The National Arts Centre English Theatre opens the 2003-2004 Main Stage Season with Bernard Shaw's Arms & The Man
September 04, 2003 -
Ottawa -- The 2003-2004 NAC English Theatre Main Stage season opens September 11 with a sumptuous production of Bernard Shaw's delightful comedy, Arms & The Man. Set during the Balkan-Serbian conflict of 1885-86, the play, with its "farcical trimmings and serious heart" is a witty and hugely entertaining indictment of war. It is both a romantic comedy and an anti-romantic comedy. This NAC English Theatre/Citadel Theatre (Edmonton)/Vancouver Playhouse Theatre coproduction runs from September 11 to 27 (Preview September 10) in the newly renovated NAC Theatre. The production will go on to run in Edmonton October 9 to 26, and in Vancouver January 22 to February 14. Performances are at 19:30 with Saturday matinees on September 13, 20 and 27 at 14:00, and a Wednesday matinee on September 24 at 12:30.
On a moonlit evening in Bulgaria, a romantic young woman dreams of her heroic lover far away on a distant war-front. Rudely interrupting her reverie is the sudden appearance, through her bedroom window, of a bedraggled, starving Swiss mercenary, attempting to evade his would-be captors by making a break for it up a drainpipe! Bluntschli, or the chocolate soldier as he comes to be known after assuaging his hunger with a box of chocolates found in Raina's bedroom, quickly begins to dismantle the young woman's idealistic notions of war and sets in motion a sequence of hilarious events destined to change Raina's life and that of her soldier hero forever. A brilliant satire, Arms & The Man is as relevant an anti-war statement as it was when it debuted to harsh criticism in 1894.
Marti Maraden directs a cast of seven actors from across the country in a stunning production designed to delight the senses. Set and Costume Design are by Shaw Festival favorite Leslie Frankish; Lighting Design is by NAC resident designer John Munro and Sound Design is by much-admired Stratford Festival regular Peter McBoyle. Newfoundland Writer/Director Joan Sullivan joins the creative team as Assistant Director.
Ms. Maraden is pleased to bring together for this production a group of actors whose home bases range from coast to coast and points between. Vancouver-based actor Bernard Cuffling plays Major Petkoff; Ottawa actor Kate Hurman plays Catherine; Captain Bluntschli, the Chocolate Soldier himself, is played by North Vancouver actor David Marr; Toronto-based actor and Shaw Festival favorite Gordon Rand plays Sergius; Nicole Underhay from Newfoundland makes her NAC debut as Raina; Daniela Vlaskalic, based in Edmonton, plays Louka and Larry Yachimec, from Barrie, plays Nicola.
Rebecca Miller leads the Stage Management team with Sharon M. Simper as Assistant Stage Manager and Matthew Byrne as Apprentice.
Tickets for Arms & The Man are available at the NAC Box Office in person or through Ticketmaster at 755-1111, and on-line through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC's web site at www.nac-cna.ca (a service charge applies to all purchases made through Ticketmaster). Tickets prices are from $28.50 to $49.50. Students should visit the Live Rush™ page online at www.liverushnac.ca to find out how to obtain Live Rush seats ($9.50) available on a first-come, first-served basis after 18:00 on the day of performance.
The NAC English Theatre is pleased to have the Ottawa Citizen as its media partner for the English Theatre Main Stage 2003-2004 Season. RBC Investments is the proud Production Sponsor of this first Main Stage production of the 2003-2004 Season.
Arms & The Man - Listings Info.
• September 11-27 (Preview September 10). No performances Sundays or Mondays
• NAC Theatre NEWLY RENOVATED!!!
• 19:30 Tuesday through Saturday
• Wednesday matinee for students and seniors at 12:30, September 24
• Saturday matinees 14:00, September 13,20,27
• Tickets available at NAC Box Office in person; through Ticketmaster 755-1111 or on-line through Ticketmaster link www.nac-cna.ca
• Tickets from $28.50 to $49.50
Other activities related to Arms & The Man are:
• Pre-Show Chat – An informal discussion before the Saturday Matinee performance Saturday, September 13 at 13:00 in the NAC Panorama Room ; Guest Speaker: Director and NAC English Theatre Artistic Director, Marti Maraden
• Thursday Talkbacks – A Post-Performance Question and Answer session with performers - Thursday, September 18 and 25
