Mariemont Players, Inc. is pleased to announce auditions for BLITHE SPIRIT, a comedy by Nöel Coward.
Directed by David Derringer
Produced by Natasha Boeckmann
Audition Dates/Times:
- Monday, September 14, 2026 6:00-9:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 15, 2026 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Callbacks (as needed): Wednesday, September 16, 2026 6:00 p.m.
Please sign up for an audition slot here.
Note: Because the auditions are all based on scene work, the director will be seeing multiple actors at one time. If you are the only one signed up for a specific time slot, the director may ask if he can move you to an earlier/later time depending on the need.
Location:
Mariemont Players – 4101 Walton Creek Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227
Audition Requirements:
- Auditions will consist of “warm” readings from the script. Sides can be found here.
- Please bring a theatrical résumé and headshots are appreciated but not required
- The production team encourages actors of all races, ethnicities, identities, abilities, experience levels, etc. to audition – all are welcome! Director is open to casting roles as younger or older than the character descriptions depending on the talent pool in the audition room.
- Please contact director David Derringer with questions about the script or audition process here.
- If in need of accommodations or questions about accessibility, please contact producer Natasha Boeckmann here.
Production Dates: January 7-24, 2027
Rehearsal Schedule:
Rehearsals will begin in mid-November and run through the opening. Due to the rehearsal process taking place over the holiday season, some rehearsals will be more spread out than usual. Please come to auditions with a complete list of any and all conflicts, winter holiday plans, trips, etc. so the rehearsal calendar can be adapted according to the needs of the cast.
Synopsis:
Novelist Charles Condomine hosts a séance to gather material for his next book. Instead, he accidentally summons the ghost of his mischievous first wife, Elvira. Her return sparks jealousy, confusion, and supernatural mayhem in his household. As the living and the dead collide, tempers flare and loyalties are tested. Coward’s trademark wit shines through in every razor-sharp exchange. Elegant, fast-moving, and deliciously irreverent. A sparkling comedy that proves love and marriage can be truly haunting.
A Note from the Director as You Consider Character:
If you have never acted in a Coward play or need a reminder, the important rules are as follows:
- the lines are delivered at a fast pace with sharp wit and told with a straight face. Noel saw himself as the smartest person in the room, and while he may have been right, many of his characters see themselves that way too. The beauty of his plays is when the airs of aristocracy end up not helping the aristocrats as they suffer the same issues of love, relationship, and turmoil that is universal, no matter the size of one’s pocketbook. And by playing it truthfully, we
will find the comedy.
Character Breakdown:
- Ruth Condomine – A smart looking woman, Ruth is the wife of Charles. She is a bit jealous of Charles’s relationship with his first wife and does not do well with change.
- Charles Condomine – Charles is an intelligent and urbane English novelist. Charles is the husband of Ruth Condomine and deceased first wife, Elvira. He is the cornerstone of which the audience relies on in order to accept all the craziness this play brings.
- Elvira Condomine – Charles Condomine’s deceased first wife, Elvira returns as a ghost with a goal. In the process, she makes Charles’s and Ruth’s lives very complicated.
- Edith – The Condomine’s maid, Edith is always in a hurry. (While not as prolifically written as the other characters, she will appear in more moments than is written in the play and react to the news she overhears accordingly for comedic effect, making her a more central part of the overall story.)
- Dr. George Bradman – A bit of a skeptic, Dr. Bradman is a friend of the Condomines.
- Mrs. Violet Bradman – The wife of Dr. Bradman, Mrs. Bradman is a bit faded but also groundedand a good friend to Ruth.
- Madame Arcati – Madame Arcati is a striking woman with a definite bias toward the barbaric. Charles straight man persona allows Arcati the opportunity to explore the exact opposite.wn values.
