Press Release

Triad Stage Makes Magic with the Bewitching Comedy Bell, Book and Candle, October 19 – November 9, 2008

(Greensboro, NC) — Triad Stage continues its 2008-2009 “Season of Spirit” with Bell, Book and Candle, an enchanting romantic comedy by John Van Druten. Love is a magical thing. It’s the 1950s and Gillian Holroyd is living the life of a restless witch in the hip Murray Hill district of New York City. When she casts a spell on her handsome upstairs neighbor, Shep Henderson, to keep him from marrying her old college rival, it works a little too well. Now Shep’s absolutely mad for Gill and Gill finds she’s starting to feel the same about him. Will she give into the one thing that will take away her magical powers forever – falling in love? Bell, Book and Candle runs October 19 through November 9, 2008. Opening Night is Thursday, October 23.

It’s your classic “boy meets witch” love story. English-born playwright John Van Druten originally set Bell, Book and Candle in his native London and wrote it as a straight play, but when audiences laughed during the tryouts he changed it to a light comedy. The play opened on Broadway in 1950, starring the married acting team of Lilli Palmer and Rex Harrison as Gillian and Shep. Famed film producer David O. Selznick acquired the film rights and cast his wife, Jennifer Jones, as Gillian, but Jones became pregnant and was replaced by Kim Novak. Novak was fresh from working with Jimmy Stewart in Vertigo and convinced him to join her on the 1958 film version of Bell, Book and Candle. Comedy writer Sol Saks drew inspiration from the story’s idea of a witch in love with a mortal when he created the 1960s hit television show Bewitched.

Triangle area-based actor/director John Feltch is helming the Triad Stage production. As a company member of Playmakers Repertory Company, Feltch has starred in and directed several productions at the Chapel Hill theater. The talented cast of Bell, Book and Candle includes: Michael Daniel Anderson as Nicky, Anne Bowles (just off Broadway’s Inherit the Wind) as Gillian, Glenn Kalison (upcoming film Mystery Team) as Shep, and Broadway veterans Lesley Hunt (A Man for All Seasons and Oliver!, and Triad Stage’s Hedda Gabler and Tobacco Road) as Miss Holroyd and Ronn Carroll (over 20 Broadway shows including Oklahoma!, Annie Get Your Gun, Crazy for You and Gypsy) as Sidney Redlitch.

The creative team includes scenic designer Robin Vest (The Little Foxes, The Diary of Anne Frank, Brother Wolf), costume designer Kesley Hunt (The Night of the Iguana, Bloody Blackbeard, Mrs. Warren’s Profession), lighting designer John Wolf (Bloody Blackbeard, Beautiful Star, Brother Wolf) and sound designer Gèneva B. Conaway Bennison (Doubt). The dramaturge is Drew Barker and the stage manager is Eric Tysinger.  

Biographies for the cast and creative team, and more information on the production can be found online at www.triadstage.org.

Tickets for preview performances of Bell, Book and Candle, on October 19, 21 and 22 are all $16 each. From Opening Night, October 23, single ticket prices range from $10 to $42. Prices vary depending on the day of the week and seat location desired.

All performances are at Triad Stage at The Pyrle Theater, located at 232 South Elm Street in historic downtown Greensboro, North Carolina (between Market and Washington Streets).

Show times for Bell, Book and Candle are 7:30 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings and 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings. Sunday matinees are at 2:00 pm. There are no matinee performances during previews. Pay-What-You-Can performances are Sunday, October 26, and Tuesday, October 28, at 7:30 pm. Wine Tasting Friday is October 24, prior to the evening’s 8:00 pm performance, sponsored by Total Wine & More. A Sign-Interpreted performance is on Tuesday, November 4, at 7:30 pm, with services provided by the Greensboro Communication Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Technically Talking,a behind-the-scenes look at the design and production features with the director and designers is Tuesday, October 21, immediately following the 7:30 pm preview performance. The InSight Series, the free humanities program that brings a noted speaker to the Triad to discuss the world of the play and its subject matter, will be held Sunday, October 26, immediately following the 2:00 pm matinee performance. The InSight speaker is Dr. Sean McCloud, a professor in the Department of Religious Studies at UNC Charlotte. He will be discussing witchcraft in 20th century pop culture.  PostScript, a lively, open discussion with members of the cast and creative team, will be held Thursday, October 30, immediately following the 7:30 pm performance.

About Triad Stage
Triad Stage is a professional not-for-profit regional theatre company based in Greensboro’s downtown historic district. All Triad Stage productions are created in Greensboro using the best of local and national talent. Triad Stage gratefully acknowledges the support of its Season Sponsors: Mitre Agency, the North Carolina Arts Council and the United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro. The Production Sponsors of Bell, Book and Candle are Well*Spring and Our State.

