Shaw's ARMS AND THE MAN Coming to Sawyer Center Theater, 6/5-14

For its tenth anniversary season, the Northern New England Repertory Theatre Company (NNE Rep) will present George Bernard Shaw's classic comedy Arms and the Man* on the Sawyer Center stage at Colby-Sawyer College in New London. In this delicious romantic confection, Shaw's barbed wit targets themes of love, honor, and illusions, and serves up laughs aplenty at the foibles of human nature. NNE Rep's production of Arms and the Man will run for seven performances from June 5th through June 14th.

Many of Shaw's works turn an acerbic eye on social injustices or conventions he regarded as ridiculous, but in comedies like Arms and the Man, his playfulness and sense of humor let his audiences laugh at the foolishness of the characters and situations even as they engage with the ideas being presented on the stage.

Who wears the face of the hero? Who has the heart of a man? Shaw plays with these questions as he introduces us to the Petkoffs, a Bulgarian military family in the late 1800s. Raina Petkoff and Sergius Saranoff are engaged to be married, and, fresh from his heroic exploits in the war, Sergius seems to be the ideal fiancé. But Shaw pokes sly fun at the idea of "knights in shining armor" and "love on a higher plane," and he shows us how precarious it is to keep one's balance while standing on a pedestal.

Theatre-goers who saw NNE Rep's 2013 production of Hedda Gabler will welcome the return of Equity actors Milan Dragicevich and Mark Irish in the roles of Sergius Saranoff, and Major Bluntschli, respectively, as well as local stand-out Cindy Johnson as Louka. Catherine Petkoff will be played by Equity actor Kathleen Huber, whom longtime NNE Rep audience members will remember as Fonsia Dorsey in the 2005 production of The Gin Game. New to the company but bringing with them impressive lists of New York and Regional credits will be Equity actors Tamara Scott as Raina Petkoff, and J.C. Hoyt as Major Petkoff. Local performers Mike Gregory as Nicola and Gregert Johnson as the Russian Officer will round out the strong ensemble cast. John Goodlin, NNE Rep's Artistic Director, will direct.

Evening performances of Arms and the Man begin at 7:30 PM on June 5, 6, 7, & 12, 13, 14, with a matinee on June 8 starting at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $28, with student and group rates available. For tickets, call NNE Rep's Box office at (603) 526-4112: Toll-free: 1- 844-323-9455; in person: Tatewell Gallery (Mon-Sat, 10-5), New London Shopping Center; online: www.NNERTC.org, and at the Sawyer Center Theater for 2 hours before curtain. For more information, email: info@NNERTC.org

* "Arms and the Man" is produced by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

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