Actor Jodi Dominick (as Edith) is "maid" for the role in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actors Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) and Maggie Kettering (as Ruth) make a mostly happy couple in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actors Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) and Maggie Kettering (as Ruth) make a mostly happy couple in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Laurie Birmingham (right, as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) takes center as Maggie Kettering (left, as Ruth) and Molly McGinnis (far left, as Mrs. Bradman) helplessly observe in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Laurie Birmingham conjures up laughs and an unexpected guest or two (as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) at a seance with her hapless hosts (actors, from left to right) Aled Davies (as Dr. Bradman), Maggie Kettering (as Ruth), Molly McGinnis (as Mrs. Bradman) and Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actors Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) and Maggie Kettering (as Ruth) make a mostly happy couple in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Laurie Birmingham (as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) confronts her charming skeptic Aled Davies (as Dr. Bradman) as Eric Damon Smith (center, as Charles) observes in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) attempts in vain to introduce his current wife, Maggie Kettering (right, as Ruth), to the ghost of his deceased first wife, Shanara Gabrielle (left, as Elvira), in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Reunited and it feels so...good? Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) is confronted with the ghost of his deceased first wife, Shanara Gabrielle (as Elvira), during a hilarious haunting in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) is reunited with the ghost of his deceased first wife, Shanara Gabrielle (as Elvira), during a hilarious haunting in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actors Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) and Maggie Kettering (as Ruth) make a mostly happy couple in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Maggie Kettering (left, as Ruth) requests the assistance of Laurie Birmingham (right, as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) to exorcise her "demons" in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Shanara Gabrielle (as Elvira) takes center stage during a hilarious haunting in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Reunited and it feels so...good? Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) receives a "cold shoulder" from the ghost of his deceased first wife, Shanara Gabrielle (as Elvira), during Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) enlists Laurie Birmingham (right, as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) to exorcise his ghost, Shanara Gabrielle (left, as deceased first wife, Elvira) in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Synopsis
THE HAUNTING HISTORY OF NOEL COWARD'S BLITHE SPIRIT
Excerpted from an article by Kathy Henderson posted March 5, 2009 on Broadway.com in conjunction with the most recent production of Blithe Spirit on Broadway.
In the spring of 1941, as Londoners endured the Blitz, superstar playwright Noel Coward slipped away to Wales to work on a new script. “Title [is] Blithe Spirit,” he wrote in his diary. “Very gay, superficial comedy about a ghost. Feel it may be good.” Six days later, the play was finished...
The First Noel
With a name inspired by the proximity of his birthday to Christmas December 16, 1899, Noel Peirce Coward was indeed a happy holiday gift to his parents, who had lost their first son to spinal meningitis the previous year. The family had little money; Noel’s father was an unsuccessful piano tuner and salesman, and his Momma Rose-ish stage mother pushed her precocious little boy into a professional stage debut at age 10. Answering an ad for “a star cast of wonder children,” he won a role in a play called The Goldfish by tap-dancing “violently” while his mother played “Nearer My God to Thee” on the piano. Also hired that day: young Gertrude Lawrence, who grew up to become Coward’s frequent co-star and muse.
Great success came quickly. As his literary executor Sheridan Morley summed it up in the memoir Coward, “By 15, he had acted with the sisters Lillian and Dorothy Gish in D.W. Griffith’s silent film Hearts of the World. At 20, he was a produced playwright, and by the time he was 30 he had written the drug play The Vortex, the epic 400-cast Cavalcade, the everlasting Private Lives and the lyrical operetta Bitter Sweet.” In all, Coward penned 60 produced plays and more than 300 songs, plus memoirs, diaries, short stories and screenplays.
In addition to a workaholism driven by his desire to escape poverty, Coward built his glittering career by writing parts perfectly suited to one particular leading man: himself. “In his clipped, bright, confident style, Coward irresistibly combined reserve and high camp,” critic John Lahr noted in Coward the Playwright. “Coward was his own hero and the parts he created for himself were, in general, slices of his legendary life.” These included successful writers Charles in Blithe Spirit; Leo in Design for Living, men of the theater Garry in Present Laughter and world-traveling bon vivants Elyot in Private Lives.
Clad in silk dressing gowns, hair perfectly slicked back, cigarette holder and martini in hand, Coward and his onstage alter egos oozed sophistication. Coming of age in the 1920s, he had no qualms about celebrating frivolity for its own sake. As a closeted gay man, he treated sex and romance lightly, even rebelliously. His characters—both men and women—seemed to possess no internal filter, saying exactly what they were thinking to great comic effect. “I’m glad I’m normal,” Amanda’s young second husband, Victor, announces at one point in Private Lives. “What an odd thing to be glad about,” she replies, adding later, “I think very few people are completely normal really, deep down in their private lives.”
A Tale of Two Wives
By the beginning of World War II, Noel Coward was hugely famous on both sides of the Atlantic. He adored the creative energy of New York, where he starred in Broadway productions of Design for Living opposite Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne and Private Lives opposite Gertrude Lawrence, Coward’s lifelong crush Laurence Olivier and Olivier’s then-wife, Jill Esmond. He traveled the world to drum up support for Britain’s war effort, but an ever-present need for money spurred him write a new comedy about a man haunted by the ghost of his first wife.
Blithe Spirit “fell into my mind and on to the manuscript,” Coward later wrote of writing the play in less than a week. In a production schedule that seems unbelievably fast by today’s standards, the play opened at London’s Piccadilly Theatre just six weeks later, on July 2, 1941, and premiered on Broadway at the now-demolished Morosco Theatre on November 5, 1941. Even more amazing is the fact that only two lines were dropped and none were altered during rehearsal of what the playwright dubbed “An Improbable Farce in Three Acts.”
As Blithe Spirit begins, novelist Charles Condomine is preparing to host a seance to be conducted by a medium known as Madame Arcati. For him, it’s a jokey way to do research for a new novel, appropriately titled The Unseen. Unexpectedly, however, the evening ends with the spectral reappearance of his first wife, Elvira pronounced Elveera, who has been dead for five years. Only Charles can see her, which causes immediate problems with his very-much-alive second wife, briskly efficient Ruth. Charmed at first by the ghostly Elvira—with whom he shared a more passionate union than with Ruth—Charles quickly gets caught between the two.
“I remember her physical attractiveness, which was tremendous, and her spiritual integrity, which was nil,” Charles says of Elvira. As for wife #2, when Ruth ponders aloud whether Charles would remarry if she passed away, he says airily, “You won’t die—you’re not the dying sort.”
Coward correctly surmised that a comedy about death would resonate among audiences who were, in real life, carrying on in a city under daily threat of attack. Although novelist Graham Greene called Blithe Spirit “a weary exhibition of bad taste,” the public loved it, and the play went on to a record-setting London run of 1,997 performances. Without spoiling the well-plotted ending, suffice it to say that the forces of death are tamed in Blithe Spirit in a way that warmed the hearts of wartime theatergoers.
