The Show: Murder Speaks Easy
The Location: Private Home, Colorado Springs
The Audience: Mark Dippold's Friends and Neighbors
The Cast
Kimberly Sudol, Bob Stovall, Star Edgington, Mike Stevens, Rod Rau, Catherine McGuire
This is a show we donated as a fundraiser for Memorial Hospital. Mark and his wife bought it and used it for entertainment on the occasion of Mark's retirement from the Air Force.
Door Guard
Don Moon and Gene Johnson provided security for the speakeasy.
Carleton
The Police Commisioner, Seymor Carleton, and his lovely wife Mildred arrive for the celebration.
Mrs. Carleton, who was attired in an elegant black dress and matching handbag, accessorized with silver choker, mink stole, and the very latest in feathered hats.
Powers
Mr. Edward J. Powers, well-known businessman from the North Side, arrived with his fiancée, Lucille Ryan. Miss Ryan was attired in a striking flapper dress with purple fringe and complementary silver handbag. She completed her ensemble with purple boa and tasteful fishnet stockings.
Mystery Guest
Miss Ellie, who declined to give her last name, arrived un-accompanied and was stopped by Security. However, an incident was avoided when Quentin Sinclair, owner of the Black Orchid speakeasy, vouched for his mystery guest.
Our sources tell us "Miss Ellie" was actually a well-known startlet traveling incognito.
Danny Boy
As a child, Fast Eddie Powers was a choirboy at Our Lady of Perpetual Blarney. He stills loves those great old Irish songs.
Ragtime
Bubbles Ryan, who until recently was employed as a dancer at the Kit Kat Klub, still likes to strut her talents.
Second Hand Rose
Mrs. Carleton, overcome by the nostalgia of the moment, broke into a spontaneous song-and-dance number.
Welcome
Mr. Sinclair, apparently the only un-musical member of the party, confined himself to opening remarks at the celebration of his club's Grand Re-Opening.
Nobody frisks Bubbles but me!
Fast Eddie had to step in to protect his fiancée from illegal search and seizure.
A spokesman for Mr. Powers later denied rumors of a prior relationship between Miss Ryan and Quentin Sinclair.
A gentleman named Casey was later observed to waltz with Miss Ellie, the strawberry blond.
And the band played on...
The Show: Characters we lent to the Better Business Bureau the help with their Silent Auction
The Location: The Antlers Hotel
The Audience: Better Business Men and Women
The Crime: trying to move some hot jewelry
She polished up the fender so carefully...
Miss Marilyn, ever conscious of finger prints, removes some from the PT Cruiser up for auction.
Sales Technique
Miss Marilyn adds some new wrinkles to the car salesman gig.
Let me show you my bauble ...
Miss Roxie displays a $4000 diamond ring, also part of the auction.
Glamour...
A couple of dolls pose by the Cruiser.
A girl can ask, can't she?
Especially if she's been very good lately...
Marilyn with the diamond ring.
The Show: Colorado Springs Balloon Classic
The Location: Memorial Park, Colorado Springs
The Audience: The Public
Larks
The world is made up of two kinds of people: those who rise early (larks), and those who stay up late (owls). Usually larks and owls marry each other, but when it comes to the Balloon Classic on Labor Day weekend, they go their separate ways.
Here are two well-known larks: Don Moon, the Red Herring co-owner who arranged for us to provide characters for this annual event, and Georgiann Lymberopolis, anchor for the 5 a.m. News First show on KOAA.
Note: David Edgington (husband of our star, Star) says the world is made up of 10 kinds of people: those who understand binary arithmetic and those who don't.
Rips
The balloons didn't lift off on Saturday morning this year due to overcast. Here you can see that the pilots, who've just gotten word of the scrub, have pulled their rip panels open to rapidly deflate the envelopes.
Owls
While Don took care of the morning launches, he left the evening balloon glows to the late risers in the troupe.
Here, a well-known owl named Star (who has a sister named Lark) arrives costumed as Kit Chance, the rancher's daughter.
Mike Stevens (perhaps the worst owl of the lot) took the photo.
Kids
The kids really enjoyed having cowboy characters around to help pass the time until the real show started just after sunset.
In case you were wondering: Colorado has an open-carry law which allows the carrying of guns in public places as long as the weapons aren't hidden (concealed carry is by permit only, and open-carry is banned in Denver by a local ordnance). This particular weapon, however, is a non-firing replica.
The balloons didn't lift off Sunday either. But even if the balloons don't fly in the morning, the Balloon Glow in the evening is spectacular. The only problem with taking photos then is knowing when to stop. Here I've cut my inventory down to four:
On Monday morning the balloons lifted off in glorious splendor.