By Aubrey N. Walder
"Blithe Spirit," a situational comedy by Noel Coward, will be the first production by IVCC’s new theater director, Dr. David Kuester. The play will be performed Oct. 22 through 25 in the Cultural Center.
The cast includes Melanie McCoy as Edith, Amy Gregory as Ruth, Brian Harbeck as Charles, Jeff Twardowski as Dr. Bradman, Judy McQuilkin as Mrs. Bradman, Stephanie Benson as Madam Arcati, and Megan Baznik as Elvira.
"Blithe Spirit" is about a novelist whose life and marriage become complicated by the ghost of his first wife. Kuester described it as a spin on the sexual liberation of the 1930s.
Kuester, who comes to IVCC from Victoria College in Texas, said he finds Illinois schools less conservative, more open to different plays.
Kuester said anyone interested in theater should audition for upcoming productions, regardless of prior experience.
The new director, who has a Masters Degree in Theatre Arts from NIU and a doctorate in Speech, Playwriting, Theatre from SIU, has focused mainly on playwriting. For one of his plays which won the New Playwrights contest, Kuester drew from his experience working as a mental health therapist.
In Chicago he started a theatre program for adults with developmental disabilities called TROOP or Theatre Recreation Outreach Opportunity Program.
Kuester replaces Giacomo Leone who was appointed chair of the Humanities and Fine Arts Division during the summer.
Sept. 17, 1998 the Apache