ADA – Major Barbara, a three-act play by George Bernard Shaw, will be presented by the East Central University Theatre Department on April 10-12 in the Chalmers Herman Theatre of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.
Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. each night with an additional matinee performance set for Saturday, April 12 at 2 p.m.
Major Barbara was written and premiered in 1905 and was first published in 1907. This version of the play will be updated to the present, according to Dr. Richard Groetzinger, ECU director of theatre.
In the play, Major Barbara Undershaft of the Salvation Army is faced with a dilemma. Her father, weapons manufacturer Andrew Undershaft, needs to find a successor who, because of an unusual tradition, must be a foundling, an infant abandoned by unknown parents. He wishes Barbara to marry a foundling and help run the weapons factory.
During a visit to Barbara’s West Ham mission, Andrew reveals that money recently offered to the mission by Lord Saxmundham is actually a donation from a whiskey distiller. He then offers to match the donation which is accepted by Barbara’s superior.
Disillusioned, Barbara leaves the Army and visits Andrew’s factory town in Perivale St. Andrews. During the visit, it is discovered that Barbara’s fiancé, Adolphus Cusins, a professor of Greek, might by a stretch of the definition be considered a foundling. After much debate, Barbara agrees to marry Cusins, who has agreed to run the factory and work to convert the well-paid, well-fed workers at the factory.
The New York Post has described Major Barbara, “Certainly one of Shaw’s brightest, slyest, most provocatively outrageous and most timeless comedies.”
The cast includes Barbara Tiry, of Skiatook, and Mason Gibson, of Ada, playing Lady Britomart Undershaft; Tyler Soden, of Orange, Calif., as Stephen Undershaft; Bailey Tyler, of Shawnee, and Hannah Scroggins, of Ada, as Sarah Undershaft; Haley Cantrell, of Dewar, and
Micah Worcester, of Ada, as Major Barbara Undershaft; David Spradling, of Marietta, as Sarah’s fiancé Charles Lomax; Benjamin Paul Eckert, of Stevensville, Mont., as Adolphus Cusins; Chad Woods, of Stratford, as Butler Morrision; and Corey Scott, of Ada, as Andrew Undershaft.
The following are visitors to the Salvation Army mission in West Ham - Annette Lorraine Wright, of Okmulgee, appears as Salvationist Jenny Hill; Kayla Horton, of Moore, is Commander Mrs. Baines; Barrett Glosson, of Sand Springs, is Snobby Price; Jordan Douglas, of Moore, is Rummy Mitchens; Shan Scroggins, of Ada, is Peter Shirley; Domineque Carey, of Springer, is Bill Walker.
Garret Nichols, of Fox, appears as Bilton, a worker at the weapons factory. Amria Norman, of Dewar, is stage manager for the production.
Three roles were double cast and the actresses will alternate performances.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $9 for senior citizens and non-ECU students. ECU alumni receive a $1 discount as well. Admission is free for all ECU students, faculty and staff with ECU identification.
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