Director..............Maren Sugarman

Producers..............Prashant Arora, Mark Peterson

Stage Manager...........JoAnne MacBeth

Cast

Eric Bankuti .........................................Foster Holmes
Melinda DelPizzo ................................Wanda Winters
Leatha J. Sturges .................................Agatha Preakness
Don Flynn ............................................Chief Harley Stanton
Victoria Lopez ....................................Claudette Pindu
Kristal Ismaella Roman .....................Jenny Watson
Sheldon Stone .....................................Jack Diamond
Timothy Stout .....................................Jean Luc, Jean Paul, Jean Claude

Maren Sugarman ................................Director
JoAnne MacBeth .................................Stage Manager
Prashant Aurora & Mark Peterson ...Producers

Eric Bankuti-Foster Holmes

I have done a variety of plays in the past including Narnia (with the Theatre League of Clifton), Into the Woods, Aladdin, Romeo & Juliet, and Man of La Mancha. I’m looking forward to being a part of this production with the Theatre League of Clifton again!

Melinda DelPizzo-Wanda Winters

Melindawas a Speech-Theater major and English minor many moons ago at Montclair State College. Then, she taught  for 36   years. Most of her career was spent at Wayne Valley High School in the English Department teaching 9th grade English and Theater Arts, directing plays and advising the drama club. Now, she’s retired and acting in community theater. Recent roles have been Else Duey in Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral, at The Stony Hill Players Theater in Summit, Detective LaMonica in Girls Night Out, and Dr. Toni Bullfinger in Murder on the Menu, both audience interactive murder mysteries produced by The Clifton Theater League and performed at Mario’s Restaurant in Clifton.  She has also done a stand-up set while studying with comedian, Chip Ambrogio, at the New Jersey School of Dramatic Arts in Montclair.   She is delighted to be in this play! She thanks Maren Sugerman for casting her, and she wonders who will guess the murderer?

Leatha J. Sturge -Agatha Preakness

Leatha J. Sturges has distinguished herself in theatre and film since the 1960’s. Her first stage appearance was with her brother, Robert – she was 9, Robby was 7 – at his Cub Scout Jamboree show. They sang “That’s Amore”. And, Leatha continues to love the theatre and the movie business. In the mid-1970’s she and her daughter, Kelly, spent two summer seasons in Georgia in “The Sound of Music”. Leatha played “the Baroness” and also “Maria” for selected matinees. Kelly played “Gretl”. In 1976, Kelly became the female star for the NBC Children’s After-School Musical Special Series, “Unicorn Tales”. Leatha was nominated for a daytime Emmy as a “Supporting Actress” for her role as Kelly’s mother in “Big Apple Birthday”, and won an EMMY for her Costumes for that episode, as well. From the 1980’s to the present day, Leatha has starred in numerous original Off-Broadway musical plays including “This is the Day” (Peaches) and “The New American” (Mamma). She became an attorney in 1993, specializing on contracts, and represents performers, writers and producers in both theatre and film on both coasts. Her last film work was playing 2 very different “moms” and a fortune-telling crone for 3 different episodes in the series “Blood Drive”, which debuted on YOU-TUBE in 2012, with additional episodes airing in 2013. Her appearance as “Agatha Preakness” in “Murder at the Banquet” heralds her happy return to the stage.

Don Flynn -Chief Harley Stanton

Don played Sikes (Oliver), Emile (South Pacific), and Dr. Carrasco/The Duke (Man of La Mancha) with the Theater League of Clifton.  He was Callahan (Legally Blonde) with The Rhino, and portrayed Scrooge (A Christmas Carol), Mr. Banks (Mary Poppins), Daddy Warbucks (Annie), and Uncle Max (The Sound of Music) with the Gas Lamp Players.  Other roles include: Duke Senior (As You Like It) with The St. James Players; Kolenkhov (You Can't Take it With You) and Albert Peterson (Bye Bye Birdie) with the Rutherford Theatre Company; and Mr. Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) with interACT Productions. He has 3 adult children, all of whom have been on stage, but not nearly enough in Don’s opinion.  He also has a 6.5 month old grandson, whom he intends to groom for the stage while his mother thinks her little boy has gone fishing with his pop-pop.

