A haunting presence has descended on the theater at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts.

“Blithe Spirit,” a ghostly comedy directed by Clinton resident Phil Jordan, is playing through Oct. 26.

Jordan said the play includes witty character-driven humor and special effects.

“We worked really hard on the special effects,” he said. “The audience will be surprised.”

The play, set in the 1930s, follows a novelist named Charles Condomine, who invites Madame Arcati to his house to conduct a séance. At the séance, she accidentally summons the spirit of Charles’s first wife, Elvira. Elvira tries to interfere with Charles’ current marriage to Ruth. In an effort to bring Charles to the other side, Elvira unexpectedly brings Ruth. Charles then has two playful spirits on his hands, both of whom are seeking revenge.

Jordan said the work is a comedic masterpiece with complex themes dealing with confronting mistakes and perseverance. The main character, Charles, came-of-age in the 1920s, which was a hard time for young people, Jordan said. They didn’t want to make the mistakes of their parents, and their peers were confronted with the end of the First World War and Spanish flu outbreak. The play was written by Noël Coward and first debuted in 1941.

Jordan said he enjoys working with all members of the cast.

“I love directing and love working with young actors and finding ways to explore the script,” he said. “I enjoy trying to explore what Noël Coward was getting at.”

The cast includes Miles Harrison as Charles Condomine, Savannah Randall as Ruth Condomine, Kathryn Lynn as Elvira, Gwen Jones as Madame Arcati, along with Dwight Zehm as Dr. George Bradman, Susan Hanson as Violet Bradman, and Kathy Stanley as Edith.

“Blithe Spirit” will run through Oct. 26. Tickets are $15 for youth or matinees, $18 for seniors and military and $22 for adults. For tickets contact the ticket office at 360-221-8268 or 800-638-7631 or visit tickets.wicaonline.com