Other BB&C Review

A 'Charming' "Bell, Book and Candle" at Canterbury Summer Theatre

Thu, 08/11/2011 - 16:32 laughingcat

Gillian Holroyd (Chelsea Hockaday) is ready to celebrate Christmas with her aunt, Queenie (Danielle Gendron) and her brother Nicky (Shane David Miller), when she meets her tenant, publisher Shepherd (Shep) Henderson (Matthew Carroll), who is upset about Queenie’s uninvited visits to his apartment.

She’s only mildly interested in Shep until she finds out that he’s engaged to her college nemesis With the help of her cat, Pyewacket, she casts a spell to make him fall for her because she wants to have a fling (because witches can’t fall in love without losing their powers).

When Shep says that he’s interested in publishing the next book by author Sydney Redlitch (Daniel Whitaker), Gillian implies that she’s already met the author. She casts another spell, and he turns at her apartment. He says he’s ready to write a book about witches in New York, which Queenie and Nicky think is exciting.

In exchange for a writing credit, Nicky tells Redlitch all about witches, even introducing him to a few. Gillian is furious with Nicky, and casts a spell to stop the book. Shep, of course, laughs at the very idea of witches. In fact, when Gillian confesses to Shep who refuses to believe her.

Chelsea Hockaday is normally the Stage Manager at Canterbury, so it was fun to see her on stage instead of hiding in the background. Daffy Aunt Queenie is a perfect part for Danielle Gendron. Congrats to costumer Neila K. Ettienne who found authentic looking 50’s dresses for Hockaday and Gendron.

“Bell, Book and Candle,” which opened on Broadway in 1950, starred Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer. It was made into a movie starring James Stewart and Kim Novak in 1958. There is speculation that it could be the inspiration for TV’s “Bewitched.”

Now that the kids in the cast are going back to school, the Festival Players Guild and Bossier Parish Community College (Louisiana) are co-producing the final production of the Guild's 2011 Canterbury Summer Theatre Season, “Echoes” by N. Richard Nash. “Echoes,” which features BPCC students, marks the seventh year they’ve traveled from Louisiana to Michigan City.

“Bell, Book and Candle” has performances on Thursday, August 11th through Saturday, August 13th at 8pm. There is an additional performance at 5pm on Saturday. FYI (219) 874-4269 orwww.festivalplayersguild.org.