My own program art.
As Dr. Roy Fleming with the lovely Diane Evans as Susan Hudson
 With Andy Kallok as Columbo "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?" |
 As Dr. Fleming "...You're an intelligent
man |
Although this production was only played to a house that
seated 40 people, I found it a lot of fun because it was the very
first "Columbo" which sold the series to NBC. As an
intimate ensemble piece it, was wonderfully written and has many
clever surprises. What also made it work was my foil played by
Andy Kallok. Not really a reflection of Falk, Andy managed to
beat the stereotype and gave me a great run for the money. Not
many actors have success with this, let alone even wanting to
tackle the stigma. This, so far; is the smallest house I've
played in my career but by no means, the least. (This also sold
out).
The Daily Breeze/San Diego News-Pilot
Friday September 24, 1993
Murder isn't the only thing cleverly crafted and well executed in Actors' Repertory Theatre's staging of "Columbo; Prescription: Murder." Beyond the murderous whodunit story line, director Ken Sekiguchi's adroit cast pushes this intriguing script into the realm of excellence and plausibility, led by Lowell V. Noel and Andy Kallok.
...Add to Kallok's winning portrayal Noel's superb performance as Dr. Roy Fleming, a psychiatrist who takes life into his own hands, and this production sizzles with all that a murder mystery should have.
...This production owes its panache and energy to the entire cast-all 10 members.
Palos Verdes Penninsula News
Thursday September 23, 1993
A chuckle came over the crowd at the Courtyard Playhouse as the familiar theme music from the Columbo Television show filled the room. The Forty-five seat house was in just the right mood to receive the trench-coated lieutenant's new incarnation. "Prescription: Murder" is a stage version of the basis for the pilot of the popular television series "Columbo", the old "NBC Sunday Mystery Movie," anthology that alternated airing with such favorites as "McMillan and Wife" and "McCloud" among others.
...As usual, it takes a while for the venerable star to appear. Writers William Link and Richard Levinson start things out by setting up the story's inevitable murder. We're introduced to the prolific Dr. Roy Fleming played by Lowell V. Noel and his ingratiating wife, Claire...and quickly discover the good doctor has a little placebo on the side, namely his girlfriend and patient Susan Hudson... The two have planned an elaborate scheme to kill Mrs. Fleming. And what terrific plotting! The high point of the show is the skill with which Link and Levinson string us along. The criminal's undoing in a mystery like this is always the smallest logistical thread. And Columbo is there to pull it. Noel has a full rich voice that could fill an auditorium ten times the size of the Courtyard Playhouse. He brings just the right mix of stature and determination to Dr. Fleming to make him a worthy adversary to the lieutenant.
...While there is a chance you may have seen this show before on television, "Prescription: Murder" is still a spirited twist to the old ennui. There is nothing like the energy of a live performance with an enthusiastic crowd. This is a show you can count on. As a charming elderly woman said on opening night, "That Columbo, he always gets his man!"
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