"ENGAGING SHAW"

Directed by Institute Fellow
LANGDON BROWN

Receiving Rave Reviews!

Langdon Brown, Writers Institute fellow and director of the Institute’s Authors Theatre Program, is currently directing the production of Engaging Shaw at the New Jersey Repertory Company in Long Branch, NJ. (March 13 – April 13; http://www.njrep.org). The play, written by John Morogiello, is a spirited and intelligent romantic comedy about the unorthodox courtship of George Bernard Shaw and Charlotte Payne-Townshend, a wealthy Irish expatriate who became his friend, his nurse, and finally his wife.

At a 2004 Writers Institute event, Dr. Brown and Eric Peterson of Oldcastle Theatre Company began discussions that led to the play's August 2006 premiere at Oldcastle in Bennington, VT. Engaging Shaw was then selected for the 2007 Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Page to Stage Festival where its enthusiastic reception sparked additional interest from regional theatres. The March 2008 production at New Jersey Rep was praised by Variety for its "sparkling humor." The New York Times called it "arresting [and] intellectually stimulating" and lauded its "exciting talent." Dr. Brown's staging was praised by reviewers as "exemplary", "paced . . . effectively", "stylish", and "brisk."

To see the full text of the reviews go to the following links:

New York Times
http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/23theatnj.html

Variety
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117936546.html?categoryid=33&cs=1

Newark Star-Ledger
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2008/03/irish_wit_prevails_in_shavian.html

Talkinbroadway.com
http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/nj/

Asbury Park Press
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080314/ENT/803140451/1031

Curtainup.com
http://www.curtainup.com/njmain.html

JOHN MOROGIELLO (Playwright) is a Playwright in Residence with the Maryland State Arts Council.  Most recently, Bushwa! A Modern Ubu was presented at Round House Theatre in Silver Spring, MD by the Georgetown Theatre.  Other plays & productions include Irish Authors Held Hostage (NY Fringe Festival, Bedlam Theatre in Edinburgh), Gianni Schicchi (Rep Stage), The Matchmaker's Guide To Controlling The Elements (National Theatre, Alleyway Theatre, 2 Co's Cabaret), and Men And Parts (Actor's Theatre of Louisville).  Happy Hour, a film adaptation of Men And Parts, was named Best Short Comedy at the 2004 NY Independent film and Video Festival and is currently being distributed in the UK by Britshorts.  John's short comedies Larry's Resolution, The Little Farmer, and The Periodontal Blues are available through One Act Play Depot.

LANGDON BROWN (Director) is a fellow of the NY State Writers Institute and a University at Albany English Department faculty member.  He is director of Authors Theatre for the Writers Institute where new plays by Bill C. Davis, William Kennedy, Lisa Thompson, Warren Leight, Frank Pugliese, David Rabe along with Brown’s own adaptation of Richard Russo’s Mohawk have been workshopped.  Brown’s directing work includes: London Fringe (Butley, The Ribadier System), Theatre Row (A Scent of Almonds), Regional (Every Trick in the Book, Engaging Shaw) in addition to numerous university and stock productions.  His translation of Feydeau’s Le Systeme Ribadier was recently revived at the Classical Acting Co. of Dallas.