Blithe Spirit Plays MCCC’s Kelsey Theatre June 10-19

A hilariously spooky revival makes its way to Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre in June. Pierrot Productions presents Noel Cowards' "Blithe Spirit" Friday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, June 11 and 18 at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays, June 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on June 10.

The spirit world is awakened when novelist Charles Condomine hires an eccentric clairvoyant to perform a séance at his house party. His goal is simply to gather new material for an exposé he is writing. The psychic turns out to be far more effective than Charles could have predicted, summoning the spirit of his first wife, the clever, insistent Elvira. Elvira is bent on renewing her claim on her former husband. Supernatural manifestations abound as Elvira, unseen and unheard, makes continual attempts to disrupt Charles's marriage to his second wife, Ruth.
First performed in London's West End in 1941, the play set a record for longest-running non-musicals, with 1,997 performances. It also was well received on Broadway later that year. Coward adapted the play for a film version in 1945 that starred Rex Harrison, and directed a musical adaptation, "High Spirits," on Broadway in 1964. Enjoying severAl West End revivals in the 1970s, 1980s, and, most recently, in 2004, it returned to Broadway in 2009, featuring Angela Lansbury as Madame Arcati, a role that earned Lansbury her fifth Tony Award.

Pierrot's "Blithe Spirit" cast features Virginia Barrie of Ewing as Madame Arcati; Walter Rosenfeld of Pennington as Charles; Lauren Makrancy of Florence as Ruth; Michelle Kallman of Plainsboro as Elvira; Gary Gilbert of New Hope as Dr. Bradman; Peggy Waldron of Hamilton as Mrs. Bradman; and Susan Hoffman of Hamilton as Edith. The production is directed by Ruth Markoe of Lawrenceville.

Tickets for "Blithe Spirit" are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for students and children. Tickets may be purchased online at www.kelseytheatre.net or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333. Kelsey Theatre is wheelchair accessible and free parking is available next to the theater.