Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, December 31, 1993 TAG: 9312310151
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
But Tai Flowers, a Miss America runner-up, says she only gave Cobb a massage and never inhaled.
Cobb and Flowers are two of the characters in a satirical playlet, "The Case of the Capital Cloakroom Bombshell," scheduled to appear in Richmond next month.
Author Peter Ryan, who teaches script writing at the University of Virginia's School of Continuing Education, said the mystery and political satire will be shown at a downtown restaurant beginning Jan. 14.
The play opening is timed to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly and the inauguration of George Allen as Virginia's governor.
"Anyone who follows Virginia politics at all will get most of the references," Ryan said.
Ryan said he drew his story line from newspaper reports on the feuding of U.S. Sen. Charles Robb and Gov. Douglas Wilder; the scandal surrounding Sen. Robert Packwood of Oregon; and the foibles of President Clinton.
The play is a mystery in which Cobb gets blown up, and the audience is left to guess who did it.
Cobb is married to the niece of Sen. Wagstaff. Passions ignite when Flowers, Cobb's alleged mistress, shows up to market her new book.
"Wagstaff is a lot like every senator you've ever seen, " Ryan said. "He has a prepared speech no matter what you ask him. By the time he's done, you have no idea what he said."
As the play unfolds, many people have reason to murder Cobb. Wagstaff bugs Cobb's office and Cobb bugs Wagstaff's office. Unfortunately, both have hired the same electronics technician, a former CIA agent.
The play breaks to give theatergoers a chance to solve the mystery. At the same time, the actor-politicians mingle with the audience, each spreading vicious rumors.
by CNB