Haunted House
Blithe Spirit’s visually inventive style made it perfect for the big screen, and Coward’s frenemy Rex Harrison who thought the playwright was a lousy actor played Charles in David Lean’s 1945 movie opposite original London stage stars Kay Hammond as Elvira and Margaret Rutherford as Madame Arcati. Coward himself played Charles in an Emmy-nominated 1956 TV version with Lauren Bacall ! as Elvira, Claudette Colbert as Ruth and future Happy Days star Marion Ross in the small but pivotal role of the Condomines’ maid.
More than 40 years passed before Blithe Spirit got its first Broadway revival, but Charles & Co. made it back to the Great White Way in musical form in 1964. High Spirits, starring Tammy Grimes as Elvira and Beatrice Lillie as Madame Arcati, ran for 375 performances and earned eight Tony nominations, including one for Coward’s direction. The chorus included “Ronnie Walken,” who went on to movie fame as Christopher Walken. A 1987 revival of Blithe Spirit ran for three months and starred Richard Chamberlain as Charles, Blythe Danner as Elvira, Judith Ivey as Ruth and Geraldine Page in a Tony-nominated performance as Madame Arcati. Tragically, Page died of a heart attack at age 62 two weeks before the end of the run…
A Talent to Amuse
In the last three decades of his life, Noel Coward achieved acclaim as a cabaret performer wowing ’em in Vegas, no less, in addition to acting in and directing his own plays. His final London stage appearance was in his own Suite in Three Keys in 1966, and he was knighted in 1970. As his health declined, he retreated to Jamaica, where he entertained friends and painted landscapes. He died there on March 26, 1973, and was buried on the island.
Though some of his contemporaries questioned whether Coward’s plays would endure apart from his own stylish persona, his best comedies feel vivid and fresh. Coward himself would have been amused by the current tabloid culture and fixation with celebrities; after all, he managed to market himself for half a century with a fascinating mix of vanity and self-deprecation. Asked by an interviewer how he expected to be remembered, he responded with one of his most-used words: “By my charm.”
Laurie Birmingham*
Madame Arcati
Two seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Laurie is blessed to join Great Lakes again this season! Last year Laurie played the Nurse in Romeo andJuliet. Laurie is a 35-year veteran of regional theaters across the United States. She was a resident company member with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and played many roles over the 17 years she spent there. Some favorites include Josie Hogan in A Moon for theMisbegotten, Penny Sycamore in You Can’t Take ItWith You and Claire in A Delicate Balance, to name only a few. Other regional credits include Asolo Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Connecticut Repertory, Meadowbrook Theatre, NY Shakespeare Exchange and the Tony-Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival. In NYC, Laurie has played in two off-Broadway shows: A Little Journey with The Mint Theatre, nominated for a Drama Desk Award; and created the role of Miss Abigail in Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating, andMarriage. She also narrates for Recorded Books, LLC. TV credits include The Onion News Network, Celebrity Ghost Stories and a pilot called ModernLove. Visit her at www.lauriebirmingham.com. Two seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Laurie is blessed to join Great Lakes again this season! Last year Laurie played the Nurse in Romeo andJuliet. Laurie is a 35-year veteran of regional theaters across the United States. She was a resident company member with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and played many...
Aled Davies*
Dr. Bradman
Twelve seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Previously for GLT: Scrooge/Samuels in A Christmas Carol, Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Major Metcalf in The Mousetrap, Vincentio in The Taming of the Shrew, Duke of Milan in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Brabantio in Othello,The Earl of Caversham in An Ideal Husband,Sheriff Reynolds in Bat Boy: The Musical, Oberon/Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, YourChairman in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, SeaCaptain/Priest in Twelfth Night, Solinus/Dr. Pinchin The Comedy of Errors, Dorn in The Seagull,Duncan/Old Siward in Macbeth, DeputyGovernor Danforth in The Crucible, King ofFrance in All’s Well That Ends Well, Mr.Witherspoon in Arsenic and Old Lace, Escalus in Measure for Measure, Prospero in The Tempest,David Bliss in Hay Fever, Senex in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Boyet in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, Julius Caesar in Julius Caesar,Claudius in Hamlet, Cleante in Tartuffe, Leonatoin Much Ado About Nothing, Buckingham in Richard III and Topper in A Christmas Carol. Aledhas been a proud and appreciative member ofActors’ Equity Association since 1984. Twelve seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Previously for GLT: Scrooge/Samuels in A Christmas Carol, Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Major Metcalf in The Mousetrap, Vincentio in The Taming of the Shrew, Duke of Milan in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Brabantio in Othello,The Earl of Caversham in An Ideal Husband,Sheriff...
Jodi Dominick*
Edith
Five seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Jodi’s previous roles include Mollie Ralston in The Mousetrap, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Lady MacDuff in Macbeth, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Helena Landless in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Lady Chiltern in An Ideal Husband, Bianca in Othello, Ivana/Tailor in The Taming of the Shrew, Samson in Romeo and Juliet, Lucetta/Outlaw in The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Mrs. Cratchet in A Christmas Carol. Five seasons at Idaho Shakespeare Festival include Into the Woods, Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Twelfth Night, An Ideal Husband, Othello, Two Gentleman of Verona, The Taming of the Shrew, Cabaret, The Mousetrap, The Winter’s Tale and The Imaginary Invalid. Other credits include Diana in I Love You Because at PlayhouseSquare; Helen/Frances/Bad Perm, The Break Up Notebook at The Beck Center for the Arts, New World Stages and Hudson Backstage Theatre; Clara, Passion at The Beck Center for the Arts; Woman 1 and 2 in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare; Debtor’s Wife in A Christmas Carol, Great Lakes Theater; and Gypsy at Great Lakes Theater, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Other shows include Lovelace: A Rock Opera, The Hayworth Theatre; Violet and Bye Bye Birdie, Cain Park; and Closer, Dobama Theatre. Jodi is a graduate of Baldwin- Wallace College Conservatory of Music and proud member of AEA. Five seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Jodi’s previous roles include Mollie Ralston in The Mousetrap, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Lady MacDuff in Macbeth, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Helena Landless in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Lady Chiltern in An Ideal Husband, Bianca in...
Shanara Gabrielle*
Elvira
Great Lakes Theater Debut: Shanara Gabrielle is thrilled to be joining Great Lakes Theater for the first time as part of this production of Blithe Spirit! Most recently, Shanara played Betsy/Lindsey in Clybourne Park, Courtesan in The Comedy of Errors, and a Witch in Macbeth at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Regional Highlights include: Ilona in She Loves Me (Guthrie Theater), Justine in The Love List (American Heartland Theatre), Susannah in Black Pearl Sings (The Black Rep), Desdemona in Othello, Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost, Viola in Twelfth Night (Great River Shakespeare Festival), Sarah in Guys and Dolls, Maggie in Lend Me a Tenor at (Northern Stage), News In Review (Hollywood Playhouse), as well as premier productions of The Winners (HotCity Theatre) and Cooking With Elisa (Upstream Theatre). NYC highlights include: Queenie in The Wild Party, Eve in The Truth, Rose in Meet Me In St. Louis, The American Girls Revue, and the first national tour of In The Mood. She has appeared on NBC's Conviction, CBS's Guiding Light, and in a number of commercials and independent films. BFA - Webster Conservatory of Theatre Arts, Princess Grace Foundation Award, AEA, SAG-AFTRA. www.shanaragabrielle.com Great Lakes Theater Debut: Shanara Gabrielle is thrilled to be joining Great Lakes Theater for the first time as part of this production of Blithe Spirit! Most recently, Shanara played Betsy/Lindsey in Clybourne Park, Courtesan in The Comedy of Errors, and a Witch in Macbeth at...
