Purdue Theatre to present 'Blithe Spirit'
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Theatre will present "Blithe Spirit" by Noël Coward beginning Friday (April 13) at the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre in Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts.
"As delightfully peculiar psychic Madame Arcati says, "Love is a strong psychic force, Mr. Condomine. It can work untold miracles. A true love can encompass the universe.' While the thought is dismissed in the context of the play, I believe it is at the heart of what 'Blithe Spirit' is all about," said director Larry Sommers. "Once we've found and lost that deep, intense, once-in-a-lifetime kind of passion, we'll work doggedly to get it back for the rest of our lives - and then some! Unfortunately, such passion has two equally sharp edges; one of dizzying ecstasy and the other maddening frustration - and that is the source of the fun in this play.
"Noël Coward is certainly not the first or the last comedy writer to capitalize on this idea, but I'm not sure anyone else has delivered the product with the level of pique, pith and panache of the great Mr. Coward. Introduce a second feisty love to the mix, with a healthy dose of the supernatural and a wacky medium, and you have the makings for a wild ride in the English countryside."
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. April 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, and 21. Matinees also will be offered at 2:30 p.m. on April 15 and 21. Tickets are $19 for the general public, $12 for students and $15 for seniors ages 62 and older. A special preview performance of "Blithe Spirit" will be offered at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (April 12), with all seats $6 general admission. Tickets for "Blithe Spirit" are available at the Pao Hall, Elliott Hall and Stewart Center box offices or by calling 765-494-3933 or 800-914-SHOW. The Nancy T. Hansen Theatre is located in Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts at 552 W. Wood St.
""Blithe Spirit" is a 1940s-era comedy by British playwright Noël Coward and a fitting end to an amazing season," said department of theatre chair Joel Ebarb. "Our audience is in for an entertaining evening with this delightful and sophisticated classic of the theatre."
Purdue Theatre is part of the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Visual and Performing Arts.
Contacts: David Lageveen, director of marketing and donor relations for Purdue Theatre, 765-494-3084, lageveen@purdue.edu
Joel Ebarb, 765-494-3081, jebarb@purdue.edu
Larry Sommers, 765-494-9769, lsommers@purdue.edu