Blithe Spirit

Performances

October 26, 1945

Venue

Scottish Rite Temple

Synopsis

“Blithe Spirit” offers us fussy, cantakerous novelist Charles Condomine, remarried but haunted (literally) by the ghost of his first wife, the clever and insistent Elvira who is called up by a visiting “happy medium,” Madame Arcati. As worldly and unworldly personalities clash, Charles’ current wife Ruth is accidently killed, “passes over,” joins Elvira, and the two “Blithe Spirits” haunt the hapless Charles into perpetuity.

Author: Noel Coward

Historian’s Corner

The Community Players set a goal of 1,000 memberships for the 1945-1946 season, double the number from the last season. The opening two shows would be performed at the Scottish Rite Temple, or The Consistory as it was known. Today, the building is known as The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. A season ticket would cost $3.60, which included the tax that was payable at the time. Student season tickets were $2.40. The last two plays would be announced at a later date. All shows would be performed on Friday nights. Players were so successful in reaching sales this goal that they ran a notice in the paper that patrons would need to order early to be assured a seat. The box office chairperson, Mrs. Will Costigan would be at the Union Gas and Electric Company from 10:00a.m. until 4:00 p.m. the Thursday and Friday of the show week. The Players were also expecting a single ticket sales of 300, which would fill the Consistory to capacity. It was later noted that more tickets were sold for the production of “Blithe Spirit” than any previous Players’ show and that by the opening of the show, Players had sold 1,025 season tickets.