Maggie Kettering*
Ruth
Great Lakes Theater Debut: Maggie is very excited to join Great Lakes this season! She is currently based in Chicago, where some favorites include Maureen Buckley in My Kind ofTown (TimeLine Theatre); Puck in A MidsummerNight’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Pattie in Season’s Greetings (Northlight Theatre), where she received the Jack Springer Award; and Mrs. Grigson in Shadow of a Gunman (Seanachai Theatre). Regionally, she has worked with Resident Ensemble Players, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Ware-house Theatre and Delaware Theatre Company. She is a member of A Crew of Patches Theatre Company, and holds an MFA from the University of Delaware’s Professional Theatre Training Program. Maggie is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Great Lakes Theater Debut: Maggie is very excited to join Great Lakes this season! She is currently based in Chicago, where some favorites include Maureen Buckley in My Kind ofTown (TimeLine Theatre); Puck in A MidsummerNight’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Pattie in Season’s Greetings (Northlight Theatre), where she received the...
Molly McGinnis*
Mrs. Bradman
Great Lakes Theater Debut: This is Molly’s first appearance with Great Lakes Theater, and she’s thrilled to be here. She was most recently seen as Barbara Ellen Diggs in The New Century at Dobama Theater. Other favorites: Kittyi, Six Degrees of Separation at Charenton Theater; Janet Marley ,Christmas Carol Rag at Kalliope; Deeny, The Old Neighborhood at Dobama; Abigail Adams, 1776, Charlotte , Moon Over Buffalo, Cordelia, Falsettos, and all women’s roles in Jeffrey at the Beck Center. Molly originated the roles of Mary in Becomes You at TitleWave Theater, and Nora in Crossroads Dancing at Dobama. She played Fiona Finn with the long running Flanagan’s Wake at Kennedy’s and was featured in the cabaret As Time Goes By at the Cleveland Playhouse Club. Film credits: The O in Ohio, Take Shelter, I Am Number Four. Great Lakes Theater Debut: This is Molly’s first appearance with Great Lakes Theater, and she’s thrilled to be here. She was most recently seen as Barbara Ellen Diggs in The New Century at Dobama Theater. Other favorites: Kittyi, Six Degrees of Separation at Charenton Theater;...
Eric Damon Smith*
Charles
First season at Great Lakes Theater: A Chicago-based actor and director, Eric happily joins Great Lakes Theater this season, having just made his GLT debut as Charles Condomine in Blithe Spirit. Recently, Eric was seen as Bud in Gutenberg! The Musical at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Bassanio (The Merchant of Venice) and Oliver (As You Like It) at Riverside Theatre in the Park in Iowa City. Other Chicago credits include his Jeff-Award-nominated turn as Flaminio Scala in the Midwest premiere of The Glorious Ones with Boho and at Theatre on the Lake, Jacques in As You Like It (Muse of Fire), Mosca in Volpone, directed by Sheldon Patinkin (City Lit Theatre) and Jamie in Long Day’s Journey into Night (Polarity), as well as work with Remy Bumppo and Northlight Theatre. Eric trained at Hofstra University. First season at Great Lakes Theater: A Chicago-based actor and director, Eric happily joins Great Lakes Theater this season, having just made his GLT debut as Charles Condomine in Blithe Spirit. Recently, Eric was seen as Bud in Gutenberg! The Musical at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Bassanio (The Merchant of Venice)...
* Members of the Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Charles Fee
Director, Blithe Spirit; Producing Artistic Director
Eleven seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Directing credits at GLT: Blithe Spirit, Romeo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, All’s Well That Ends Well, Hamlet, Hay Fever, The Importance of Being Earnest, Arms and the Man and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). Charles holds a unique position in the American theater as producing artistic director of three independently operated, professional theater companies: Great Lakes Theater in Cleveland, Ohio (since 2002), Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise, Idaho (since 1991) and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in Lake Tahoe, Nevada (since 2010). His appointments have resulted in a dynamic and groundbreaking producing model for the companies, in which 45 plays have been shared since 2002. In 2009, Charles was honored to receive recognition for his leadership by the Cleveland Arts Prize as a recipient of the Martha Joseph Award. Other awards include The Mayor’s and Governor’s awards for Excellence in the Arts, in Boise, Idaho. From 1988 to 1992, he held the position of artistic director at the Sierra Repertory Theatre in California. He has also worked with The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, the Milwaukee and Missouri repertory theaters, Actor’s Theatre of Phoenix and the Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival. In addition to his work with the companies in Ohio, Idaho and Nevada, Charles is active within the community. He has served as a member of the strategic planning committee for the Morrison Center, as producer of the FUNDSY Award Gala (’96, ’98 and 2000), and as producer of the 1996 Idaho Governor’s Awards in the Arts. Charles has served on the board of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the Downtown Rotary Club. He received his B.A. from the University of the Pacific and Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego. Along with his wife, Lidia, and 17-year-old daughter, Alexa, Charles resides in Boise, Cleveland and Lake Tahoe –– a feat that is only possible because of the incredible love and support of his family, and the generous communities he serves! Eleven seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Directing credits at GLT: Blithe Spirit, Romeo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, All’s Well That Ends Well, Hamlet, Hay Fever, The Importance of Being Earnest, Arms and the Man and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). Charles holds a unique position in the American theater as producing artistic director of three independently...
Richard B. Ingraham
Sound Designer
Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater: Richard has designed sound for numerous theaters in the area and around the country. Previously at Great Lakes, Richard designed sound for Blithe Spirit, Sondheim on Sondheim and many of the Outreach Tours. Other recent sound designs include Follies for Baldwin Wallace University; Next to Normal, Annie, Xanadu and SpringAwakening for Beck Center; Ave Q for Cain Park; Ghosts of War and A Bright New Boise for Dobama Theatre; Songs for a New World and Pride and Prejudice for Hope Summer Repertory Theatre in Holland, Michigan; and Strike Slip for Oberlin College. Richard has worked as a show control programmer and installer for several clients, including Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, The Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, and Stone Mountain Park in Georgia. He has also taught sound design and related course work at The Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and The University of Evansville Theatre Department. Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater: Richard has designed sound for numerous theaters in the area and around the country. Previously at Great Lakes, Richard designed sound for Blithe Spirit, Sondheim on Sondheim and many of the Outreach Tours. Other recent sound designs include Follies for Baldwin Wallace University; Next to Normal, Annie, Xanadu and SpringAwakening for Beck Center; Ave Q for Cain Park; Ghosts of War and A Bright New Boise for Dobama Theatre;...
