STC -- Director Ethan McSweeny on Major Barbara

Director Ethan McSweeny discusses his production of George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara. Full of Shaw"s signature shrewd, urbane wit, Major Barbara depicts timeless tensions between wealth and charity, government and religion, business and family. At the center of the play is the rebellious but naively idealistic Barbara Undershaft. A major with the Salvation Army, Barbara finds the foundation of her beliefs rocked when the charity accepts a donation from her long-estranged father, a millionaire arms dealer.  Often called Shaw's greatest play, Major Barbara offers a provocative discourse on poverty, faith and justice, while entertaining us with vivid characters, intriguing plot twists and a hefty dose of pure fun. Ethan McSweeny returns for the first time since his production of The Persians, which The Washington Post proclaimed "stunning … acutely theatrical.â€? The production runs February 19 to March 23, 2008, at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW, Washington, D.C.).