The laughably spooky tale of The Canterville Ghost is a perfect family comedy to liven up the fall season! Based on the classic story by Oscar Wilde, Tim Kelly’s adaptation is a silly take on the classic haunted English manor house. Presented by Mount Royal Academy Knight’s Theater and the Newport Opera House, the production runs at the Newport Opera House on Saturday, November 9 at 7 PM and Sunday, November 10 at 2 PM.
Canterville Hall, home to an old English family has been sold by Lady Canterville (Juliana Yost) to Horace (Liam Swegart) and Lucy (Madeleine Gawlick) Otis, their two daughters Pam (Evangeline Nadeau) and Wendy (Colette McMenaman), and Lucy’s sister Virginia (Amelia Caravan), but it comes with a warning; there is a terrible ghost haunting the manor, Sir Simon de Canterville (Thomas Breisch)! However, the American’s are hardly threatened by this ghoul, and actually find ways to terrorize him, from attacking him with hairspray to calling in a psychic researcher, Madam Balaklava (Grace Holliston). The rest of the village is equally unnerved by the ghost, and only Mrs. Umney, the housekeeper, Jennie (Marissa Ouelette) the maid and Weeds (Roman Natoli) the gardener are willing to stay and work there. The Vicar (Cormac Dowsett) and his wife Mrs. Dampier caution the Otis’s about upsetting the ghost. However, after a botched eviction by Madam Balaclava, she accidentally invites in four more ghosts. Mayhem ensues, but as Virginia Otis confronts Sir Simon, there may be a way to set his spirit free and restore peace to Canterville Hall. The cast includes Anela Jenkins, Margaret Pollock, Berklee Laslie, Jacob Gray, David Briesch, Rachael Courant and Clare Holliston.
Veteran director Heidi Fagan directs this cast of sixth through twelfth grade students. Fagan has directed numerous productions for other schools and regional theaters, most recently MRA’s production of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and productions of A Christmas Carol and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Fort No. 4 in Charlestown, N.H.
For more information, visit the Newport Opera House www.newportoperahouse.com and reserve your tickets online. Like the Newport Opera House Facebook page too for show information and updates.