Patrice Shields Florida Weekly January 2017
The Naples Players (TNP) present the bewitching comedy Bell, Book & Candle by John van Druten, opening Wednesday, January 11 with performances through February 5, 2017 at the Sugden Theatre, Naples, FL. TNP’s production of the old-fashioned romantic comedy is directed by New York Director, Producer and Writer Chris Goutman, who is best known for his work on the daytime television shows All My Children, As the World Turns and Guiding Light.
The original script was written by writer and director John van Druten, who rose to notoriety with his 1970’s Broadway smash hit Cabaret. His earlier work Bell, Book & Candle, met with equal success and served as the inspiration for the beloved 1960’s television series Bewitched, starring Elizabeth Montgomery. Van Druten’s stage comedy starred Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer on Broadway, followed by the 1958 filmed version with lead roles played by James Stewart and Kim Novak, fresh from their successful teaming in Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
All three adaptations are focused on a beautiful witch, who is living incognito amongst a world of mortals. The beguiling witch character of Bell, Book & Candle is Gillian Holroyd played by the charming Dede Brownlee, attempting to live a normal life in the Murray Hill district of New York City in the 1950’s. After understandably falling for her handsome publisher neighbor Shepherd Henderson, played by the dashing Eric Bohus, Gillian casts a love spell on him so he will dump his current fiancé, who also happens to be her nemesis. But love may prove to be the most potent magic of all as Gillian faces losing her powers as she falls under the spell of Shepherd’s mortal charms. Further complicating matters is her meddling aunt Miss Holroyd played by Diane Davis, a mischief-making warlock brother Nicky Holroyd played by Renzo Soriano, and an author-turned-witch hunter Sidney Reditch, played by James Simmons, who is out to expose the magical goings on in 1950s high society Manhattan.
As in all great old-fashioned romantic comedies you find yourself swept along (perhaps this time on a broom stick) with the characters, hoping that love proves to be the most prepotent power of all.
The Naples Players’ production of Bell, Book & Candle opens January 11, with performances through February 5, 2017 at the Sugden Theater in Blackburn Hall, 701 5th Ave South, Naples, FL. (Wednesdays & Thursdays 7:30pm, Fridays & Saturdays 8:00pm and Sundays 2:00pm.) Tickets are $35 for adults and $10 for students (under 21). For tickets and more information visit www.naplesplayers.org or call (239) 263-7990.
The Naples Players’ have a season full of great shows and theatre classes for adults and youth. To learn more visit www.naplesplayers.org.