'Blithe spirit': Students in Cape Central’s theater program to present dark comedy about the complications of a seance

There are more than the two obvious worlds novelist Charles Condomine and his late wife, Elvira, inhabit in "Blithe Spirit," a production by the Cape Girardeau Central theater program that portrays the farcical complications of an innocent seance.

The dark comedy, written by Noel Coward, is directed by first-year Central English teacher Belle DelaCruz with the assistance of Kimi Wibbenmeyer, and begins its three-day run at 7 p.m this evening at the Richard D. Kinder Performance Hall.

"There's a couple deaths, but it's funny at the same time," said DelaCruz about the quick-witted and self-absorbed banter among the cast of seven.

Charles, played by senior River Ketcherside, is seeking inspiration and background knowledge on seances for a novel he wants to write. He gets more than he bargains for when he enlists the help of a lower-class, flighty "professional" medium who goes by the name of Madame Arcati, played by sophomore Grace Goechler.

Goechler's character at times is as comically clueless about the afterlife as her snooty hosts -- complete with maid Edith (sophomore Valyssa Webster) -- who do not possess her supernatural abilities.

River Ketcherside as Charles Condomine and Jacqui Lang as Ruth Condomine cover their faces from flowers thrown by Morgan Green as Elvira during a dress rehearsal for the play "Blithe Spirit" at the Richard D. Kinder Performance Hall at Cape Girardeau Central High School.ANDREW J. WHITAKER

Madame Arcati, much to her own surprise, and the dismay of Charles' volatile wife of five years, Ruth, portrayed by sophomore Jacqui Lang, accidentally conjures the spirit of his deceased wife Elvira (freshman Morgan Green), who passed away seven years earlier.

The setting is in a parlor at the Condomines' New England home in the 1930s, complete with a bar that Charles relies on at all hours of the day, especially after Madame Arcati's upheaval of the dead. It includes the ever-present Elvira, who doesn't necessarily like Ruth's intrusion on her former life and home, not to mention her decorative taste.

Ruth initially doesn't believe the spirit exists, but develops an equal disdain for Elvira, finding her quite rude despite her only awareness of her through the movement of objects and Elvira-inspired outbursts and conversations by Charles -- the only person on stage who can see and converse with his dearly departed.

Dr. George Bradman and his wife, Violet, are played by senior Zac Glenn and sophomore Tessa Johnson, and they combine well with the folly.

All but Johnson appeared in the theater program's first production, "Is He Dead?", presented in late September.

Grace Goeckler as Madame Arcati performs a sÈance while acting out a scene during a dress rehearsal for the play Blithe Spirit at the Richard D. Kinder Performance Hall at Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau.ANDREW J. WHITAKER

Ketcherside is playing his first lead role in a play at Central and carries a heavy load in the dialogue-heavy, three-act presentation.

"I like the fact that he has to be slightly alcoholic while being within his actual sanity," Ketcherside said about Charles Condomine. "He has his sanity, but the rest of the characters don't know it. So it's quite fun to try to explain what they consider insane. That's the challenge. I'm supposed to be goofy while being totally civilized."

DelaCruz said the students had to acquire an appreciation for the quick-witted dialogue of a different era.

"The humor itself wasn't quite our time frame. I hadn't really experienced much of the '30s," Ketcherside said. "It made it difficult at first, but as we started going with the script, we started to get it more and more. It's definitely funny when you know what you're talking about and you know what the words mean."

For Lang, it's her first lead in a three-act production, and among her challenges is keeping a straight face among a tight cast.

From left, River Ketcherside as Charles Condomine, Jacqui Lang as Ruth Condomine, Tessa Johnson as Mrs. Bradman and Zac Glenn as Dr. Bradman act out a scene during a dress rehearsal for the play Blithe Spirit at the Richard D. Kinder Performance Hall at Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau.ANDREW J. WHITAKER

"This play is really funny," she said. "It always makes us laugh. Like, we'll be on stage and I'll be trying not to crack up all the time, and I like all the people in the show. There's such a sense of community."

As for Ruth Condomine, she's quite combustible. Before becoming aware of Elvira, she takes "guttersniper" and "heartless" as personal insults from Charles, who intends them for his coldhearted and invisible first wife. She later rants at empty chairs vacated by Elvira, who enjoys toying with Charles' newest love.

Elvira is aloof with her perspective from the other side, but she is not wholly above humans. She longs to be reunited with Charles, who voices shock at her return.

"Was it a nice shock?" Elvira inquires.

It's the first major role for Green, who stalks the stage throughout and says she likes the wittiness of the script.

Grace Goeckler as Madame Arcati acts out a scene during a dress rehearsal for the play Blithe Spirit at the Richard D. Kinder Performance Hall at Cape Central High School in Cape Girardeau.ANDREW J. WHITAKER

"We don't get along too well -- we're very protective over Charles," Green said with a laugh about her character's relationship with Ruth. "Elvira is very selfish. She very much wants Charles with her. Not as much him, but just to have someone with her."

Amid the chaos of the newly created love triangle, Madame Arcati doesn't hide her elation when she discovers her inept wizardry actually works.

"I'm a little sketchy," Goechler said. "I may be real; I may not be. I don't even know, and I play her. The characters are all different in their great way."

This is the second of five productions this year, but the first directed by DelaCruz, a 2010 graduate of Jackson High School and a 2014 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University.

"It's definitely a learning experience because this is the first time I've ever done anything like this," said DelaCruz, who participated in speech, debate and drama while in high school but got her introduction to power tools in the construction of the set. "The kids definitely help me a lot."

The play will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $7 for the public and $5 for Cape Tigers.

jbreer@semissourian.com

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