Rick Martin
Lighting Designer
Ten seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Many productions with GLT and ISF. Other theater: U.S. premiere of Kurt Weil’s Marie Galante (Opéra Français de NY), Hekabe, The Illiad and The Rage of Achilles with Music-Theatre Group (New York and Santa Fe) and The Bitter Tearsof Petra van Kant (Henry Miller Theatre, New York). Opera: Le Diable dans le beffroi, La Chutede la Maison Usher (Opéra national de Paris – scenery and lighting), Castor et Pollux, Pelléas etMéllisande and To Be Sung (Opéra Français de NY), Dialogues desCarmélites (Opéra de Toulon) and Roméo et Juliette (Spoleto Festival USA). Concerts: Le martyre de Saint Sébastien (Cité de la Musique, Paris and Arsenal, Metz), Orchestre national de Lyon and the Orchestre de Champs Élysées (Lyon, Poitiers, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, São Paulo). Coming up: Harawi (Opéra Comique, Paris - scenery and lighting) Member: United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE. Ten seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Many productions with GLT and ISF. Other theater: U.S. premiere of Kurt Weil’s Marie Galante (Opéra Français de NY), Hekabe, The Illiad and The Rage of Achilles with Music-Theatre Group (New York and Santa Fe) and The Bitter Tearsof Petra van Kant (Henry Miller Theatre, New York). Opera: Le Diable dans le beffroi, La Chutede la Maison Usher (Opéra national de Paris – scenery and lighting), Castor et Pollux,...
Russell Metheny
Scenic Designer
Eight Seasons at Great Lakes Theater: For Great Lakes Theater, Russell has designed The Mousetrap, The Two Gentlemen Of Verona, Othello, The Seagull, The Comedy of Errors, Measure For Measure, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, Arsenic and Old Lace, Love’s Labour’s Lost and The Merry Wives of Windsor. For Idaho Shakespeare Festival, he has designed The 39 Steps, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Woman In Black, Othello, A Tuna Christmas, The Seagull, The Comedy of Errors, Greater Tuna, Measure for Measure, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Tempest, Love’s Labor’s Lost, King Lear and Julius Caesar. Recent productions include 1776, The House That Jack Built, Jekyll and Hyde, My Fair Lady, Betrayal, Twelve Angry Men and Superior Donuts. Regionally, Russell has also designed for Asolo Theatre, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, The Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse, Missouri Rep, Indiana Rep, Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre, Weston Playhouse, The Studio Theatre (D.C.), Portland Stage, Philadelphia Theatre Co., Goodspeed Musicals and Geffen Playhouse. Upcoming productions: 1776 for ACT, 4000 Miles for Studio Theatre. Mr. Metheny has received three Helen Hayes Awards for outstanding scenic design. Eight Seasons at Great Lakes Theater: For Great Lakes Theater, Russell has designed The Mousetrap, The Two Gentlemen Of Verona, Othello, The Seagull, The Comedy of Errors, Measure For Measure, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, Arsenic and Old Lace, Love’s Labour’s Lost and The Merry Wives of Windsor. For Idaho Shakespeare Festival, he has designed The 39 Steps, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Woman In Black, Othello, A Tuna Christmas, The Seagull, The Comedy of Errors,...
Kim Krumm Sorenson
Costume Designer
Nine seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Kim is pleased to be spending her ninth season with Great Lakes Theater, where she most recently designed The Mousetrap. Past designs include Othello, The Seagull, The Crucible, Love’s Labor’s Lost, Measure for Measure, The Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, The Importance of Being Earnest, Much Ado About Nothing and Tartuffe. She is a frequent designer for the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, as well as The Juilliard School, where she designs both theater and opera. Her work has also been seen at Delaware Theatre Company, TACT, Playmakers Repertory Company, Hartford Stage Company, Guthrie Theatre, Intiman Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Walnut Street Theatre, The Acting Company, Indiana Repertory Theater and Portland Stage Company. Kim holds an MFA from Southern Methodist University and is a member of USA 829. She lives in New York with her husband, Scott, and their two beautiful daughters, Carly and Gemma. Nine seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Kim is pleased to be spending her ninth season with Great Lakes Theater, where she most recently designed The Mousetrap. Past designs include Othello, The Seagull, The Crucible, Love’s Labor’s Lost, Measure for Measure, The Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, The Importance of Being Earnest, Much Ado About Nothing and Tartuffe. She is a frequent designer for the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, as well as The Juilliard School, where she designs both theater...
Tim Kinzel
Stage Manager
Four seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Stage manager credits for Great Lakes Theater include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, AnIdeal Husband, The Complete Works of WilliamShakespeare (Abridged), The Taming of the Shrew,Romeo & Juliet and The Imaginary Invalid. Assistant stage manager credits for Great Lakes Theater include The Mystery of Edwin Drood and AChristmas Carol. Tim has multiple stage management credits from the following companies: Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Playwrights Horizon, Cherry Lane Theater NYC and Houston’s Stages Repertory Theatre. He also holds multiple production assistant and intern credits with Alley Theater, Houston Grand Opera and Stages Repertory Theater. Tim owes an enormous debt of gratitude to his family, friends and coworkers for their positive push in life. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” Four seasons at Great Lakes Theater: Stage manager credits for Great Lakes Theater include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, AnIdeal Husband, The Complete Works of WilliamShakespeare (Abridged), The Taming of the Shrew,Romeo & Juliet and The Imaginary Invalid. Assistant stage manager credits for Great Lakes Theater include The Mystery of Edwin Drood and AChristmas Carol. Tim has multiple stage management credits from the following companies: Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Playwrights Horizon, Cherry Lane...
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Sparkling and clever...a play that crackles with life...Cheers, darling!
By Plain Dealer
-Andrea Simakis
When Noel Coward's delightfully loopy medium, Madame Arcati, is asked whether she considers bicycling everywhere a chore, she replies that she finds pedaling up and down the hills of Kent stimulating.
"Steady rhythm, that's what counts," she explains with gusto. "Once you get the knack of it you need never look back. On you get and away you go. . . . Down with your head, up with your heart, and you're over the top like a flash and skimming down the other side like a dragon-fly."
The same could be said of the Great Lakes Theater production of "Blithe Spirit" now haunting the Hanna Theatre. While it takes time to pick up speed, once it crests the rise of Act 1, it whizzes along the way well-played Coward should.
The playwright penned the story of "astral bigamist" Charles Condomine and his two wives -- one very much alive, the other seven years dead, or "passed over," the PC phrase favored by spirits who consider the use of the d-word "vulgar" -- in 1941, as a pick-me-up for war-weary Britons. (Leave it to Coward to write a comedy about death.)
Part of the sleepy start involves the elaborate pantomime of Edith the maid (Jodi Dominick) as she agonizingly balances dishware and what feels like actors revving their engines for the marathon to come. The other has to do with the script itself, an "improbable farce in three acts," as Coward called it.
