Cliffhanger
by James Yaffe
December 4 -14, 2008
Henry Lowenthal, after a long tenure as professor of philosophy at a small western college, is looking forward to being appointed to an endowed chair so he and his wife can enjoy their golden years with honor and dignity. But their plans are given a rude jolt when his successor, a vindictive and ruthlessly young woman, informs him that she is not recommending him for the chair -- act of such calculated cruelty that the usually gentle professor seizes a bust of Socrates and strikes his tormentor a fatal blow. Thereafter, as Henry and his wife plot a foolproof way to dispose of the body, complications arise in the form of a rather sinister young student who is about to flunk out of school (unless his grade is changed) and who happened to witness the professor's violent action. Add in a suspicious police lieutenant and you have all the ingredients of a series of suspenseful, unexpected and frequently funny developments, leading to a denouement that will catch everyone by surprise.
CLIFFHANGER was first produced at the Alliance Theatre, in Atlanta Georgia.
CLIFFHANGER was presented at the Lamb's Theatre, on February 7, 1985.
"An old fashioned thriller/chiller with some heart, heartbreak and hearty laughs" -- The Atlanta Journal/Constitution
"It combines the warmth and charm of ON GOLDEN POND with almost as many plot twists as DEATHTRAP." -- Variety
