Aquinas | The University of Scranton

Players tackle ‘high comedy’ in ‘Pygmalion’
BY KAIT MOORE
STAFF WRITER
November 20, 2008

The University Players will open their production of George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion” on Dec. 4 in honor of Dr. McInerney, a valued English professor at The University.

Dr. McInerney retired at the end of last semester and is currently continuing his career here at The University as an adjunct professor emeritus.

Over the years he has worked closely with the theater and the University players.
This production is of particular interest to Dr. McInerney because of the emphasis he has put on the playwright, George Bernard Shaw, in his teaching over the years.

“They’re doing something very nice in dedicating the performance to me,” Dr. McInerney said. “My special academic interest is Shaw and I have been urging (the Players) to do a Shaw for a long time. Plus, I’ve been working with the Players as an actor and in various ways for many years.”
Courtesy of University Players

“Pygmalion” is a play about phonetics professor Henry Higgins, played by junior Michael Flynn, and his attempt to school a young flower girl named Eliza Doolittle, played by junior Samantha Morales in refined speech and manner.

“One of my character’s lines is, ‘Happy is the man who can make a living by his hobby!’ and I really think that the rehearsals we have been enduring are rigorous, tiresome. But most importantly they are fun,” Flynn said.
“It just seems like everyone is having a ‘bloody’ good time.”

This play was later adapted into the musical, “My Fair Lady” starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.
“The play really tells a different story that people aren’t used to,” Morales said. “Rather than talking about the face of a person, it talks about changing their soul. Eliza’s transformation, once she becomes a lady, she can’t manage to even go back to her old ways. She just has changed so much. It’s such a hard concept for people to understand — then and now. I love how brave she is!”

The cast has also had the opportunity — and the challenge — of working with different sorts of British accents. Morales’ character actually deals with two kinds: a cockney accent and a proper accent.
“The dialects have definitely been a challenge, but a welcome one,” she said. “It’s a great group of people — we have a lot laughs and work hard.”

One can expect laughter and an interesting dynamic of characters and plot themes in the show.
“Shaw is a playwright who writes high comedies, and my definition of a high comedy is one in which you have clashing ideas as well as clashing characters,” Dr. McInerney said.

“Shaw always maintained that there was fun, there was comedy in the interplay of ideas as well as pratfalls, one liners, put downs and so on.

“This production gives the Players and the director, of course, the chance to show that Shaw was right,” he said.
Guest director Rosey Hay has been working with the cast and crew since early this semester to put on the production.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Dr. McInerney said. “I admire the work of Rosey Hay, and I’m teaching a number of people in the cast. It should be a great production.”

Dr. McInerney has also been influenced by the players and faculty here at the University.

“I really am honored and appreciate the Players and Professor Larsen and Professor O’Steen and director Rosey Hay,” he said. “I want them to know how much I appreciate them for doing this, and how much I’ve enjoyed working with the players all these years. It’s been an important part of my time at The U for all these years.
“I’m thankful to all the Players, past and present,” he added.

Also in the cast are Jason Brubaker, Anthony Mercado, Margaret Karas, Heather Lucas, Kristen Daniels, Tom Kern, Jason Mannion and Meredith Schimelphenig.

The play will run from Dec. 4, 5 and 6 at 8 p.m., and Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. in the Royal Theatre, located in the McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts.

For more information and to reserve tickets, contact Erin Simko (570) 941- 4318.