Sparkling and clever as it is, the first nine pages are devoted to Charles (Eric Damon Smith); his flesh-and-blood wife, Ruth (Maggie Kettering); and guests Dr. and Mrs. Bradman (Aled Davies and Molly McGinnis) discussing their upcoming dinner party cum seance. It's crucial exposition, setting up the gonzo action to follow along with two of the most delicious characters in the piece, the aforementioned biking spiritualist (Laurie Birmingham) and Charles' first wife, Elvira (Shanara Gabrielle).
"I remember her physical attractiveness, which was tremendous, and her spiritual integrity, which was nil," Charles says of the former Mrs. Condomine.
Charles has invited Madame Arcati to the house to commune with the spectral world, hoping she can provide him with juicy material for his book, a story about a charlatan mystic. And when Birmingham's Madame A. tromps into the Condomines' living room, late and in need of very dry martini, the show jumps into high gear. (The gorgeous, high-ceiling set by Russell Metheny pays attention to period detail, down to the paintings lighted by sconces hanging on the walls.)
Birmingham -- who made her Great Lakes debut as Nurse in "Romeo and Juliet," infusing the small part with a vitality it rarely receives -- gives a performance that argues she was born to play Arcati, one of the great comic roles of the theater.
As embodied by Birmingham, Arcati is a batty whirlwind in brown velvet. Whether attempting to sense ectoplasmic energy through her wrists, munching on cucumber sandwiches or chatting with Daphne, her adenoidal control who died in 1884, you can't keep your eyes off her. Her improvised hula dance to prepare to communicate with the other side is not to be missed.
When her machinations produce Charles' ethereal ex, the play moves even faster, thanks to some inventive, kinetic blocking by producing artistic director Charles Fee -- Elvira spooking Ruth, who can't see her, by moving vases and other knickknacks about is especially rich -- and the terrific comic timing of his cast.
As haunted spouses Charles and Ruth, Smith and Kettering bat lines back and forth like Olympic pingpong players, and Gabrielle simply luxuriates in the flowing gown of Elvira. She has sinful fun tormenting Ruth and seducing Charles. And in platinum curls and silver-gray silk charmeuse that clings to every curve, she brings a wicked, Jean Harlow sexiness to the stage. (Costume designer Kim Krumm Sorenson should consider cutting a few frocks for next year's Oscars, because Elvira's togs would dominate the red carpet.)
So raise a glass to this supernatural m nage + trois and a play that crackles with life 71 years after it was first performed. Cheers, darling!
-Andrea Simakis
When Noel Coward's delightfully loopy medium, Madame Arcati, is asked whether she considers bicycling everywhere a chore, she replies that she finds pedaling up and down the hills of Kent stimulating.
"Steady rhythm, that's what counts," she explains with gusto. "Once you get the knack of it you need never look back. On you get and away you go. . . . Down with your head, up with your heart,...
Thursday, February 28, 2013
"...a feast for the senses...vastly entertaining. I'm still smiling."
By Cleveland Jewish News
-Fran Heller
If one word could describe English playwright Noel Coward and his mature comedies, it would be sophistication. Coward's laser-sharp wit and rapier dialogue reach their apotheosis in "Blithe Spirit," a modern classic that still delights. The enchanting production at Great Lakes Theater provides ample proof of the play's enduring charm.
Novelist Charles (a suave Eric Damon Smith) is writing a book about a medium. To gather material, he invites local clairvoyant Madame Arcati (a buoyant Laurie Birmingham) to conduct a seance.
Charles' second wife is Ruth (a bossy Maggie Kettering). The mayhem begins when his first wife, Elvira (the ravishing Shanara Gabrielle), materializes as a ghost. As Ruth and Elvira vie for Charles' attention, the romantic triangle fuels the farce. That Charles can see and hear Elvira but Ruth cannot drives much of the comedy.
Coward ((1899-1973) wrote his comedy of manners in six days in 1941 on a break from his war work. The play is pure escapism with little plot and character development. The star is the brilliant language, clever exchanges that ricochet like tennis balls throughout the almost three-hour production (including two intermissions) .
The play lampoons the snobbery and superficiality of the chattering class.
Coward subtitled "Blithe Spirit" an improbable farce, not only because it asks audiences to believe in the supernatural but also because its humor revolves around the idea that ghosts in the supernatural world behave just like humans in the real world.
The constant bickering between Ruth and Charles and Charles and Elvira proves Arcati's point that people in the afterlife probably behave the same way as they do on earth.
The production is a feast for the senses, beginning with Russell Metheny's handsome rendition of an upscale drawing room. The clockwork timing of the actors' ensemble is unerring. Charles Fee's rippling direction and comic flourishes add to the merriment.
Jodi Dominick almost steals the show as roadrunner Edith, the eager-to-please new maid, whose pivotal role in the play is more than at first meets the eye. The scene in which the ghostly Elvira spooks a terrified Edith is a comic gem.
Smith is suitably debonair as the ultra-sophisticated Charles, torn between the alluring ghost of his favored first wife and the real-life presence of his increasingly exasperated second wife.
Gray all over, save for a cascade of blonde curls, Gabrielle is mesmerizing as the manipulative Elvira, whose slinking and pouting and mischief-making are so natural she almost seems real. Loved the scene in which Charles coaxes Elvira to prove her presence to the unbelieving Ruth and Elvira complies by moving a plant, raising a chair as if to strike her rival, and spraying Ruth with water.
Kettering makes Ruth's jealousy of Elvira palpable even before her nemesis shows up. Ruth believes Elvira is trying to kill Charles to get him back. Her premonition takes an unexpected turn, and suddenly, two ghosts prove even more exasperating than one.
With lumbering gait and outlandish clothing (thanks to Kim Krumm Sorenson's exotic costumes), a plump Birmingham sparkles as the eccentric Madame Arcati, who rides a bicycle and communes with those who have passed over through a seven-year-old child, her "control." Arcati's sweeping search for the ever-elusive Elvira is riotously funny.
Feats of magic amuse. A levitating table, thunderous knocking and tumbling bookshelves elicited squeals of delight from the younger set in the audience.
"Blithe Spirit" is vastly entertaining. I'm still smiling.
-Fran Heller
If one word could describe English playwright Noel Coward and his mature comedies, it would be sophistication. Coward's laser-sharp wit and rapier dialogue reach their apotheosis in "Blithe Spirit," a modern classic that still delights. The enchanting production at Great Lakes Theater provides ample proof of the play's enduring charm.
Novelist Charles (a suave Eric Damon Smith) is writing a book about a medium. To gather material, he invites...
Saturday, March 02, 2013
Great Lakes Theater offers a highly spirited 'Blithe Spirit'
By The News Herald
-Bob Abelman
Noël Coward's "Blithe Spirit," first staged in London in 1941, is the comedic equivalent of a dry martini.
Comprised of urbane smugness, just a hint of slapstick and stirred (the worlds created by Noël Coward are never shaken), the play is considered low-shelf stuff compared to Cowards' more successful "Private Lives" and "Hay Fever." It is, however, still clever, caustic and particularly funny in the hands of Great Lakes Theater.
