Theater production plays on our worst social fears

by Brittany Bradford, staff writer

Imagine you are out on an amazing date at the newest, atmosphere-filled Italian restaurant.

The mood is right, you smell great, your date looks awesome and everything is going wonderfully. The waiter appears to take your order, and as requested, the two of you will share, what will become, the most romantic bowl of spaghetti you have ever experienced.

The menus are then ripped from your fingers, and as you start to gaze across the table, your eyes pass the adoring face opposite you. You want to look away but can’t. Your heart sinks and your stomach is no longer thinking about that spaghetti. This is the moment we all dread, the moment one has spotted a former lover.

As agonizing as just seeing them can be, picture how horrible this can be when you are accompanied by the new love of your life. This emotional sequence of events is given a comedic relief in “Blithe Spirit”, which is being staged on Oct. 5-7 at 7:30 pm and will conclude on Oct. 8 with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. at South Plains College’s Theatre for the Performing Arts.

These thespians will be striving to recreate the famous production that originally surfaced in the mid 1940s and has captivated audiences ever since. The plot is simple to the viewer but comes off as a quite complicated situation for the characters involved.

The action of the play is centered around the socialite Charles, who is being haunted by the ghost of his first wife Elvira after engaging in a successful séance. The plot thickens when Elvira puts forth her most desperate, yet constant, efforts to disrupt Charles' current marriage.

This work has filled theatres for years because of its creative dialogue and hilarious appeal to those who love to laugh. The play also has been remembered for the splendid comic character of Madame Arcati, the eccentric medium.

The director, Gene Cole, says the cast was “thrilled and more than ready” to start working on their first production of the semester and branded the comedic plot as “very enjoyable.” 

The cast includes: Robert Sullivan, playing the part of Charles; sophomore Faith Lowery, who will play the part of his second wife, Ruth; and Emily Darwin, who will play the part of the maid, Edith. The role of the Charles’s first wife, Elvira, will be played by Mariel Brown, while Michal Blackburn will be playing the role of Madame Arcati. David Huckabee will perform the part of Dr. Bradman, and Jill Dalton will play Mrs. Bradman.

Joanie Howell will serve as both the assistant director and stage manager. Set designer is James Graham, while Mandy Lindsey will be in charge of wardrobe.  Tim Cummings will serve as light board operator, Jessica Crawford will serve as the sound engineer, and Ruth Cunningham will serve as the box office manager.

This is sure to be a great source of entertainment, as well as an amusing way to relive those moments we wish we would had picked a different restaurant.