Ghost Story: Mid-Ohio Valley Players to perform ‘Blithe Spirit’ Friday
Melanie Elliott as the spectre Elvira and her living husband Charles Condomine played by Aaron Elliott in a scene from “Blithe Spirit,” the Mid Ohio Valley Players Theater show opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (Photo Provided)
The spirit Elvira played by Melanie Elliott disdainfully watches from a window as her husband, Charles Condomine, played by Aaron Elliott, swoons over his second wife, Ruth Condomine, played by Angela Shrader, in the Mid Ohio Valley Players production of “Blithe Spirit” opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
From left, Sterling Mayer as Dr. Bradman, Aaron Elliott as Charles Condomine, Erin O’Neill as Madame Arcati, Angela Shrader as Ruth Condomine and Rebecca Maciag as Mrs. Bradman in the seance in “Blithe Spirit” at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players. “Blithe Spirit,” the classic ghost story by Noel Coward, opens 7:30 p.m. Friday at Players Theatre in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Erin O’Neill as Madame Arcati peers into the crystal ball in the Mid-Ohio Valley Players production of “Blithe Spirit.” The show opens 7:30 p.m. Friday at Players Theatre on Putnam Street in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Melanie Elliott as the spectre Elvira and her living husband Charles Condomine played by Aaron Elliott in a scene from “Blithe Spirit,” the Mid Ohio Valley Players Theater show opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (Photo Provided)
The spirit Elvira played by Melanie Elliott disdainfully watches from a window as her husband, Charles Condomine, played by Aaron Elliott, swoons over his second wife, Ruth Condomine, played by Angela Shrader, in the Mid Ohio Valley Players production of “Blithe Spirit” opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
From left, Sterling Mayer as Dr. Bradman, Aaron Elliott as Charles Condomine, Erin O’Neill as Madame Arcati, Angela Shrader as Ruth Condomine and Rebecca Maciag as Mrs. Bradman in the seance in “Blithe Spirit” at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players. “Blithe Spirit,” the classic ghost story by Noel Coward, opens 7:30 p.m. Friday at Players Theatre in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Erin O’Neill as Madame Arcati peers into the crystal ball in the Mid-Ohio Valley Players production of “Blithe Spirit.” The show opens 7:30 p.m. Friday at Players Theatre on Putnam Street in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
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MARIETTA -- A classic ghost story comes to the stage Friday with the Mid-Ohio Valley Players' production of "Blithe Spirit."
"Blithe Spirit" by Noel Coward is about novelist Charles Condomine and his second wife Ruth and a seance attended by his skeptical friend Dr. Bradman and his wife. The eccentric medium Madame Arcati calls upon Charles' first wife, Elvira, to return from the dead.
Hilarity ensues as personalities clash.
"Blithe Spirit" opens 7:30 p.m. Friday and runs 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22 and 23 and at 3 p.m. Sept. 24. Tickets are $13 and are available at midohiovalleyplayers.com or at the box office 90 minutes before each show.
The show is sponsored by Wesbanco and presented with permission by Concord Theatricals and Samuel French Publishing.
Mrs. Bradman is played by Rebecca Maciag.
"Mrs. Bradman is your classic clueless type," Maciag said. "She follows her own beat and tends to say the wrong thing at the wrong time."
Maciag also was involved with set design.
"I was thrilled to be included in this play from the beginning," she said. "There was quite a bit to do with stage design and it's been a lot of fun bouncing ideas and methods off of each other."
Making his directorial debut in "Blithe Spiruit" is Nicholas Rake. He's assisted by Amber Smrek.
"It has been a delightful challenge to direct my first regular season show," Rake said. "As our tech chair, I wanted to include more special effects and integrated sound design than we've had on our stage in a few years. I began to worry that perhaps I was too ambitious with ideas, but our actors and tech crew have really gone above and beyond to bring them to life."
Sterling Mayer plays the skeptical Dr. Bradman. Mayer is excited for people to see the show.
"I am very happy with how well the show has turned out," Mayer said. "It's the perfect way to kick off the spooky season. Great set, talented cast. MOVP's Blithe Spirit is sure to entertain all."
The cast list is: Charles Condomine, Aaron Elliott; Ruth Condomine, Angela Shrader; Elvira, Melanie Elliott; Madame Arcati, Erin O'Neill; Dr. Bradman, Sterling Mayer; Mrs. Bradman, Rebecca Maciag; Edith, Rachel Gaston.