Classified as a "comedy of manners," "Blithe Spirit" is set in the sophisticated world of the upper class and serves to ridicule the pretensions of those who consider themselves socially superior. Witty dialogue presented through rapid-fire delivery, rather than complicated plots or complex characters, drives these plays. Their humor resides in witnessing reserved, typically unaffected, upper-crust Brits addressing an utterly improbable and absurd situation, and becoming increasingly nonplused.
"Blithe Spirit" concerns the socialite and novelist Charles Condomine (Eric Damon Smith), who invites the eccentric clairvoyant, Madame Arcati (Laurie Birmingham) and friends (Aled Davies and Molly McGinnis) to his house for a séance, hoping to gather material for his next book. The séance inadvertently opens a pathway for poltergeists and Charles is visited by his ethereal and beautiful first wife, Elvira (Shanara Gabrielle). Elvira decides to stay for a while and haunt Charles' marriage to his second wife, Ruth (Maggie Kettering), who cannot see, hear, or tolerate the aberration.
"Comedy of manners" storytelling is foreign-born and woefully outdated, but the GLT effectively facilitates our acclimation to this nearly three-hour, three-act excursion and it does so from the get-to.
Prior to Charles' nine-page, four-martini presentation of the exposition, which opens this play and justifies its pretense, we are offered a delightful pantomime by Edith the maid (Jodi Dominick). According to Coward's brief stage direction in the script, Edith comes in "carrying, rather uneasily, a large tray of cocktail things." Dominick turns this simple note into comedic genius as she awkwardly balances the load and - subtly choreographed to period music playing in the background - agonizes over each and every item's proper placement. The audience is now properly entertained, primed and ready for the evening's festivities.
In general, director Charles Fee wastes no opportunities to create interesting movement on the stage where none exists on the page to keep this production moving at progressively breakneck speed. Keeping pace with their witty repartee, Smith and Kettering are wonderful as the Condomines. He a dapper milquetoast and she a no-nonsense matron with little patience for his frailties, both are delightful to watch throughout this production.
Gabrielle, as Elvira, makes it easy to buy into Charles' predicament of being attracted to the dead. Her 1940s-era flirtation - framed in platinum curls, a skin-clinging gown designed by Kim Krumm Sorenson, and heels - creates wonderful 1940s-era sexual tension.
The best thing about this production is Birmingham, who's every motion and movement as Madame Arcati is superbly eccentric. Whether she is roaming the room sensing ectoplasmic energy through her wrists, waving aimlessly through air in search for the invisible Elvira, or dancing with abandon to attract the spirit she uses to allure those who have crossed over, Birmingham's actions never fail to get a hit-the-funny-bone reaction.
All this takes place in the beautifully constructed and well-appointed Condomine living room. Designer Russell Metheny has an amazing eye for detail, best reflected in the tall wood paneling and period furniture, and a gift for hiding the mechanics that generate the set's destruction at the hands of angry spirits.
Like a well-made dry martini, "Blithe Spirit" offers pure escapism that is easy to consume. This fine production of it leaves you particularly lightheaded at the end of the evening.
-Bob Abelman
Noël Coward's "Blithe Spirit," first staged in London in 1941, is the comedic equivalent of a dry martini.
Comprised of urbane smugness, just a hint of slapstick and stirred (the worlds created by Noël Coward are never shaken), the play is considered low-shelf stuff compared to Cowards' more successful "Private Lives" and "Hay Fever." It is, however, still clever, caustic and particularly funny in the hands of Great Lakes Theater.
Classified...
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
"...BLITHE SPIRIT is a must-see..."
By Kory (The New 102)
When Nöel Coward's BLITHE SPIRIT, an escapist comedy, opened on London's West End in 1941 it was well received and set British box office records. The play ran for 1,997 performances, a record for non-musical plays that wasn't broken until THE MOUSETRAP surpassed it in 1957.
BLITHE SPIRIT is set in 1941 in Kent, a county in South East England. Set in a 'well to do' household, the rules of the old aristocracy still reign supreme, in fact, the dialogue in BLITHE SPIRIT is a hilarious, cardiovascular exercise in aristocratical, proper 'King's English' vernacular. The script is fast moving, never let's you rest and gets funnier as the show goes on.
Director, and Producing Artistic Director Charles Fee has assembled a rock-star cast for this classic play. The first big laugh's hit right at the opening curtain when we meet Edith the maid, played by GLT regular Jodi Dominick. Even with limited dialogue, Dominick manages to grab huge reactions from the crowd. The story centers around married couple Ruth (Maggie Kettering) and Charles (Eric Damon Smith). Charles invites psychic medium Madame Arcati (Laurie Birmingham) to their home to perform a séance, for research on a book he is writing. Charles gets more than he bargained for when the ghost of his ex wife Elvira (Shanara Gabriel), shows up to wreak havoc!
Kettering and Smith have several hilarious, quippy, arguments during the show that will have you laughing out loud, and Gabriel is a perfect choice for the mischievous ghost Elvira. The real stand out, for me, is Laurie Birmingham. She is completely convincing in her role as the, possibly crazy, psychic medium. She is hilarious, talented and really holds the show together. Birmingham is unforgettable!
Divided into three acts, a Nöel Coward trademark, BLITHE SPIRIT is more than just a play, it is a fast-moving event. A social-gathering, full of breaks for a trip to the bar. But make sure you get to the bar immediately at the start of the intermissions as you will get turned away, regardless of how long you've been in line, when the next act starts. For me it was 10 minutes in line, and the curtain raised on Act 2 right as I got to the front. I was less than pleased. My liver, however, appreciated the break.
All three acts offer their own plot-twists and intrigue, and when the curtain falls on Act 3, you'll hardly notice how long you've been at the theatre. BLITHE SPIRIT is loaded with fast-talking, intelligent humor, intrigue, mystery, cool staging and fun special effects. Nöel Coward once performed in the historic Hanna Theatre, maybe his presence is contributing to this ghostly comedy's success. BLITHE SPIRIT is a must-see, but it crosses back over on March 10th, grab tickets at GreatLakesTheater.org!
When Nöel Coward's BLITHE SPIRIT, an escapist comedy, opened on London's West End in 1941 it was well received and set British box office records. The play ran for 1,997 performances, a record for non-musical plays that wasn't broken until THE MOUSETRAP surpassed it in 1957.
BLITHE SPIRIT is set in 1941 in Kent, a county in South East England. Set in a 'well to do' household, the rules of...
Monday, March 04, 2013
What a fantastic performance!
By Aalice (patron email)
We saw Blithe Spirit on Sunday, March third. What a fantastic performance! Really, really enjoyed it. Congratulations on a job well done!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
"I just loved Blithe Spirit."
By Pamela (patron email)
I just loved Blithe Spirit. The theater is intimate enough that you feel that you are part of the play and everyone is so friendly and helpful. Thank you for a wonderful experience.
Monday, March 04, 2013
That was a GREAT show, Blithe Spirit!!!!!!
