@LaGrange - ‘Blithe Spirit’ channels comedic mayhem

Poor Charles Condomine. In Noel Coward’s play “Blithe Spirit,” Charles is happily remarried to Ruth after the tragic death of his first wife, Elvira. His life gets complicated after Elvira makes a return from the “great unknown” during a séance gone terribly wrong.

LaGrange College Theatre opens Coward’s classic comedy today at 7 p.m. in the lab theater at Price Theater. The show runs through Tuesday.

Director Tracy Riggs, Theatre Instructor, said the script is classic Coward – funny, fast and smart.

“This is a very tough script to learn because he was very specific in his word choices,” she said.

It was also a very tight rehearsal schedule.

“The cast got their scripts the day after ‘Crazy for You’ closed at the end of October,” Riggs said. “All of the actors were also in that show, so it was a very fast turnaround for them.”

Learning the proper English accent was a challenge, especially for sophomore Hayden McCullough, who went from being a cowboy in “Crazy for You” to a smart British doctor, literally overnight.

“I have a deep Southern accent that worked fine as a cowboy, but not so much in a Noel Coward play,” he laughed. “Dr. Bradman is very funny and sarcastic in a sharp and intelligent way. The two are completely different.”

Senior Ashlynn Eubanks, who plays Mrs. Bradman, said Coward’s script made it easier to get into character.

“Speaking such eloquent words in a British accent gives you an entirely different posture,” she said.

Senior Eli Grant, who plays Charles, said it’s been a joy to play the hapless husband.

“It’s interesting to portray the different relationships he has with his wives,” he said. “Elvira has been dead for seven years, but hasn’t aged a bit. His second wife is more mature and structured, while Elvira brings back the childlike joy he felt while he was married to her. He is really stuck between these two women.”

Senior Leigh Anne Hamlin said she is having the time of her life playing Madame Arcati, the medium who accidentally brings Elvira back.

“Usually I’ve had roles that were in some way like myself,” she said. “Madame A is nothing like me – she’s really gone off the deep end. She has no limits to her imagination. This role is a dream.”

Portraying Elvira is junior Abigail Young.

“Elvira is incredibly mischievous and fun,” she said. “She is just so happy to be home again – she has a lot of life for a dead person.”

Junior Laine Fletcher, who plays Ruth, said she admires the richness of Coward’s character developments.

“He literally writes who your character is – it’s all there in everything the character says,” she said. “He shows how people look at things from different perspectives, and everyone in this show is so likeable. There really isn’t a villain in the piece.”

Even with all the challenges, including final exams that begin today, Riggs said she couldn’t ask for anything more.

“I’m so proud of all of these students,” she said. “They’ve worked so hard and have done a great job in bringing Coward’s sophisticated humor to life.”

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens (55 and older) and non-LC students and free for LC students faculty and staff. The box office is open weekdays from noon until 4 p.m. Email to make reservations at priceboxoffice@lagrange.edu, or call 706-880-8080. If emailing or calling, please leave name, the performance date/time and number of tickets desired, type of tickets and a call-back number and email address for confirmation.

LaGrange College to hold annual Christmas on the Hill – LaGrange Daily News, Nov. 29, 2018

Looking a lot like Christmas on the Hill at LaGrange College – LaGrange Daily News, Nov. 30, 2018

Swimming
The LaGrange swim teams broke three school records at the SCAD Invitational last weekend in Savannah, Georgia. Freshman Connor Cochran set a new mark in the 500-yard freestyle and for the third time this season broke his own record in the 1,650 freestyle. The teams break for the holidays. They will face Warren Wilson on Jan. 20.

Women’s basketball
Jahpera McEachin scored a game-high 12 points to lead the Panthers (5-4, 1-2 USA South) to a 58-36 win over USA South foe Agnes Scott on Wednesday in Mariotti Gym. The Panthers take a break for final exams and will play at Berry on Dec. 14.

Men’s basketball
Julian Cameron had a career-high 25 points in the Panthers’ 96-87 loss at Emory on Wednesday. The Panthers (4-3, 1-1 USA South) are off for final exams and will host Brevard in a USA South game Dec. 16.

As finals begin, activities will be held to help students relieve stress. Tonight, pizza and refreshments will be served beginning at 9 p.m. in the breezeway by the 24-hour learning center at the library. On Saturday, stress-less games will be offered from noon until 2 p.m. on the library plaza. Christmas coffee and karaoke will be featured in the Boopie from 7-9 p.m. Sunday, while hot beverages will be served from 7:30-9 a.m. Monday on the plaza. Also, through Dec. 11, the library will have coloring stations set up.

Political Science majors Wade Ray, Casey Evans and Robert Allen presented their research on “Civil Asset Forfeiture: Legal Stealing?” to the Georgia Political Science Association conference on Nov. 10.  Other researchers who contributed are Peter Alford, Agrlin Braxton, Breckin Lewis, Alanna Martin, Mustafah Muhammad, Yasmin Roper, Damir Rosencrants, Stephen Wagner and Dr. John A. Tures, Political Science Professor.

There is still time to make a 2018 tax-deductible donation to help LaGrange College students on their educational journey. LaGrange College gift officers will be available any time during the holidays. Visit here or call 706-880-8039 through Dec. 21, or 706-880-8060 Dec. 22-31 to make your contribution that will benefit students in 2019.

With colder weather making a return this week, now is a good time to remind everyone about the college’s inclement weather closings. The easiest method to find information regarding winter-related schedule changes is to sign up for Regroup, which will send a message by email or text. (Sign up here). Other ways include checking your college email and by visiting the college’s Web site at www.lagrange.edu, Twitter and Facebook accounts. The Communications and Marketing Office will notify radio and television stations in LaGrange, Atlanta, Columbus, Newnan and West Point of any schedule changes. Please do not call the media to inquire about closures. The stations will broadcast all closures numerous times each hour. Below is a listing of stations that will be contacted in the event of schedule changes:

RADIO: LaGrange: Eagle 102.3 FM, WLAG 1240 AM and WTRP 620 AM; Atlanta: Brite 98.1 FM, WGSE 720 AM, WCOH 1400 AM, WMKJ 96.7 FM, STAR 94 FM, WSB 750 AM, B 98.5 FM, 95.5 The Beat, Fox 97, and Kiss 104.1 FM; Columbus: WCGQ 107.3 FM, WKCN 99.3 FM and WGSY Sunny 100 FM; West Point: WCJM 100.9
TELEVISION: LaGrange: TV 33 WJCN; Atlanta: WAGA Fox 5, WXIA 11 Alive, WSB and WGCL; Columbus: WRBL and WTVM

This will be the final edition of @lagrange for the year. We will return Jan. 4. Happy holidays, everyone.

3 – William McCoy

Rachel Messerly

5 – Charles Williams

6 – Jeff Geeter

Lisa Farrow

Leslie Sebaugh

8 – Earl Chambers

Jennifer Claybrook

15 – Matthew Strother

17 – Paul McMurray

Lanora Yates

19 – Daniel Mularz

20 – Katie Daniel

22 – Rebecca Roth Nicks

31 – Marcia Brown