Engaging Shaw

by John Morogiello

An unromantic romantic comedy about Bernard Shaw's courtship with Charlotte Payne-Townshend. He considered himself the Superman. She allowed him to believe it.

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Engaging Shaw

SIDNEY WEBB: 38-40. Energetic, short, working class accent, lisp.
BEATRICE WEBB: 38-40. Sidney’s wife, upper class accent.
BERNARD SHAW: 40-42. An Irish music and drama critic who dabbles in playwriting. CHARLOTTE PAYNE TOWNSHEND: 40-42. An heiress from Ireland.

Development History

Type Reading, Abingdon Theatre Company, Year 2009
Type Reading, Organization New Jersey Rep, Year 2007

Production History

Type Professional, Organization American Players Theatre, Year 2018
Type Professional, Organization Best Medicine Rep, Year 2018
Type Professional, Organization Theatre 40, Year 2018
Type Community Theater, Organization West End Player's Guild, Year 2013
Type Professional, Organization Vienna's English Theatre, Year 2012
Type Professional, Organization Old Globe Theatre, Year 2011
Type Professional, Abingdon Theatre Company, Year 2010
Type Professional, Organization New Jersey Rep, Year 2008
Type Professional, Organization Oldcastle Theatre Company, Year 2006

Awards

Individual Artist Award

Maryland State Arts Council

Winner

2003

Genre

biography,

comedy,

period,

romantic comedy

Subject Matter Keywords

irish,

British

Length

90 minutes to two hours

Cast Size

Age of Intended Audience

ages 14-17,

ages 18 and up

Narrative Attributes

Centers Female Characters

Supporting Materials

Published Script

https://www.samuelfrench.com/p/10042/engaging-shaw

Reviews

The New York Times

“
Exactly the type of work that nonprofit theaters dedicated to producing new plays and musicals should be doing--arresting, intellectually stimulating.
”
Variety

“
Engaging Shaw is exactly that. ...a spirited and intelligent combat of words and sparkling banter.
”
Los Angeles Times

“
The play is written like one of [Shaw’s], with talk zipping in thrilling, dizzying circles. We know how the story ends before it's begun, but getting there--through spirited debate, heated emotion and the occasional flinty spark of desire--is thought-provoking fun.
”
The New York Times

“
If there's a minute of this play that is less than clever, you would be hard-pressed to find it.
”