Victoria Lopez -Claudette Pindu

Victoria is thrilled to return to the TLC stage, where she has previously appeared in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 (Bernice) and The Man Who Came to Dinner (Sarah), among others. This marks her third dinner theater production, and her fifth show overall with TLC. She’s grateful to Maren and JoAnn for all their hard work, and the producers and cast for making this experience such a joy. Vive le France, vive le mystère, et vive le dessert! ​

Kristal Ismaella Roman -Jenny Watson

Kristal is a seasoned creative writer, having written two short original novels, and with experience in theatre productions such as portraying Emma Duncan in  Dover Little Theatre’s rendition of  “Pterodactyls” by Nicky Silver. She has her Bachelors degree in Journalism from Baruch College. Her goal is to write a fantasy fiction novel turned movie where she can portray the protagonist bringing the character to life exactly as envisioned when creating the story. She is also very intrigued in roles such as any character from the Scream franchises to romantic dramas such as films based on Nicholas Sparks books. A diverse pallet of characterization is what she is thriving for.

Sheldon Stone -Jack Diamond

This is the first show Sheldon has done with TLC.  Sheldon has done over 80 shows with various community theaters including the Bergen County Players, Players Gulld of Leonia and Nutley Little Theater.  His favorites are Arsenic And Old Lace, The King And I, 12 Angry Jurors, Deathtrap, Whodunnit, The Lion In Winter and Doubles.  He has also done other Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre shows with Mysterical Players. Sheldon retired in 2008 from his job in film distribution with 20th Century Fox.  After he retired he became a working actor and has done commercials, industrials, voice overs, historical recreations on several cable channels as well as other projects.  He went back to community theater during that time because he loves the stage.  He and his wife of 54 years love to travel and have been all over the world.  Sheldon has 2 married children and 2 wonderful granddaughters.  Sheldon thanks Maren for this opportunity and hopes it won't be the last time he will perform with TLC.

Timothy Stout -Jean Luc, Jean Paul, Jean Claude

I'm thrilled to return to the stage after several years away, i've performed in high school productions such as Sugar, Cinderella, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, Snow White, and one show out of high school, Titanic. Now I'm making a debut in the world of murder mystery with this production, playing as a charming French waiter saying "Oui!"

JoAnne MacBeth - Stage Manager

This is JoAnne's third time stage managing for TLC. Previous productions were "The Prom" in 2023 and Girl's Night out earlier in 2025. She is a graduate of NYU's educational theatre program and feels equally comfortable both in front of and behind the curtain. Favorite roles include Alma Winemuller in Tennessee Williams "Summer and Smoke," Naomi in "Feiffer's People," Joan in "The Lark," and Stepsister in "Into the Woods." Recently she has restarted background acting in films.

Maren Sugarman - Director

 Maren is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. For Theater League of Clifton she has directed The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Murder on the Menu, Man of La Mancha, Waiting for Christmas, and Oliver! Other directing credits include: Clifton’s ATC Conservatory productions of Macbeth, Brighton Beach Memoirs (nomination, NJACT Perry Award, Best Production of a Play), The Tragedie of Romeo & Juliet, and A Raisin in the Sun; You Can’t Take it With You, for interACT Productions, Maplewood; I Hate Hamlet, and Shadowlands for UCC Players, Montclair; Private Lives for Westfield Community Players, Westfield. She is the Founding Artistic Director of ATC Studios’ Shakespeare on Site, presenting Shakespeare plays annually at Historic venues in Paterson (Lambert Castle, The Great Falls, Paterson Museum), since 2014. Many thanks to Mark, Prashant, JoAnne, my lovely cast, and the servers at Mario’s! Delighted as always to work with TLC!

Prashant Arora & John Traier - Producers

SPECIAL THANK YOU!

Mario's Restaurant

Bromilow's Chocolate
Trader Joe's
Bartlett's Flowers

John Traier
Carol Peterson
Stephanie Yoda
​Councilwoman Rosemary Pino & Family