'Witches of Eastwick' Spells Wicked Fun

In "Witches," holding sexual sway is indivisible from supernatural power, and the women's growing mastery of both is demonstrated ebulliently just before intermission, when at last they take to the skies. It's on the technical level that Schaeffer's production still has kinks to work out, for until the actresses are airborne -- there's a nice surprise in how they navigate the airspace in Signature's larger theater, the Max -- the mechanics look and feel clunky. (Amplification-system problems must be worked on, too.)

The difficulty of making seamless magic in such close quarters is easy to understand. Would it not be better if, in some artful way, everyone acknowledged the presence of the cables, rather than having us watch them hang there pre-flight, waiting to be hooked up? (Later, it seems, an opportunity is missed for what might be a funny sight gag with miniature cables, when the witches torment a puppet-size effigy of Darryl.)

The show does appear a bit constrained in the Signature space. Although Karma Camp choreographs a couple of group numbers with vigor -- particularly the cheesily effervescent "Dirty Laundry" -- there are too many stationary moments when everyone is posed in little bunches.

Set designer Walt Spangler has created a skyscape with a gigantic moon and black clouds that lurch tentatively across the stage. More successful are Bruce Coughlin's buoyant orchestrations and Alejo Vietti's vivid costumes. Here's a designer who knows how to invest a garment with personality.

Speaking of personality, Schaeffer imbues his "Witches" with it. Luckily for him as well as for us, the evening's star oozes it, too. Devil though he may be, Kudisch here is heaven-sent.

The Witches of Eastwick, music by Dana P. Rowe, book and lyrics by John Dempsey. Directed by Eric Schaeffer. Lighting, Chris Lee; sound, Matt Rowe; musical direction, Jon Kalbfleisch. With Amy McWilliams, Sherri L. Edelen, Thomas Adrian Simpson, Ilona Dulaski, Brittany O'Grady, Scott J. Strasbaugh, Tammy Roberts, David Covington. About 2 hours 35 minutes. Through July 15 at Signature Theatre, 2800 S. Stafford St., Arlington. Call 703-820-9771 or visit http://www.signature-theatre.org.