Photo Flash: First Look at Old Globe's ENGAGING SHAW Cast

Executive Producer Lou Spisto today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast Premiere of John Morogiello's comedy Engaging Shaw. Directed by Henry Wishcamper, Engaging Shaw will run July 29 - Sept. 4 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of The Old Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run July 29 - Aug. 3. Opening night is Thursday, Aug. 4 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

This new comedy follows the battle of wits and the real-life romance between socialite Charlotte Payne-Townshend and playwright George Bernard Shaw. When wealthy heiress Charlotte Payne-Townshend sets her sights on the famed author of Pygmalion, Mrs. Warren's Profession and Major Barbara, the challenge of romancing this confirmed bachelor, philanderer and unromantic man is more complicated than in any of his stories. The New York Times hailed, "Engaging Shaw is a charming romantic comedy. If there's a minute of the play that's less than clever, you'll be hard pressed to find it," and Variety cheered, "A spirited and intelligent combat of words and sparkling banter."

The cast of Engaging Shaw features Rod Brogan (George Bernard Shaw), Natalie Gold (Beatrice Webb), Angela Pierce (Charlotte Payne-Townshend) and Michael Warner (Sidney Webb).

The creative team includes Wilson Chin (Scenic Design), Alejo Vietti (Costume Design), Matthew Richards (Lighting Design), Paul Peterson (Sound Design) and Lavinia Henley (Stage Manager).

Playwright John Morogiello is a Playwright in Residence at the Maryland State Arts Council and a member of the Dramatists Guild. His plays include Irish Authors Held Hostage (Greenwich Street Theatre, Warehouse Theatre and Edinburgh's Bedlam Theatre), Men and Parts (Actors Theatre of Louisville and Shadowbox Cabaret), Stonewall's Bust (Mountain Playhouse), Gianni Schicchi (Rep Stage and Harlequin Productions) and Engaging Shaw (Abingdon Theatre Company, New Jersey Repertory Company and Oldcastle Theatre Company). Engaging Shaw will receive its European premiere at Vienna's English Theatre next spring. A new play, Blame It on Beckett will premiere Off Broadway at Abingdon Theatre Company this October. In December, a scene from A Thing for Redheads will appear in The Best Women's Stage Monologues and Scenes 2011, published by Smith and Kraus.

Director Henry Wishcamper recently directed the Globe's production of The Mystery of Irma Vep. His directing credits include Beau Williams' Spirit Control (Manhattan Theatre Club), Ellen Fairey's Graceland (LCT3), his own adaptation of the Marx Brothers' Animal Crackers and Horton Foote's Talking Pictures (Goodman Theatre), Conor McPherson's Port Authority (Atlantic Theater Company), The Seafarer (TheaterWorks), The Good Thief (Portland Stage), Lanford Wilson's The Mound Builders (The Juilliard School), Jane Martin's Flags (59E59), Doug Grissom's Elvis People (New World Stages), his own play, The Polish Play, A Conflation of Macbeth by William Shakespeare and Ubu Roi by Alfred Jarry (Katharsis Theater Company) and Thornton Wilder's Pullman Car Hiawatha (Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Revival of a Play, Keen Company). He served as the assistant director on the Broadway productions of August: Osage County (directed by Anna D. Shapiro) and Shining City (directed by Robert Falls). Wishcamper is the Artistic Director of Katharsis Theater Company. He is a Drama League Directing Fellow and a graduate of Yale University. His next project will be Conor McPherson's The Birds (Guthrie Theater).

Rod Brogan (George Bernard Shaw) received his M.F.A. from The Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program and has appeared on Broadway in Mauritius and in the National Tour of Doubt. His Off Broadway credits include Treasure Island. He has appeared in The Old Globe productions of Antony and Cleopatra, As You Like It, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Much Ado About Nothing, Pentecost and The Food Chain. His other regional credits include Doubt (Syracuse Stage), Judgment Day (Bard SummerScape) and King Lear (CENTERSTAGE). He has appeared on television in "Major Dad" (series regular), "One Life to Live," "Law & Order," "Third Watch," "Oz" and "Girl Talk."

Natalie Gold's (Beatrice Webb) theater credits include Distracted, The Language of Trees and Howard Katz (Roundabout Theatre Company), The Fever Chart (The Public Theater), Twelfth Night (The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival), Festen (Broadway), Brendan (Huntington Theatre Company) and Unfold Me (Summer Play Festival). Her television and film credits include "The Good Wife," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Law & Order," "Important Things With Demetri Martin," "Without a Trace," Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Almost Perfect, Fairhaven, Love and Other Drugs and "Rubicon" (AMC).

Angela Pierce (Charlotte Payne-Townshend) is making her debut at The Old Globe. Her Broadway credits include The Norman Conquests directed by Matthew Warchus, Heartbreak House directed by Robin Lefevre and A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Ed Hall. Her Off Broadway work includes King Lear with Kevin Kline (The Public Theater), Soldier's Wife (Mint Theater Company), Silver Nitrate (Blue Heron Theatre), The Picture of Dorian Gray (Irish Repertory Theatre) and Hedda Gabler (Theatre at St. Clement's). Regionally she has appeared in A Streetcar Named Desire (Intiman Theatre), Proof (Hartford Stage, TheaterWorks and Arizona Theatre Company), Love's Labour's Lost (Royal Shakespeare Company and The Shakespeare Theatre Company), Henry VI and The Bald Soprano (The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), A Flea in Her Ear (The Denver Center for the Performing Arts), Suddenly Last Summer (Studio Arena Theater), Noises Off, The Best Man and Crimes of the Heart (Cape Playhouse) and The Rivals and Macbeth (The Acting Company). Her films include You Don't Know Jack with Al Pacino, directed by Barry Levinson, Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe directed by Phil Gallo and Able Danger directed by Dave Herman. Her television credits include "Private Practice," "Lie to Me," "Criminal Minds," "Medium," "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and Farewell Mr. Kringle for Hallmark Channel. Pierce is a B.F.A. graduate of The Juilliard School Drama Division, Alumni Board of The Acting Company and a recipient of AFTRA and R. Lansing Memorial Scholarships.

Michael Warner (Sidney Webb) most recently appeared in the revival of Arthur Kopit's Wings, directed by John Doyle at Second Stage Theatre. His other theater credits include shows at Roundabout Theatre Company, Atlantic Theater Company, Keen Company, Soho Repertory Theater and The Fire Dept, among others. His World Premieres include Steven Levenson's The Language of Trees at Roundabout Underground, Lucy Thurber's Monstrosity at 13P, Missed Connections at Ars Nova and Alena Smith's The Piven Monologues at The Public Theater/Joe's Pub. Warner's solo play, How. What. Now., was selected for the 2011 New York International Fringe Festival and will have a workshop production in the fall with Project Y Theatre Company and will be directed by Campbell Scott. His television and film work includes "Boardwalk Empire," "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," Breaking Upwards, "As the World Turns" and the upcoming "Almost in Love." He received his M.F.A. from Rutgers.

TICKETS to Engaging Shaw can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. Performances at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre begin on July 29 and continue through Sept. 4. Ticket prices range from $29 to $67. Performance times: Previews: Friday, July 29 at 8:00 p.m., Sunday, July 31 at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 2 at 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 3 at 7:00 p.m. Regular Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 29 years of age and under, seniors and groups of 10 or more.

Photo Credit: Sandy Huffaker

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