Ghost visits Paradise Center

Bringing the ghost of an ex-wife isn't good for a healthy marriage, especially when it leads to the death of the present wife and the return of her ghost. That's what happened to Charles Condomine in Paradise over the weekend in the comedy play Blythe Spirit by the Paradise Players.

Nearly 100 people attended the performances, held at the Paradise Center Friday, Saturday and Sunday, when a cast of seven demonstrated their acting skills. It was the first time on stage for Bethany White of Dixon, who was also the youngest of the cast members. White, a Hot Springs music teacher, played the part of Mrs. Bradman, the wife of Dr. Bradman, played by Mike Thompson.

"She did great job. I was just delighted that she had a good time and wants to do more," said director Mary Lou Hermes, who has been putting on plays in Plains and Paradise since the 1970s. She was especially pleased with White's performance over the weekend and would like to see her on stage in future plays. Hermes said that nearly all of her Paradise Players are in their 60s and 70s, but she's hoping to recruit some "young blood" in her troupe.

After Friday night's show, two young women approached her about acting in her next play. "We need more people and younger people so it isn't the same people every time," said Hermes, who has put on six plays since the establishment of the Paradise Center, which also houses a visitor's center, a community center and an arts center at the former Paradise Elementary School.

Last weekend's play had a mixture of novice and veteran actors. It was only the second time on stage for Deborah Davis and Nora Verpoorten, both of Plains, and Mike Thompson, formerly a Plains High School principal who shares his time between Plains and Anaconda, but came back to participate in Blythe Spirit, a Noel Coward script from the 1940s. Locals Myra Lindborg, Sharon Murray and her husband, Michael Murray, have done several plays for Hermes. Michael Murray was the only actor that has participated in all six of the Paradise Players' plays, but he has been an actor since the early 1980s and loves being in the stage spotlight.

In Blythe Spirit, Murray – aka Charles Condomine – gets a visit from the ghost of his first wife, Elvira, played by Sharon Murray, after Lindborg's character, Madame Arcati, held a séance at his house. The ghost causes a bit of havoc for Charles and Ruth, his present wife, played by Nora Verpoorten, who at first doesn't believe the ghost is real and doesn't get any happier once she finds out it is. Elvira is happy to once again see Charles, but she'd like him to join her on the other side. To accomplish her goal, she carries out acts of sabotage, which don't kill Charles. However, while trying to kill Charles, she mistakenly causes the death of Ruth.

The only person excited about the spiritual presence is Madame Arcati, but now she doesn't know how to send the ghost back to where it came from. She holds a second séance, but instead of sending Elvira back, she brings Ruth over from the spirit world. In the final act, they figure out that the maid, Edith, played by Deborah Davis, is psychic and responsible for the ghosts' presence. Once that was determined, the ghosts were quickly sent away.

Rehearsals for the play began six weeks ago. Hermes said the cast did a better job with each near three-hour performance. "It came off very well. They did a great job," said Hermes, who had served as the Plains High School drama coach in the 1970s. "Whenever the crowd laughs out loud the actors respond and they get better," she said. Hermes has also acted in local plays, but she prefers serving as director.

Hermes was also happy with the technical developments at the Paradise Center's multipurpose room, formerly the school gymnasium. John Thorton of Plains and Rudi Boukal of Thompson Falls extended the stage by constructing several wooden sections that stretched to 32 feet long by 12 feet wide. Building the extension in sections mean it can be reconfigured to different patterns, depending on what's needed for a play or other event. They also created audience risers for future plays and musical performances at the center. The play last weekend also utilized a new light and sound system.

Hermes plans to put on a melodrama in October and three one-act plays in the spring at the Paradise Center.