By Kathy (patron email)
That was a GREAT show, Blithe Spirit!!!!!! I definitely enjoyed the production and your new look was awesome, also!!!! Will return. Thanks!
Monday, March 04, 2013
Superb cast!
By Michael (patron email)
Loved Blithe Spirit! Superb cast!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
"I enjoyed Blithe Spirit..."
By Anne (patron email)
I enjoyed Blithe Spirit and plan to attend other shows at Playhouse Square in the future. The hospitality at Hanna Theater was wonderful.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Spirited actress Laurie Birmingham to play Madame Arcati in 'Blithe Spirit' in Cleveland
By Andrea Simakis, "The Plain Dealer"
Upon seeing his ethereal ex materialize in his living room, conjured from the mists of the hereafter with the help of a martini-loving medium, novelist Charles Condomine pleads for reason.
"Try to see my point, dear," he tells his former wife, the beguiling, petulant Elvira. "I've been married to Ruth for five years, and you've been dead for seven . . . "
"Not dead, Charles," she corrects. " 'Passed over.' It's considered vulgar to say 'dead' where I come from."
Like the first Mrs. Condomine, "Blithe Spirit," Noel Coward's "improbable farce in three acts," as the script's subtitle has it, returns to haunt Great Lakes Theater after nearly 17 years Friday.
Producing artistic director Charles Fee, who helms the new production, has itched to do the show ever since he directed Coward's "Hay Fever" in 2007. And with good reason. What could be more Coward, he says, than the "deliciously cruel" scenario of an "astral bigamist" cornered by two unhappy wives?
"That's essentially what all of his plays are," says Fee of Coward, "families or couples who are trapped in a room with each other and driving each other completely insane."
"Title [is] Blithe Spirit," Coward wrote in his diary as German warplanes hammered Britons during the Blitz in World War II. "Very gay, superficial comedy about a ghost. Feel it may be good."
Six days later, the script was done. When the play opened at London's Piccadilly Theatre on July 2, 1941, Graham Greene called it "a weary exhibition of bad taste." But the public, weary of real-life death and destruction, slurped down the supernatural menage a trois with a serving spoon.
While "Blithe Spirit" enjoyed a record-setting run of 1,997 performances in the U.K., American audiences loved it, too, flocking to see headliner Clifton Webb as Charles on Broadway that same year.
Since then, the haunted-spouse comedy has manifested twice more on the Great White Way, with star-studded casts sinking their collective teeth into those filet mignon roles -- none juicier than that of Madame Arcati, the tippling, bike-riding spiritualist who summons Elvira from the grave.
Geraldine Page played the eccentric Arcati in 1987 to raves opposite Judith Ivey as Charles' long-suffering terrestrial mate, Ruth Condomine, with Blythe Danner as the otherworldly Elvira. (Richard Chamberlain was Charles, the skeptic who invites Madame A. to perform a seance as inspiration for a character in his new novel, titled "The Unseen." Page was nominated for a Tony Award, but died of a heart attack during the run at age 62.)
In a 2009 revival, Angela Lansbury, then 83, picked up Arcati's crystal ball and summoned a Tony-winning performance, energizing, said critics, an "earth-bound" and largely lifeless production. This despite the presence of the still-dreamy Rupert Everett as Charles and Broadway favorite Christine Ebersol as Elvira.
Madame Arcati
is the life of the party
But truth be told, it's always been Arcati's party. Not only does all the action revolve around the wacky medium -- who proudly reports that she experienced her "first ectoplasmic manifestation when I was five and a half" -- but Coward gives her most of the guffaws.
"Always feel capital after a trance -- rejuvenates me," Arcati assures Ruth after an especially rough session knocks her out cold. So, it seems, does a well-mixed cocktail. "Anybody can write books," she tells her host, "but it takes an artist to make a dry martini that's dry enough."
Though Charles and his cutting band of sophisticates don't believe in magic, Arcati does, and her commitment to her craft -- along with her sheer delight at a job well done -- is infectious.
She is one of the great comic parts for an actress of any era, a character Coward describes as "a striking woman, dressed not too extravagantly but with a decided bias towards the barbaric. She might be any age between forty-five and sixty-five."
"She's a hoot -- a hoot and a holler," says Laurie Birmingham. And she would know. Birmingham, who joined the Great Lakes company last year, will play the high-spirited psychic at the Hanna Theatre. And she has led her share of seances as Madame Arcati before, in 1989 at the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
She was in her 30s then, a bit young for the role. Now, at 55, says Birmingham, "I'm more right for her." Freakily right, actually -- in more ways than one.
Reviewers compared the actress to a young Lansbury for her turn in the off-Broadway revival of Rachel Crothers' play "A Little Journey" in 2011. But that's not the half of it.
"In my personal life, I'm a pretty spiritual person myself," she says. Like Madame Arcati, "I like to believe that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy, and I live my life like that.
"I know how to read palms, I know how to do tarot cards. I've certainly had experiences in my life where I have seen ghosts, if you wanna call 'em that. I'm very open to her world."
Not surprisingly, given the dramatic personalities that have stalked the boards through the decades, many of those sightings have been in theaters.
Encountering a ghost
in Los Angeles theater
Skeptical? Consider the evidence.
Though Birmingham is certain "there's something going on in the Hanna" and has sensed lots of "different sorts of entities hanging around the Ohio" Theatre, where she and the company preformed "A Christmas Carol" in December, one of her more spectacular encounters happened years ago, at Los Angeles City College.
While rehearsing a scene from "All My Sons" with another actor on a small stage, although the house was empty, both felt they were being watched, she says.
Birmingham spotted him 10 feet behind her -- an older man, kind of hovering a little bit off the ground.
She stepped into the spot where she'd last seen the apparition, "and I could feel this energy going up and down from my head to my toes," she says. Though her scene partner stood on the same mark, he felt nothing. But he did smell something.
The ghost, Birmingham guesses, "was a wino, like this old drunk, and every time he kept appearing, we'd smell this stale wine smell in the theater."
So did other actors who came to the theater that night.
"It was their turn to rehearse next -- we were the only two people in the theater -- and they peeked their heads in and said, 'When are you guys going to be offstage?' And then they go, 'Hey, are you drinkin' wine in here?' "
Spine-tingling meetings like that have convinced Birmingham that though Madame Arcati is lots of fun, she's no joke.
"She believes completely in what she's doing, and I've had so many of these experiences, over these last 25 years since I played her, that I'm like, 'Yes, she's for real.' "
Actress and Arcati
take their work seriously
To that end, though Birmingham will have a few "barbaric" costume flourishes, her Arcati won't look like a parody of a carnival seer, arms festooned with clanking bangles.
"She's pretty straightforward," Birmingham says. "She rides her bike everywhere. She's a very healthy, very sturdy woman. She's just very matter-of-fact. I think she makes a pretty good living doing what she does, which is talking to people on the other side."
Birmingham's Arcati will, however, sport a crystal ball -- she's bringing one from home to see if it will work onstage. (The actress makes no claims to being able to divine anything using the glass globe; it's strictly decorative.)
