph Noble
Wesley Norris
Annika and Brad Norris
Azora Norris
Dana O’Neill
Frederick Otterbein
Arty Pagan
Jo Pagan
Mary Palmer
Jim and Renee Pancoast
Barbara Parks
Karen Payton
Emily Peterson
LuAnn Pfeiffer
Stephanie Philips
Debra Pierce
Eddie Pipkin
Whitney Price
Michelle Purdy
Yusila Ramirez
Helene Rasmussen
Jeffery Redding
Victor Retterath
Jim and Karen Ripperger
Wideline Rislin
Susan Robertson
Thomas Roten
Aaron Rowe
Melanie Rowe
Patricia Russell
Mark Sajeski
Laura Sajeski
Azela Santana
Jill Schubert
Matthew Schubert
Eric Schwab
Bob Scott
Janet Scott
Robert Scott
Peggy Scott
Danny Seigler
Linda Selby
Linda Selby
Edmund Short
Diana Smith
Kevin Smith
William Smitherman
Alice Southworth
Kim Spradlin
Becki Stauber
David and Dawn Staymates
Jessica Stein
Lisa Stuart
Charyl Tabscott
Nancy Tassos
Mary and Craig Tench
Breanna Thomas
John and Nancy-Lee Thompson
Mary Thurston
Amy Trewin
Laura Turner
Jennifer and Kenneth Tyndall
Brooke Van de Houten
Steve Vanamburg
Ian Vanness
Lisa Walters
Sharisse Walton
Jen Weaver
Blake Weber
Madison Weinberg
Elizabeth Welker
Tyler Whipple
Robert White
Alan Wilson
Paula Wingo
Thomas Winter
Marilyn Withrow
Linda Wolf
Christine Wright
Daniel and Carolyn Yee
Todd Zimmerman

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