Kicking off its 2024-2025 season, Clifton Players brings us Ghost Girls by local playwright (and medium) Rose Vanden Eynden. Directed by Tara Williams, Ghost Girls tells the story of the Fox sisters who have long since been credited as playing an important role in the creation of Spiritualism, particularly in the United States. Were the sisters true channels into spiritual communication or were they simply playing the part?
The Production Team
The crew of this spooky yarn boasts many names familiar to both community theatre and semi-pro theatre audiences alike. Lighting Designer Eric Bardes is one of the best in the business and his prowess is beautifully matched with this eerie script. Sound Design by both Jason Cox and playwright Ms. Vanden Eynden adds very nicely to the mood of each scene. (I would suggest, however, to tone down the volume on some of the background music as it sometimes competes with the foreground.) Special Effects Designers are Ray Persing, Mr. Bardes, and Mr. Cox with excellent execution by Backstage Crew D’Ante McNeal. Word of warning: keep your eye on that stage or you will miss some fun surprises. Bravx to a wonderful use of practical effects without it being over the top.
The cast of Ghost Girls by Clifton Players. Photo credit to Max Vanden Eynden.
The Ghost Girls
While the action particularly centers around the Fox sisters (Maggie and Katie in particular), this is certainly a story which needs a strong cast with smooth chemistry. Without a doubt, both Director Ms. Williams and the cast of eight actors understood the assignment on that score. One weakness, however, is the lack of clear differences in those who play multiple roles. While one can respect not wanting to throw in a dialect or affectation simply to differentiate, it might be helpful to do as much since the physical appearance of the actors is not altered quite enough to be distinctively different.
The Performing Artists for Ghost Girls
Standout performances without a doubt go to Mindy Heithaus who plays Margaretta “Maggie” Fox Kane (our narrator) and to Lisa Dirkes who plays Maggie’s younger sister, Catherine “Kate” Fox Jencken. Ms. Heithaus has been missing from Cincinnati stages for far too long and we are so much better off now that she is back where she belongs. Her tour-de-force performance as Maggie takes the audience on a wild ride through many peaks and valleys. I defy anyone not to fall at least a wee bit in love with her through her portrayal of a woman in the mid-1800s who finds herself facing a series of moral and practical dilemmas.
Ms. Dirkes excels in her role as Kate, giving us a very clear picture of the character who ages drastically throughout the course of the play. Her infectious innocence as a younger version of her character is endearing and amusing while her propulsion into womanhood is heartbreakingly startling and wonderfully played. In addition, the chemistry between Ms. Dirkes and Ms. Heithaus is palpably satisfying.
Thanks to this and other cast members Kristy Rucker, Holly Sauerbrunn, the ever-incredible and versatile Paul Morris, Tracy M. Schoster, Terry Gosdin, and Spenser Smith, the youngest two Fox sisters are allowed to shine properly.
Lisa Dirkes, Tracy M. Schoster, and Mindy Heithaus as the Fox sisters in Clifton Players’ Ghost Girls. Photo credit to Max Vanden Eynden.
The Sweet and Lowdown
While there is no doubt some problematic casting in regard to the ages of characters and their ages in relation to one another and a script that might need smoothing out to allow for faster scene changes, who doesn’t love to celebrate a local playwright?
As Ms. Vanden Eynden states in her note in the program, it does not matter if you believe in spiritualism or not: the tale of these pioneering women is important and thought-provoking. While the living have the propensity to vilify the inhabitants of the spirit world, true villainy is more often found in those we can clearly see (and hear) before us.
Tickets to Ghost Girls
Clifton Players’ Ghost Girls runs now through November 10th at Liberty Exhibition Hall in Northside. To purchase tickets, please visit this site.
