A Noise Within Presents 'Blithe Spirit' October 9, 2010

A NOISE WITHIN,
LOS ANGELES’ CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED
REPERTORY THEATRE COMPANY, PRESENTS
NOEL COWARD’S TIMELESS COMEDY BLITHE SPIRIT

Saturday, October 9 – Friday, December 17, 2010
(previews begin Saturday, October 2)

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed classical repertory theatre company, presents Noel Coward’s timeless comedic gem Blithe Spirit, directed by Damaso Rodriguez, which opens Saturday, October 9 and closes Friday, December 17, 2010 (previews begin Saturday, October 2). In Coward’s masterpiece, a quintessential ensemble work, novelist Charles Condomine and his wife Ruth get more than they bargained for when an after-dinner séance led by local spiritualist/eccentric Madame Arcati produces an uninvited guest from the great beyond to crash the party, prompting a delightfully cosmic clash of personalities both worldly and otherwise.

In this glittering comedy of the soul that ponders the eternal essence of what it is to be in a relationship, Coward’s mastery of comedy is on display with extraordinary wit, talent for crafting an exquisite story and sense of timing. Blithe Spirit premiered in London’s West End in 1941, setting a run-record for non-musical British plays of 1,997 performances, and subsequently ran on Broadway for 657 performances. In 1945, Coward himself adapted the play for a film starring Rex Harrison and in 1964 directed on Broadway a musical adaptation, High Spirits. The play has enjoyed numerous revivals including a 2009 run on Broadway.

The cast features Gibby Brand (Dr. Bradman), Jacque Lynn Colton (Mrs. Bradman), Abby Craden (Elvira Condomine), Alison Elliott (Edith), Scott Lowell (Charles Condomine), Jane Macfie (Madame Arcati), and Jill Van Velzer (Ruth Condomine).

Rodriguez, co-artistic director of Furious Theatre Company and 2000 participant in ANW’s Professional Internship Program, says, “Blithe Spirit is one of the funniest and most popular plays of the 20th century, full of Coward's razor-sharp dialogue and containing two of his most memorable comic creations: Elvira, the blithe spirit of the title, and the eccentric psychic Madame Arcati. Coward’s plays are extremely smart and occasionally subversive, with sentiments well ahead of their times. Our production will keep Coward’s mid-1930s English countryside setting, while looking to reveal his surprisingly contemporary world view." Rodriguez adds, "I find it inspiring that Coward wrote Blithe Spirit at the height of Britain's involvement in World War II in 1941 while his country was living through the sustained bombing of the Nazi Blitz, yet the play contains no reference to those troubled times. He apparently wanted audiences to come to the theatre to escape their troubles by enjoying his comic ghost story. I hope A Noise Within audiences will do the same.”

To enhance the theatre-going experience, A Noise Within offers comprehensive study guides for every production, each with a synopsis, director's notes, general theatre lore, links to other resources and detailed information about the playwright, characters, setting, period, costumes, scenic design, music and more. The Blithe Spirit Study Guide along with those for previous A Noise Within productions are available on-line at http://www.anoisewithin.org/education_studyguides.html.

A Noise Within (ANW) is the only year-round classical repertory company in Southern California and one of only a handful in the entire country dedicated solely to producing classical dramatic literature in the repertory tradition of rotating productions with a resident company of professional artists. Led by Co-Founders and Co-Artistic Directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, A Noise Within has been hailed by critics as "adventurous," "compelling and current," “ingenuity at work,” “a bona fide class act,” and “what great theatre is all about.” Founded 19 seasons ago, ANW quickly established itself as one of the region’s key theatre companies, attracting fiercely loyal audiences and consistently high praise from the media for its productions and as a leading force in arts education. The company has presented more than 120 plays from the classics of world literature, each season producing works from authors ranging from Shakespeare and Molière to Ibsen, O’Neill and Shaw to Miller and Williams. ANW’s consistent dedication to quality has been rewarded with more than two dozen Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards as well as numerous LA Weekly and Backstage Garland awards. A Noise Within's next chapter provides the long-awaited opportunity to sink deep and lasting roots when the company moves in 2011 from its long-time base in Glendale to a spectacular, permanent home in a Pasadena mixed-use development at the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Sierra Madre Villa Avenue. The facility, hailed as an anchor in East Pasadena's arts growth, is designed to broaden A Noise Within’s artistic possibilities, offer a greater scope of educational opportunities, meet ticket demand and allow the company to expand its role as a leader in the presentation and preservation of classical theatre.

Single Tickets are $46 (Friday and Saturday evenings, Sunday matinees); $42 (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, Saturday matinees); and $32 (previews). Groups (10 or more) are $25, or $30 on Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees; School Groups (10 or more) are $16, or $20 on Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees.

A NOISE WITHIN is located at 234 South Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA 91204. To purchase tickets or for a full season brochure, call 818-240-0910 x1 or visit www.ANoiseWithin.org.
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EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE:

CALENDAR LISTING

WHO:
A Noise Within – one of the nation’s leading repertory theatre companies

WHAT:
NOEL COWARD’S BLITHE SPIRIT

Cast and Crew:
Damaso Rodriguez, Director

Gibby Brand (Dr. Bradman)
Jacque Lynn Colton (Mrs. Bradman)
Abby Craden (Elvira Condomine)
Alison Elliott (Edith)
Scott Lowell (Charles Condomine)
Jane Macfie (Madame Arcati)
Jill Van Velzer (Ruth Condomine)

Monique Fisher (Assistant Director)
Dale Alan Cooke (Stage Manager)
Lisa Monette (Assistant Stage Manager)
Kurt Boetcher (Scenic Designer)
E.B. Brooks (Costume Designer)
James Taylor (Lighting Designer)
Doug Newell (Sound Designer)
Renee Cash (Props Master)
Rebecca Baillie (Production Manager)
Adam Lillibridge (Technical Director)
Ronnie Clark (Master Electrician)
Monica Sabedra (Wig/Hair and Makeup Designer)
Michael Field (Scenic Artist)

WHEN:
Previews:
Saturday, October 2, 8 pm
Sunday, October 3, 7 pm
Wednesday, October 6, 8 pm
Thursday, October 7, 8 pm
Friday, October 8, 8 pm

Opens:
Saturday, October 9, 8 pm

Runs:
Sunday, October 10, 2 pm
Saturday, November 6, 8 pm
Sunday, November 7, 2 pm
Sunday, November 7, 7 pm
Saturday, November 20, 2 pm
Saturday, November 20, 8 pm
Sunday, November 28, 2 pm
Thursday, December 2, 8 pm
Friday, December 3, 8 pm
Saturday, December 11, 8 pm
Sunday, December 12, 2 pm
Wednesday, December 15, 8 pm
Thursday, December 16, 8 pm
Friday, December 17, 8pm

WHERE:
A Noise Within
234 South Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91204

TICKET PRICES:
$46 (Friday and Saturday evenings, Sunday matinees);
$42 (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, Saturday matinees);
$32 (previews).
Group rates and special rates for school groups available

TICKETS & INFO:
818-240-0910 x1
www.ANoiseWithin.org