Don't miss a great opportunity to learn more about the playwright, George Bernard Shaw:

SEVEN PLAYS BY GEORGE BERNARD SHAW (1856-1950)

George Bernard Shaw, born in Ireland, was one of the most successful and witty playwrights of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Some of his many plays, such as Pygmalion, have achieved worldwide fame and are still played today. Others have more political themes (though interlaced with comedy) for he became a dedicated socialist. The view he expressed challenged many of the conventionally accepted practices and beliefs of his time, particularly in regard to women. The plays you will see are both highly entertaining and intellectually stimulating.

Thursday, October 4th  The Wit and World of G.B. Shaw and Androcles and the Lion.

You will learn from Christopher Plummer about Shaw's life, home and opinions, and listen to a few words from the dramatist himself. The you will see Shaw's humorous play about the Christians condemned to death in the Roman coliseum and the fate of the one who loved animals. 

Thursday, October 11th  The Devil's Disciple.

Called back home to New Hampshire in 1777 on the death of his father, Dick Dudgeon returns to the unhappy family he revolted against years ago. He finds he has been named heir, much to the horror of his religious mother. The British, led by General Burgoyne, have arrived and are readying for an execution. In the play Shaw uses melodrama to undermine traditional beliefs and values.

Thursday, October 18th  You Never Can Tell (1895).

Mrs. Landfrey and her three children return to England after 18 years abroad, where a chance encounter with their traditionalist husband and father quickly entangles them in a series of comic events.

Thursday, October 25th  Mrs. Warren's Profession.

This play, written in 1893, was not performed until 1908 because of government censorship and scandalized Victorian England. What is the profession that has enabled Mrs. Warren to give her daughter all the benefits of "good society?" What happens when the daughter discovers her mother's secret?

Thursday, November 1st.  Arms and the Man.

First produced on the London stage in 1894, this hilarious and charmingly ludicrous look at the misconceptions of love and war established Shaw's reputation as one of the greatest wits in London drama. It continues to delight audiences today.

Thursday, November 9th.  Pygmalion.

Based on the classical myth of the statue brought to life, this play challenges the idea that a "Lady" had to be highborn with the story of a guttersnipe turned into a lady by phonetics professor's training. As the musical My Fair Lady it has had even greater success.

Thursday, November 15th. Heartbreak House (1919) with Postscript on Shaw.

The play is Shaw's passionate response to World War I. Vicariously alive with dangerous flirtations, this vibrant game of hearts and philosophies will keep you chasing the key to life and love.

• DATES: Thursdays, October4 to November 13, 2007
• TIME: 7:00 TO 9:30PM
• PLACE: Merced College Staff Dining Room
• INSTRUCTOR: Michael W. Egan, a graduate of the University of London, has taught in England, Belgium and (since 1965) in the U.S. He has taken courses in Drama and Literature from the University of Birmingham and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, has directed plays in England, and acted in them in England and the U.S.
• FEE: $69.00 Students for half price! Call 384-6224 to sign up or go to the Community Services Office in the Student Union Building.