The witty 1941 play \u2014 which Coward wrote as a diversion during World War II \u2014 is considered a comedy, but with a dark undertone since it involves death and the supernatural.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the play, novelist Charles invites a medium to his home to conduct a s\u00e9ance so he can gather material for his upcoming book. But things get weird when the spirit of Charles\u2019 dead first wife, Elvira, appears. Only Charles can see and interact with Elvira as she creates havoc for him and his current wife, Ruth, who is very much alive.<\/p>\n
Things take a darker, weirder, and also funnier turn when Elvira\u2019s spirit sabotages Charles\u2019 car, except Ruth is the one who drives it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlithe Spirit\u201d runs Oct. 31 to Nov. 28 at Long Beach Playhouse\u2019s Mainstage Theatre, 5021 E. Anaheim St., with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with two lower-priced previews on Thursday, Oct. 29 and Friday, Oct. 30. Tickets can be purchased through the box office at 562-494-1014 or at LBPlayhouse.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n That same Halloween evening, Saturday, Oct. 31, the Long Beach Improv Lab<\/a> is performing an improvised musical at Jammin\u2019 Music<\/a> in Bixby Knolls \u2014 but they need your help.\u00a0<\/p>\n The hour-long show called \u201cSlash: The Improvised Horror Musical\u201d is based on slasher films like \u201cHalloween,\u201d but with improvised songs about gruesome death, accompanied by piano.\u00a0<\/p>\n But in true improv fashion, how the show starts will be based on audience suggestions.<\/p>\n Creative director and pianist Daniel Smith<\/a> called the show \u201czany\u201d in an email to the Long Beach Post and perfect for those who \u201cwant to see something truly unique that might just change your mind about the nature of good and evil.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Tickets are $20 online or $25 at the door, but Smith said patrons can message the Long Beach Improv Lab<\/a> for a discounted ticket price if they need to. And, in true Halloween spirit, costumes are welcome.<\/p>\n For tickets to \u201cSlash: The Improvised Horror Musical\u201d at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Jammin\u2019 Music, 4228 Atlantic Ave., visit Eventbrite<\/a>.<\/p>\n And if you want to keep the scare fest going after Halloween, you can see California Repertory<\/a>\u2019s own version of \u201cThe War of the Worlds\u201d radio adaptation starting the first weekend of November.<\/p>\n California Repertory, or Cal Rep, the producing arm of Cal State Long Beach\u2019s drama department, calls it a \u201cgripping theatrical event\u201d on its website, as \u201clive reports\u201d cut into regular broadcasting to inform Americans about an unfolding Martian invasion.\u00a0<\/p>\n Director Drew Kelly said in a press release that Koch\u2019s adaptation of Wells\u2019 novel is very relevant in our age of \u201cconstant breaking news, social media, misinformation and constant expectations of connectivity.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018The War of the Worlds\u2019 asks audiences to consider whose voices we trust, how we respond to uncertainty and what happens when fear becomes more powerful than fact,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Cal Rep\u2019s \u201cThe War of the Worlds\u201d at CSULB\u2019s University Theatre, near the intersection of E. Seventh St. and E. Campus Dr., with the closest parking at lot E8<\/a>, previews on Thursday, Nov. 5 and runs Friday, Nov. 6 through Friday, Nov. 13, with all shows at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, call the box office at 562-985-5526 or visit CSULB.edu<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n And don\u2019t forget, \u201cThe War of the Worlds\u201d October radio show<\/a> has been an annual tradition at Long Beach Shakespeare Company since 2002 \u2014 a riveting way to whet your appetite for Halloween. This year, it runs from Oct. 23-25 with voice actors and live sound effects.<\/p>\n Tickets for \u201cThe War of the Worlds\u201d at the Helen Borgers Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Ave., on Friday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. are available at LBShakespeare.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4-cal-rep-389210-144s9jtg-289311-nfeyu5yh-1024x365-276904-yewol4j0-209593-qGv77uuM.png\")
California Repertory will perform \u201cThe War of the Worlds\u201d in early November.<\/p>\n