Poway’s PowPAC stages “Prescription Murder,” the 1962 play that introduced the original Columbo character
A stage origin story behind a long-running television detective
Poway Performing Arts Company (PowPAC) is opening a run of Prescription Murder, a mystery by William Link and Richard Levinson that predates—and helped shape—the television character Lt. Columbo. The production is scheduled to run from Jan. 23 through Feb. 22, 2026, at PowPAC’s theatre at 13250 Poway Road in Poway.
Written originally for the stage, Prescription Murder was first presented in 1962 and is widely recognized as the theatrical predecessor to the TV movie that later launched Columbo on NBC. The story’s structure established key elements that would become associated with the franchise: the audience follows the perpetrator’s plan early, and the narrative tension shifts to how the detective dismantles an apparently airtight alibi.
What the play is about
The plot centers on a prominent psychiatrist and his mistress, who conspire to murder his wife while attempting to protect themselves with a carefully designed deception. The detective, Lt. Columbo, investigates through persistent questioning and methodical pressure, turning the case into a contest of strategy rather than a simple search for a suspect.
PowPAC describes the production as a duel of wits between the investigator and the doctor, with the case complicated by institutional pressure to remove Columbo from the investigation—an idea that would later echo in television adaptations of the premise.
How this relates to the Columbo seen on television
Before Columbo became a series, the material moved between formats: early versions of the character and story concept appeared in televised drama, then in a stage play, and later in a made-for-television film. The 1968 TV movie Prescription: Murder featured Peter Falk in the role that would define the character for decades, with the series format following in the early 1970s.
While later TV installments refined the detective’s familiar screen persona—his deliberate, disarming approach and incremental questioning—the foundation was present in the stage version’s central dramatic mechanism: an investigator who wins by persistence, timing, and psychological leverage.
Local production details: dates, times, tickets
Run: Jan. 23–Feb. 22, 2026
Showtimes: Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2:00 p.m.; additional Saturday matinees are scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 14 at 2:00 p.m.
Venue: PowPAC, 13250 Poway Road, Poway
Presented as a stage mystery, Prescription Murder functions as a direct look at the narrative blueprint that later supported one of television’s most recognizable detectives.
The production’s creative credits and ticketing information are published by PowPAC, including box office purchasing options and listed pricing categories.