BU Players to Present 'Blithe Spirit'

The Bloomsburg University Players at CU-Bloomsburg will stage Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward in March. The play will run from March 5 to 8 at the Alvina Krause Theatre, located at 226 Center Street, Bloomsburg. Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m.

In Blithe Spirit, the skeptical, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine finds himself haunted (literally) by the ghost of his late wife, Elvira, after the eccentric Madame Arcati calls her up in a séance-gone-wrong. But to Charles chagrin, it’s his current wife, Ruth, who may find herself literally siding with Elvira. 

The play, by the witty English playwright Noël Coward, was written in a mere week and performed for the first time six weeks later. Coward said that Blithe Spirit, “fell into my mind and onto the manuscript.” First performed in 1941, Blithe Spirit has remained popular ever since for its smart, cheeky brand of comedy.

“Blithe Spirit is one of Noël Coward’s best-known scripts, and it has been a blast exploring his signature wordplay and sardonic comedic style with our students,” said Dr. Carrie Winship, the play’s director and a faculty member. “While Blithe Spirit is a comedy about death, Coward’s blistering yet endearing characters also serve to remind us to embrace life with boldness and enjoy it to its fullest. This message certainly resonated with WWII British audiences when it was first produced in 1941, and is at the heart of our production’s take on this beloved gem of the theatre.”

The scenic designer is staff member Earl Martz. Student Theo Lemons is the lighting designer, and student Abbey Bowman is the costume designer. The sound designers are student Asher Upright and faculty member Ethan Krupp. Student Jade Melton is the production stage manager.

The student cast features Andrew Meschke as Charles, Hannah Konkolics as Ruth, Kylie Luner as Elvira, Bekah Rose as Madame Arcati, Mickey Brathwaite as Dr. Violet Bradman, Drew Rehrig as Mr. George Bradman, and Maddy Hulslander as Edith.

Tickets are free for current CU-Bloomsburg students, $6 for adults, and $4 for seniors and students. Tickets are available in advance at the Arts in Bloom Box Office in the Haas Center for the Arts on the campus of CU-Bloomsburg or at the theatre box office one hour before curtain.

The play contains mature language and themes and is not recommended for young audiences. The performance runs 130 minutes, including one intermission.

The Bloomsburg University Players, the producing arm of the division of Theatre and Dance at CU-Bloomsburg, promote experience in all aspects of theatre and are a proud resident producer of Arts in Bloom of CU-Bloomsburg. Participation with BU Players is open to all current students. The BU Players mainstage season continues with the 15th Annual Dance Concert on May 3 and 4, 2026.

For more information about the BU Players, visit buplayers.org. For more information about the production, contact Dr. Carrie Winship at cwinship@commonwealthu.edu.