Triad Stage’s 2008-2009 MainStage “Season of Spirit” continues with Black Pearl Sings!, a musical journey by Frank Higgins (January 25 – February 15, 2009); Ghosts, a shocking exposé by Henrik Ibsen, in a world-premiere adaptation by Preston Lane (March 15 – April 5, 2009); The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, a new comedic thrill ride by Robert Hewett (April 26 – May 17, 2009); and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, a counter-culture masterpiece by Dale Wasserman, based on the novel by Ken Kesey (June 7 – July 5, 2009). Triad Stage will also present the third annual production of its holiday hit Beautiful Star: An Appalachian Nativity by Preston Lane, with original music by Laurelyn Dossett (November 28 – December 21, 2008). Season Passes and single tickets are on sale now. Beautiful Star is not part of the Season Pass subscription package.

All Triad Stage productions feature the bold acting and breathtaking design that have been nationally recognized by The Wall Street Journal and haveearned the theatre accolades including “One of the Best Regional Theatres in America”, New York’s Drama League; “Best Live Theater”, Go Triad/News & Record and The Rhinoceros Times; and “Professional Theater of the Year”, North Carolina Theatre Conference. 

To purchase tickets or for performance information on Bell, Book and Candle, call the Triad Stage Box Office at 336.272.0160 or toll-free at 866.579.TIXX (8499), or visit www.triadstage.org.

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CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE:

Triad Stage presents
Bell, Book and Candle
A Bewitching Comedy
by John Van Druten
directed by John Feltch
October 19 – November 9, 2008

Performed at the Pyrle Theater
232 South Elm Street
Greensboro, NC 27401

It’s the 1950s and Gillian Holroyd is living the life of a restless witch in the hip Murray Hill district of New York City. When she casts a spell on her handsome upstairs neighbor, Shep Henderson, to keep him from marrying her old college rival, it works a little too well. Now Shep’s absolutely mad for Gill and Gill finds she’s starting to feel the same about him. Will she give into the one thing that will take away her magical powers forever – falling in love?

For tickets:
Phone: (336) 272-0160
Toll-free: (866) 579-TIXX (8499)
Box Office hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Online: www.triadstage.org
Ticket prices: $10 – $42, depending on performance date and seat location

Group tickets:
Call (336) 274-0067 ext. 218
Email: groupsales@triadstage.org
Ticket discounts: Groups of 10 – 49, 15% off; Groups of 50+, 20% off

Educators’ 20% discount tickets:
Current school teachers and professors receive a 20% discount off regular price tickets to all performances. Must present valid school employee ID or proof of employment to Box Office when picking up tickets. Subject to availability. Some restrictions apply.
Call: (336) 272-0160 or toll-free (866) 579-TIXX (Mon – Fri, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
Ticket prices: $8 – $33.60, depending on performance date and seat location

$8 Student Rush tickets:
Current students with valid school ID may purchase tickets for $8. Student Rush tickets are only available at the Triad Stage Box Office one hour before each performance. Subject to availability. Some restrictions apply.
Available at the Box Office for walk-up sales. (Performance days: Sunday, Tuesday – Thursday, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Sunday matinees 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.)

$10 Gallery Seats:
A limited number of $10 general admission gallery seats are available for each performance.
Call: (336) 272-0160 or toll-free (866) 579-TIXX (Mon – Fri, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
Also available at the Box Office for walk-up sales.

Bell, Book and Candle Performance dates:
Sunday, October 19 7:30 p.m.  1st Preview  
Tuesday, October 21 7:30 p.m.  Preview/“Technically Talking” post-show discussion
Wednesday, October 22 7:30 p.m.  Preview  
Thursday, October 23 7:30 p.m.  Opening Night with free pre-show lobby party
Friday, October 24 8:00 p.m.  “Wine Tasting” pre-show event
Saturday, October 25 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 26 2:00 p.m.  “InSight Series” post-show discussion
Sunday, October 26 7:30 p.m.  “Pay-What-You-Can” performance
Tuesday, October 28 7:30 p.m.  “Pay-What-You-Can” performance
Wednesday, October 29 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 30 7:30 p.m.  “PostScript” post-show discussion with the cast
Friday, October 31 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 1 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 2 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 2 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, November 4 7:30 p.m.  Sign-interpreted performance
Wednesday, November 5 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 6 7:30 p.m. 
Friday, November 7 8:00 p.m.  
Saturday, November 8 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 9 2:00 p.m. 
Sunday, November 9 7:30 p.m. Closing performance