Blithe Spirit at Brewster High Nov 5-7

Blithe Spirit to Haunt the Brewster High School Stage with Howls of Laughter

The Brewster High School Performing Arts is proud to present Noel Coward’s classic comedy Blithe Spirit, a supernatural screwball comedy from the director of last year’s Macbeth. When upper class sophisticate and successful author Charles Condomine and his wife Ruth invite a dotty and eccentric medium to their home in the hopes of gathering material for his next book, their scheme backfires when she conducts a séance and calls back the mischievous and conniving ghost of his deceased wife, Elvira, to haunt him. But when only he can see and hear her, the show reaches hysterical heights with its broad comedy, pratfalls, and huge laughs.

Originally staged in 1941, this play has withstood the test of time over the years, with the most recent production being on Broadway in 2009 with Rupert Everett, Christine Ebersole, and Angela Lansbury. Promising to be a riotous crowd-pleaser, the production takes the elements of the popular 1940s screwball comedies like “Bringing Up Baby”, “The Lady Eve”, and “My Man Godfrey” and mashes them together with the physical comedy of the 1920s silent classics of Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton.

Cast members include William Curley as Charles, Maudie Carey as Ruth, Rory Wakeford as Elvira, and Metro Award Winner Sydney Gershon as the medium Madame Arcati. Rounding out the rest of the cast is Liam Callahan, Taylor Byrne, Cecilia Guida, Sarah Daleo, and Ryan Hecht.

With this production, director Robert M. LoAlbo brings to the stage his love and appreciation of comedy, a lifelong passion of his. “I’ve always admired anyone who can make an audience laugh. It takes special talents and a certain type of person to be able to hone a sense of strong comic timing. With this talented and funny group of actors, I am looking forward to the laughs that they will be getting when we perform.”

In this Brewster High School production, the students are given opportunities to not only just act, but also to express themselves artistically through a deep study of the material, their characters, and the stage. Communicating through spoken word, movement, and audience awareness, these students develop as a solidified acting troupe and supportive team, where they hold each other up through interaction and bond as a company.

Senior Maudie Carey, who ignited the stage last year as the manipulative Lady Macbeth, shared her feelings about the upcoming show: “I’m excited to be a part of a show like Blithe Spirit, where the cast and crew get to work so closely to bring the story to life on stage. Even having only just begun the rehearsal process, I can tell that this is going to be a show I won’t forget for quite some time.”

Additionally, the play provides opportunities for students to work on crew, which is a vital part of the company. Whether utilizing carpentry to build the set, visual expertise in setting the lights, or research and organization to work with props and costumes, the students will have ample chances to develop their skills and be further educated in theater. With the company, whether this is a returning show for them or their first, all have been welcomed and look forward for a chance to shine in the spotlight, whether on stage or behind it.

Through the generous support of the Brewster School District and the Brewster Performing Arts Boosters, Blithe Spirit will be presented on November 5th, 6th, and 7th at 7:30 PM in the Brewster High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available at www.BrewsterSchools.org or by calling 845.279.5051.