Publisher Description
George Bernard Shaw stands “do or die” melodrama on its head in this tale set during the American Revolution when a young hero who disdains heroism makes the ultimate sacrifice for honor and country.
“The Devil’s Disciple” is the story of Richard Dudgeon, who is considered by his friends and family be the “Devil’s disciple” because of his rebellious personality and unfaithfulness to religion. However, when British soldiers visit the home of the town’s minister, Anthony Anderson, with the intentions of arresting Anderson, Dudgeon’s true colors are shown. In a heroic moment, Dudgeon allows the soldiers to arrest him, having mistaken him for Anderson, although it may mean the death of him.
This L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Jennifer Albright, Pat Carroll, Stanton Davis, Bruce Davison, Richard Dix, Richard Dreyfuss, David Bryon Jackson, Lisa Pelikan, Derek Smith, and Jon Tindle.
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“In the early days of the American Revolution, Dick Dudgeon—played with easy wit and sly charm by Derek Smith—returns home to New Hampshire to find his family quarreling over his father’s fortune and leaning towards supporting the British in the war. The Devil’s Disciple declares himself a patriot and then finds that may mean making a great sacrifice, much to the surprise of the minister’s wife, played with sweetness and verve by Lisa Pelikan. Brimming with Shaw’s lyrical and insightful dialogue and augmented with the sounds of pealing church bells, fife and drums, and an anticipatory crowd waiting to see a hanging, the play rushes to a rousing conclusion, much to the distaste of the sharp-tongued British General Burgoyne, played by a wonderfully droll Richard Dreyfuss. Classic theater at its best.”
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AudioFile
About George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950), Irish-born playwright, critic, and political activist, began his writing career in London. In addition to writing sixty-three plays, his prodigious output as critic, pamphleteer, and essayist influenced numerous social issues. In 1925, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature and in 1938 an Oscar for the movie version of Pygmalion.
About the Narrators
Bruce
Davison, narrator, received critics’ praise for his reading of On the Waterfront, an adaptation that
was named a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award in 2004. As an actor, he
has enjoyed an over four-decade career including everything from Shakespeare to
Seinfeld. On Broadway, he starred in The
Elephant Man and earned numerous other strong theatrical roles, winning the
Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for his work in Streamers in 1977. In film, he’s won a Golden Globe, a NSFC Award,
and other awards for best supporting actor. His numerous television credits
include General Hospital and Knight Rider. He has also occasionally
served as a writer, producer, and director. He lives with his family in the Los
Angeles area.
Richard Dreyfuss
is an Academy Award–winning actor who has appeared in such blockbuster films as
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
and Jaws. In 1977 he became the
youngest man to win the Oscar for Best Actor, which he won for his performance
in The Goodbye Girl. He also appeared
in Stand by Me, What about Bob?, The American
President, and Mr. Holland’s Opus,
among many other films.
Bruce
Davison, narrator, received critics’ praise for his reading of On the Waterfront, an adaptation that
was named a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award in 2004. As an actor, he
has enjoyed an over four-decade career including everything from Shakespeare to
Seinfeld. On Broadway, he starred in The
Elephant Man and earned numerous other strong theatrical roles, winning the
Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for his work in Streamers in 1977. In film, he’s won a Golden Globe, a NSFC Award,
and other awards for best supporting actor. His numerous television credits
include General Hospital and Knight Rider. He has also occasionally
served as a writer, producer, and director. He lives with his family in the Los
Angeles area.