Bernard Shaw Arms And The

Arms And The Man by George Bernard Shaw David Staller In association with the GINGOLD THEATRICAL GROUP Presents ARMS AND THE MAN By George Bernard Shaw Hosted by Howard Kissel Produced and directed by David Staller Associate Producers Jerry Wade, Theresa Diamond, Anita Jaffe, Kate Ross Act I: Raina’s Chamber Act II: The Garden Act III: The Library THERE WILL BE ONE TEN MINUTE INTERVAL BETWEEN ACTII AND ACT III. The action occurs at Major Petkoff’s House in a small Bulgarian town. The first act takes place in November, 1885. The second and third acts occur March 6, 1886. ARMS AND THE MAN was written and first produced in 1894. CAST OF CHARACTERS (in order or appearance) Raina Petkoff ..................................................Nancy Anderson Captain Bluntschli .............................................. Malcolm Gets Catherine Petkoff ............................................... Cynthia Harris Louka ..................................................................... Alison Fraser Nicola ....................................................................Nick Wyman Major Paul Petkoff ...........................................George S. Irving Major Sergius Saranoff ...........................................Marc Kudisch Narrator One......................................................... Victor Slezak Narrator Two .........................................................Evalyn Baron George Bernard Shaw Irish dramatist, literary critic, a socialist spokesman, and a leading figure in the 20th century theater. Shaw was a freethinker, defender of women’s rights, and advocate of equality of income. In 1925 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Shaw accepted the honour but refused the money. George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin, where he grew up in something close to genteel poverty. His father, George Carr Shaw, was in the wholesale grain trade. Lucinda Elisabeth (Gurly) Shaw, his mother, was the daughter of an impoverished landowner. She was 16-years younger than her husband. George Carr was a drunkard - his example prompted his son to become a teetotaller. When he died in 1885, his children and wife did not attend his funeral. Young Shaw and his two sisters were brought up mostly by servants. Shaw’s mother eventually left the family home to teach music, singing, in London. In 1898 Shaw married the wealthy Charlotte Payne-Townshend. They settled in 1906 in the Hertfordshire village of Ayot St. Lawrence. Shaw remained with Charlotte until her death, although he was occasionally linked with other women. He began his literary career by writing music and drama criticism, and novels. A vegetarian, who eschewed alcohol and tobacco, Shaw joined the Fabian Society in 1884, served on its executive committee from 1885 to 1911. A man of many causes, Shaw supported abolition of private property, radical change in the voting system, campaigned for the simplification of spelling, and the reform of the English alphabet. As a public speaker, Shaw gained the status of one of the most sought-after orators in England. In 1895 Shaw became a drama critic for the Saturday Review. In his plays Shaw combined contemporary moral problems with ironic tone and paradoxes, “Shavian” wit, which have produced such phrases as “He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches”, “England and America are two countries divided by a common language”, “Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever tried it”, and “I never resist temptation because I have found that things that are bad for me do not tempt me.” Discussion and intellectual acrobatics are the basis of his drama. During his long career, Shaw wrote over 50 plays. He continued to write them even in his 90s. George Bernard Shaw died at Ayot St. Lawrence, Hertfordshire, on November 2, 1950. He was cremated and it was his wish that his ashes be mixed with those of his wife, Charlotte - who had died seven years before. (1856-1950) The Shaw Project 2006 Schedule January 23 @ 7PM (subject to change) July 17 @ 7PM September 18 @ 7PM ARMS AND THE MAN February 27 @ 7PM JOHN BULL’S OTHER ISLAND THE APPLE CART October 23 @ 7PM FANNY’S FIRST PLAY March 20 @ 7PM HEARTBREAK HOUSE April 17 @ 7PM MISALLIANCE November 20 @ 7PM YOU NEVER CAN TELL May 8 @ 12noon Two One-Acts! CAPTAIN BRASSBOUND’S CONVERSION December 18 @ 7PM OVERRULED and AUGUSTUS DOES HIS BIT June 19 @ 7PM THE PHILANDERER For Reservations call the Players Club GETTING MARRIED 212-475-6116 Gingold Theatrical Group 208 East 51st Street #296 New York City 10022 212-355-7823 gingoldgroup@aol.com www.theshawproject.com The Gingold Theatrical Group GTG is a new company devoted to embracing the courage of forging one’s individual path in life. The debut presentation of GTG is The Shaw Project which will present the complete dramatic works of George Bernard Shaw in concert readings over a two-year period. Shaw’s philosophies inspire GTG to look to living playwrights as well. In the future, we plan to develop new plays which parallel the viewpoints so insightfully expressed in Shaw’s work. The Shaw Project will be performed, one Monday a month, at the legendary Players Club on Gramercy Park South. MORE SHAW, PLEASE! We need Shaw’s observations today perhaps more than ever. Gingold Theatrical Group is proud to present these readings free of charge. Even though we are destined to be not-for-profit on our own, currently checks should be made to FRACTURED ATLAS*, the arts service organization which is our fiscal sponsor. Please, put Gingold Theatrical Group in the memo line and mail to GTG at the address above. Or visit the website www.fracturedatlas.org Click on Support the Arts and find Make a Donation. At the “in behalf of” line, click on the arrows and go down the member list to Gingold Theatrical Group. Then fill in your name, address and credit card information. See you next month, THANK YOU THE PLAYERS CLUB Originally the home of legendary actor Edwin Booth, this private club has been hosting members and their guests for over one hundred years. For more information about the Club and how to become a member, please contact the office at 212-475-6116. Press Representative Shirley Herz Associates 212-221-8466 Web Consultant George Wiel macnewyork.com Graphic Design Bruce Monroe 212-254-5935 *The Shaw Project is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions on behalf of the Shaw Project may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.