The Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts presents George Bernard Shaw's "Major Barbara" as the second show of its Main Stage series. The production opens its eight-performance run November 13 at 8 p.m. at the University's Arts Bank Theater (601 S. Broad St., Philadelphia).
A three-act play that premiered in London 1905, "Major Barbara" asks, "Can salvation survive a pact with the Devil?" Salvation Army officer Barbara Undershaft deplores the values of her father, a millionaire munitions manufacturer. But what happens when he offers his tainted riches to support the Army's "holy work?"
"Major Barbara is a splendid example of the interplay of passion and intellect that is the trademark of this gifted playwright and iconoclast," said Brind School Director Charles Gilbert. "We are thrilled to present this great work to Philadelphia theatergoers."
Brind School Professor Charles Conwell directs. He directed Shaw's "Heartbreak House" in 1973 in San Antonio under the supervision of the late Dan Laurence, then literary editor of Shaw's estate. For three months in 1983, Conwell served as an intern director at the Shaw Festival in Ontario. The first play he directed at the University of the Arts was Shaw's "Androcles and the Lion."
The Brind School production of "Major Barbara" stars junior Acting major Nick Fragale (Ewing, N.J. / Ewing High School) as Undershaft; Musical Theater senior Blake Austin (Huntingdon Valley, Pa. / Academy of the New Church) as Britomart; Musical Theater seniors Alyssa Appleton (Nashua, N.H. / Bishop Guertin High School) and Mariel Letourneau (Bethlehem, Pa. / Freedom High School) double cast as Barbara; and Acting junior Andrew Tardif (New Britain, Conn. / New Britain High School) as Cusins.
"Major Barbara" is the first Brind School production to feature costumes by its newest full-time faculty member, designer Maggie Baker. Brind School Senior Lecturer Dirk Durossette, whose designs are frequently seen on playhouse stages throughout Philadelphia, created the sets. Chris Frey (Honey Brook, Pa. / Coatesville Area High School), a senior Theater Design and Technology major, is the lighting designer.
"Major Barbara" will be performed November 13 - 14, 19 - 21, 8 p.m.; and November 14 - 15, 21, 2 p.m. Ticket are $20 (general admission), $10 (senior citizens 65+ and students), $5 (alumni); and free for University students with valid ID. All ticket sales proceeds benefit scholarship funds for Brind School students. Tickets can be ordered online.
For over 25 years, the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts has trained aspiring professionals for careers in the theater. Each of its four BFA programs - Acting; Directing, Playwriting and Production; Musical Theater; and Theater Design and Technology - combines highly focused technique training with a comprehensive exploration of the artist's role in society. Brind School alumni like Jen Childs (artistic director of 1812 Productions) and Ben Dibble (winner of the F. Otto Haas Emerging Artist Award) are well known to Philadelphia audiences. On the national scene, Brind School alumni can also be found in the cast and backstage at Broadway shows like "Hair," "Wicked," and "August Osage County," and popular television shows (Ana Ortiz in "Ugly Betty," KaDee Strickland in "Private Practice" and Kate Flannery in "The Office"). Get all the latest Brind School developments on the Web, "Now on Stage" page, Twitter feed or Facebook page.
The University of the Arts is the nation's first and only university dedicated to the visual, performing and communication arts. Its 2,400 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs on its campus in the heart of Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts. The institution's roots as a leader in educating creative individuals date back to 1868.