"She takes what she does very seriously," Birmingham says of her character, one she counts among the top 10 favorites of her career. "She lives a very happy, fun life, too, but when she gets to work, she's very serious."
That description sounds a lot like Birmingham, an accomplished professional who delights in reading about crop circles. "You have a lot of 'em in Ohio!" enthuses the Southern California native.
Still, her "favorite all-time role," she offers, was Josie in "A Moon for the Misbegotten" at Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
"This was 12 years ago now, but I remember saying after it was through, 'If I never act again, I think I'll be OK.' It was a phenomenal experience. Eugene O'Neill obviously wrote the play for me -- he didn't know it at the time, but that's what it seemed like to me."
With her affinity for the British medium and their shared predilection for the spirit world, doesn't it feel as though Coward penned Arcati for her?
Birmingham laughs; only her performance can answer that question, she says.
Then again, perhaps you can ask him yourself. Coward once played the Hanna, in 1933, alongside Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in the world premiere of his wicked comedy "Design for Living," a story about another threesome, come to think of it.
Just follow the scent of a terrifically dry martini.
Upon seeing his ethereal ex materialize in his living room, conjured from the mists of the hereafter with the help of a martini-loving medium, novelist Charles Condomine pleads for reason.
"Try to see my point, dear," he tells his former wife, the beguiling, petulant Elvira. "I've been married to Ruth for five years, and you've been dead for seven . . . "
"Not dead, Charles," she corrects. " 'Passed over.' It's...
Tuesday, March 05, 2013
Blithe Spirit was superb.
By Kathy (patron email)
Blithe Spirit was superb.The actors did an outstanding job!
Tuesday, March 05, 2013
Awesome job with Blithe Spirit!
By Jim (patron email)
Dear Friends at GLT, Awesome job with Blithe Spirit last Saturday during the afternoon performance. The play was very well done and the performers were awesome! I love the Hanna!! Thanks again for a great afternoon of theater!
Monday, March 11, 2013
We haven't laughed that hard in a long time.
By Susan (patron email)
I took my 13 son to see this on Saturday night. We haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Great show in a beautiful theater. We have been to the State, Ohio and Palace many times but I believe this was my first experience at the Hanna and we will be back very soon! Thank you for a wonderful evening of laughter and relaxation!
Monday, March 11, 2013
Your production of Blithe Spirit was delightful!
By Lisa (patron email)
Just wanted to say we have been to several shows and have enjoyed them all. Your production of Blithe Spirit was delightful! When we attend shows, my husband and I always bring our daughters and they each bring a friend. For this show our group ranged from 48 to 14 and everyone loved it! Thanks for a terrific evening :) Keep up the good work!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
It was truly, truly delightful.
By Phyliss (patron email)
"Blithe Spirit" just may be the best and funniest play we've seen at Great Lakes in all the years we've been attending. The cast was superb, particularly Madame Arcati. It was truly, truly delightful.
Social Media Night (public)
February 22, 2013
6:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Engage and explore.
Master the art of making the perfect cocktail with an expert mixologist and learn everything you ever wanted to know about navigating a modern cocktail party from professional etiquette consultant Colleen Harding (Cleveland School of Etiquette).
7:30 p.m.
Catch a classic.
Experience Great Lakes Theater’s performance of Noël Coward’s spook-tacular comic classic Blithe Spirit.
Admission includes the pre-show event, complimentary drink and a ticket to the show
Stage Fright!
March 02, 2013
Are theaters really haunted…or is that just a superstition? Ever wonder what happens after lights go dark? Join us for a “spirited” pre-show discussion event as nationally renowned expert Mary Ann Winkowski – a paranormal investigator, author, lecturer, television/radio personality and consultant for the hit CBS show Ghost Whisperer - provides answers from a lifetime of experience. Explore the paranormal and the haunted history of the Hanna Theatre (and PlayhouseSquare’s other theaters) while learning more about Mary Ann’s surprising “spiritual” interactions with a myriad of memorable ghosts. Cap off your evening with a performance of Noel...
Noel Coward's Comedy BLITHE SPIRIT Will Haunt the Hanna
January 24, 2013
CLEVELAND, OH - Great Lakes Theater (GLT), Cleveland’s Classic Company, commences the second half its 2013-14 season with Noël Coward’s comedy, Blithe Spirit. The production will be performed in the company’s revolutionary and audience-friendly home at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, February 22 – March 10. 2013. Charles Fee, GLT’s Producing Artistic Director, directs the production.
Great Lakes Theater’s production of Blithe Spirit is sponsored by PNC. GLT is generously funded by the citizens of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. In addition, the classic...
Great Lakes Theater proudly presents Noel Coward's spook-tacular comic classic, "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, February 22-March 10, 2013. (Photography by TRG Reality).
Actor Jodi Dominick (as Edith) is "maid" for the role in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actors Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) and Maggie Kettering (as Ruth) make a mostly happy couple in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
(Note: Our website automatically cropped this vertical image. The full version is available during download.) Actors Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) and Maggie Kettering (as Ruth) make a mostly happy couple in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Laurie Birmingham (right, as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) takes center as Maggie Kettering (left, as Ruth) and Molly McGinnis (far left, as Mrs. Bradman) helplessly observe in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Laurie Birmingham conjures up laughs and an unexpected guest or two (as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) at a seance with her hapless hosts (actors, from left to right) Aled Davies (as Dr. Bradman), Maggie Kettering (as Ruth), Molly McGinnis (as Mrs. Bradman) and Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
(Note: Our website automatically cropped this vertical image. The full version is available during download.) Actors Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) and Maggie Kettering (as Ruth) make a mostly happy couple in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Laurie Birmingham (as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) confronts her charming skeptic Aled Davies (as Dr. Bradman) as Eric Damon Smith (center, as Charles) observes in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) attempts in vain to introduce his current wife, Maggie Kettering (right, as Ruth), to the ghost of his deceased first wife, Shanara Gabrielle (left, as Elvira), in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Reunited and it feels so...good? Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) is confronted with the ghost of his deceased first wife, Shanara Gabrielle (as Elvira), during a hilarious haunting in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
(Note: Our website automatically cropped this vertical image. The full version is available during download.) Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) is reunited with the ghost of his deceased first wife, Shanara Gabrielle (as Elvira), during a hilarious haunting in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actors Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) and Maggie Kettering (as Ruth) make a mostly happy couple in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Maggie Kettering (left, as Ruth) requests the assistance of Laurie Birmingham (right, as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) to exorcise her "demons" in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
(Note: Our website automatically cropped this vertical image. The full version is available during download.) Actor Shanara Gabrielle (as Elvira) takes center stage during a hilarious haunting in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Reunited and it feels so...good? Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) receives a cold shoulder from the ghost of his deceased first wife, Shanara Gabrielle (as Elvira), during Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) enlists Laurie Birmingham (right, as the madcap medium Madame Arcati) to exorcise his ghost, Shanara Gabrielle (left, as deceased first wife, Elvira) in Great Lakes Theater's production of the spook-tacular Noel Coward comedy "Blithe Spirit" at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through March 10. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)
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