When it comes to romance, chemistry plays an important role. It’s a different kind of chemistry, filled with potions and spells, when witch meets boy in Red Mask Players “Bell, Book and Candle.” The romantic comedy kicks off the group’s 70th season Friday night.

Director Dave Downing couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for the show, the actors and the backstage crew.

“Every director has a vision of what he wants on the stage,” he said. “What this group is doing — the set, the chemistry be-tween the actors — can only be called ‘stupendous.’ My expectations have been exceeded.”

One cast member seemed oblivious to the quality of the production, perhaps because he’s making his stage debut in “Bell, Book and Candle.” Three-year-old Wyatt Dixson appears as Pyewacket, the black cat that serves as his witch owner’s associate. All her spells go through him.

Lisa Richter, as witch Gillian Holroyd, holds the cat most of the time, so he’s more of a prop than a performer.

“He’s like any other child,” Jennifer Dixson said. “If he sees his mother, me, he gets distracted. Otherwise, he’s doing fine.”

The small cast of veteran actors seemed relaxed as well a week before the show’s debut. There’s obvious chemistry, or magic, between Richter and Randy Offner, who plays the object of her affection and her spells. And there’s obvious chemistry between the director, Downing, and another cast member — his brother, Sonny.

“My brother is my favorite actor,” said Dave, the older of the two.

His younger brother returned the compliment.

“I always enjoy working with him,” Sonny said. “He doesn’t pull any punches.”

With a three-person casting committee for every Red Mask show, nepotism doesn’t enter into the final choices. Majority rules when it comes to selecting which actors get the parts.

Offner feels at home on the Red Mask stage after only one performance with the group in last season’s “Angel Street.”

Some of that has to do with the fact that he’s been cast in the part his idol, Jimmy Stewart, played in the movie version of “Bell, Book and Candle.”

“I’m interested in any role he’s done,” Offner said. “I’ve played the same character he did in ‘Harvey’ and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ I learned through those experiences not to watch the movie first. I can’t duplicate his performances. It’s like asking a beginning piano student to play like Chopin.”

“Lisa and I bonded very easily,” he said. “We feed off each other, especially in the emotional scenes.”

Richter first saw the play as a child, when her father, Jim Gilmour, played Shep Henderson, Offner’s character.

“That’s when I first fell in love with theater and with Red Mask,” she said.

Since then, she’s taught high school drama, as well as performed in community theater.

“I always thought of myself as a dramatic actress,” Richter said, “but I’m discovering I have a flair for comedy. Gill (her char-acter) does have a darker side. She finds magic habit forming, and uses it for selfish reasons, at least at first.”

Two other Red Mask favorites, Sue Harden and Edward Sant, complete the cast.

This play marks the seventh Downing has directed for the group. He feels certain Red Mask audiences will feel as delighted about the show as he does.

“There’s not another theater group in the central or southern part of Illinois that can compare to this one,” he said. “The level of the talent we attract and the level of our technical production are unmatched. It’s that quality that brings people back year after year.”

To commemorate Red Mask’s 70th anniversary, pins featuring drama masks will be given to all season members and sold for $5 each to others who wish to support the group. Like other community arts organizations, meeting expenses remains a concern. The Kathryn Randolph Theater, the group’s Vermilion Street home, takes a large amount of both tender loving care and the budget, but Downing said it’s worth it.



IF YOU GO

The Red Mask Players present “Bell, Book and Candle” at the Kathryn Randolph Theatre, 601 N. Vermilion St. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Nov. 10, 11, 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Sunday and Nov. 12. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 60 and older and $10 for full-time students. Season memberships are still available. For reservations and information, call 442-5858.