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'Blithe Spirit' to kick off Eastern's spring theatre season

by Lissie Craig

Willimantic, CT (02/20/2024) — The Communication, Film and Theatre Department and the Drama Society at Eastern Connecticut State University will present "Blithe Spirit" as their first stage production of the spring semester from Feb. 27 to March 3.

"Blithe Spirit" was written in the 1940s by English playwright Noel Coward, who described his flamboyant masterpiece as "an improbable farce." Theatre Professor J.J. Cobb will direct Eastern's rendition of the play, which takes place in the hinterlands of Connecticut.

The show follows Charles Condomine, an uppity novelist struggling with writer's block. He opts to find otherworldly inspiration by recruiting quirky clairvoyant Madame Arcati to conduct a seance at his home. Charles's strategy goes awry when Madame Arcati haphazardly conjures up the spirit of his deceased first wife who is bent on terrorizing his current wife.

"We have some extraordinarily talented folks in the program right now, and though I've had them in various classes, we haven't had a chance to work together on a full show as of yet," said Cobb. "I'm truly enjoying this group and am thrilled that several of them will get a chance to strut their period styles expertise before they graduate. 'Blithe' is also my first chance to work on a set that Tim Golebiewski (lighting specialist and lecturer) designed, and it's marvelous to see the way the actors build more informed characters in dialogue with the space."

Cobb continued: "Since the script is set in the early 1940s, audiences will hear Coward's sophisticated rhythms within the text itself. The costumes, designed by Ashlyn Sminkey '24, are simply gorgeous. There are quite a few ghostly surprises sprinkled throughout the show, and the final scene is really gangbusters."

Blithe Spirit will be presented in the Fine Arts Instructional Center's Delmonte Studio Theatre on Feb. 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 29 at 5:30 p.m.; March 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m.; and March 3 at 4 p.m.

Tickets are free for Eastern students; $5 for other students and groups of 10 or more; $10 for senior citizens; $12 for Eastern faculty, staff and alumni; and $20 for the general public. Tickets for this production are on sale now at the following link: https://easternct.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=65

Eastern students can reserve a free ticket (upon completion of a short survey). To reserve a student ticket, visit: https://forms.gle/44S7HPyEApQigQ739

For reservations, phone the FAIC Box Office at (860) 465-5123 or email theatreboxoffice@easternct.edu.

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 160 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 30 states and eight countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 20 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022-23 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 13 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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