Skip to content
Reading time: 2 minutes
Elvira (Kyle Scholl), left, and Ruth (Karissa J. Murrell Myers), right, face off over Charles (Timothy Callais) in Kennedy Theatre’s Blithe Spirit. (photo by Chelsey Cannon)

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Department of Theatre and Dance presents the return of Noel Coward’s play, Blithe Spirit, directed by Paul T. Mitri, on the Mainstage at Kennedy Theatre. The last time this show was produced by Kennedy Theatre was in the 1983–84 season, directed by Terence Knapp.

Performances will take place October 3, 4, 10, and 11 at 8 p.m., and October 5 and 12 at 2 p.m. Free pre-show chats will be held with the cast and director on two Saturdays, October 4 and 11 at 7 p.m.

The story of Blithe Spirit follows Charles (played by Timothy Callais), a successful author who is planning a book about a “psychic” detective, and his second wife Ruth (Karissa J. Murrell Myers). In search of inspiration, he invites Madame Arcati (Sharon R. Garcia Doyle), an eccentric psychic, to perform a séance in their home. Chaos and hilarity soon ensue when the ghost of his first wife Elvira (Kyle Scholl) is summoned by mistake and only he can see her.

In Blithe Spirit, Mitri showcases the remarkable talent involved with this production. “We have many MFA candidates from all over the country, most in their second or third years,” said Mitri. “I would hope that the community takes this chance to see them, at the start of their careers, before they head off to Broadway and beyond.”

More about the director

In addition to serving UH Mānoa’s Department of Theatre and Dance as chair and professor, Mitri is also highly involved in the local theatre scene as an actor, director and playwright.

He is a multiple Poʻokela Award recipient for acting and directing, serves on the board as vice president for the Hawaiʻi State Theatre Council and is the current artistic director of All the World’s a Stage Theatre Company.

Ticket information

Tickets for “Blithe Spirit” are available online at etickethawaii.com, by phone at (808) 944-2697, at participating outlets and at the Kennedy Theatre box office. The box office is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, with extended hours on performance dates.

Ticket prices

  • $25 regular
  • $22 for seniors/military/UH faculty and staff
  • $15 for students
  • $8 for UH Mānoa students with a validated fall 2014 UH Mānoa photo ID

Ticket prices include all service fees. Special throwback ticket prices are in effect for “Throwback Saturday” on October 4, when ticket prices fall to $15 regular, $10 discount and $5 UH Mānoa students with ID.

For more information, visit the Kennedy theatre website or call the theatre at (808) 956-7655. Read the UH Mānoa news release for more information.

Back To Top