With strobe lights and smoke, the beginning of “Stupid Ghost,” written by playwright Savannah Reich, gave a scary and mysterious impression. It took a silly turn when Ghost, played by sophomore arts administration major Madisen Hone, came out wearing a cardboard sign that read, “Ghost” and Darrin Burnett, a senior student, wore a sign saying “MOTHER (possessed)”.
The play explores the life of a teenage girl who’s surrounded by two ghosts—one that possesses her mom and one that follows her. “Stupid Ghost” also explores the space between life and death through humorous scenes and loveable characters.

When Ronnie, played by Karina Barnes, a sophomore custom major, wearing a sign that reads “Pretty Girl”, first goes into the woods and two ghosts vow not to follow her home and do it anyway, the audience let out many giggles.
From then on, the audience didn’t fall short of a good laugh. Especially not when John Pierre, played by Todd Hamlett, a senior theater performance major, who wears a sign reading “Teenage Boy”, came out with his guitar and sang a comedic song confessing his love to Ronnie or when the “possessed mother” wore a crazy questionable outfit.
The mother’s outfit in question was sparkly pink heels with an orange dress and leopard-print robe which showcased the poltergeist’s possession of her. Expecting a possessed mother to have a presentable, cohesive outfit sounds outlandish.

The audience, who sold out the play, seemed to enjoy the cast’s group dancing scene dressed as sheet ghosts. They may not all be dancers like Barnes, but for the night they were, amongst many other roles. This was thanks to the choreography, by Meghan Wall, dance professor and choreographer, which was executed nicely. Fortunately, no one’s sunglasses fell off and everyone’s sheet stayed in place.

Maybe the play would have been entirely perfect if Ronnie and John Pierre got their happy ending. Although that isn’t what playwright Savannah Reich had in mind, the characters were too loveable to end in such a sad and fatal car accident scene.
The cast was rewarded with much applause and a standing ovation from the audience at the end of their closing-night performance.