Photo Flash: Shaw's ARMS AND THE MAN Rounds Out ASC's Spring Repertory Season

The American Shakespeare Center's Spring Season production of ARMS AND THE MAN by George Bernard Shaw opened Friday, April 29, and runs through June 11 at the Blackfriars Playhouse, in Staunton, VA. The production features Andrew Goldwasser as Captain Bluntschli, Zoe Speas as Raina Petkoff, and Josh Innerst as Sergius Saranoff. Check out the photos below!

Published 1898 as part of Shaw's Plays Pleasanti volume, ARMS AND THE MAN was first produced at the Avenue Theatre in 1894 and called Shaw's first commercial success.

Set during the Serbo-Bulgarian War of 1885, ARMS AND THE MAN is the story of a young Bulgarian lady with delusions of grandeur who is forced to decide who her hero must be: a Bulgarian Major to whom she is betrothed, or a Swiss fugitive who seeks refuge in her bedroom one fateful night. "On one level, ARMS AND THE MAN is a delightful romantic comedy," says Artistic Director Jim Warren. "But it also simultaneously pokes fun at society...while it dissects and discusses the morality of war in comic and complicated ways."

The American Shakespeare Center production is directed by Warren. Costume Design by Jenny McNee, Properties by Chris Moneymaker, and Thomas J. Coppola serves as Assistant Director/Stage Manager. Innerst also serves as the company's Music Captain. Also in the cast are Susie Parr as Louka, Patrick Poole as Nicola, Jessica Lefkow as Catherine Petkoff, and Chris Bellinger as Major Petkoff. Aleca Piper, Tim Sailer, Cordell Cole and Ross Neal are featured musicians for the production.

The Blackfriars Playhouse is the world's only re-creation of Shakespeare's indoor theatre. The American Shakespeare Center is internationally recognized as "Shakespeare's American Home" for the performance and study of Shakespeare's plays using the staging conditions for which Shakespeare wrote. Their slogan "we do it with the lights on," recognizes that the audience shares the same light as the actors, (along with other staging conditions like minimal sets, acoustic sound/music performed live, and elaborate costumes), just as they did in the late 16th century and early 17th century.

The American Shakespeare Center's Blackfriars Playhouse Spring Season also includes William Shakespeare's THE LIFE OF KING HENRY THE FIFTH (playing through June 10,) JULIUS CAESAR (playing through June 11) and Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (closing out the season on June 12) in true rotating repertory in which you can see the same 11 actors in 4 different plays on succeeding nights. For tickets and more information, call 1-877-Much-Ado or visit www.americanshakespearecenter.com

Photo Credit: Lindsey Walters

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