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Yes, prostitution is alluded to in the play, which caused it to be banned immediately after Shaw wrote it in 1893. But by today's standards those references have lost their shock value.

Instead, today's theater patrons can look for other interesting aspects of the play. And one that stands out is the relationship between Mrs. Warren and her college-educated daughter, Vivie.

Mrs. Warren grew up poor and struggling for money as a barmaid until her older sister pointed out that the bar owner was getting rich on her good looks and not letting her share in the profits. The sister suggested a new profession where Mrs. Warren could cash in on those good looks.

And the sisters proved to be great businesswomen, earning enough money for Mrs. Warren to spoil her daughter. But she always kept the girl away from her business and kept her personal details (job, family history) a mystery.

Once Vivie becomes an adult with a college education and her own ideas about women's rights, she and her mother are headed for a collision. They have their own ideas on life and what's proper, and it may take a while for them to understand each other.

"I was a women's study major in undergrad, so it's an interesting play from that perspective. … Sort of the turn-of-century clash between the first generation of women to ever go to college and the generation before that," said Jessica Heaven of Washington, D.C., who plays Mrs. Warren.

Heaven was a very late addition to the cast, taking over the role about a week before opening night, after another actress had to leave the production for personal reasons. Heaven was the assistant director and is making the transition to one of the lead roles.

"I keep telling myself it's an exciting challenge instead of a pain in the neck," Heaven said. "It helps that I've been involved with the show since the beginning, so I've been at nearly every rehearsal."

Shaw, an Irish socialist who won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925 and an Oscar in 1938, wrote often about the struggles of the working class and women's rights. His plays are not produced as often as some of his contemporaries, such as Oscar Wilde.

"Shaw is very difficult; Shaw is difficult to act; Shaw is difficult to tech [lighting, sets, blocking], because it's period [historical drama]," said Jacy D'Aiutolo, who is directing this production. "Shaw is difficult to tech because Shaw was very, very specific in his technical directions, so far as to describe what each character looks like down to ‘he is approximately 6-foot-1 and has a gray beard of approximately æ-inch length.' I mean very specific.

"Beyond that, most of his plays are very political. They are political for his time and it can be difficult to get that to translate to a modern audience."

D'Aiutolo suggested doing this play because he felt that of Shaw's plays, it would be one the modern audiences could relate to best. It's also shorter (still four acts with one intermission) than many of Shaw's works.

In addition to Heaven as Mrs. Warren, the cast includes Julie Broder of Washington, D.C., as Vivie Warren; Hiram Powers of Washington, D.C., as Frank Gardner; Bill Jones of Greenbelt as the Rev. Samuel Gardner; Rodney Atkins of Greenbelt as Sir George Crofts; and David Flinn of Silver Spring as Mr. Praed.

Where the play stands out is through the character of Vivie Warren, one of the first modern female characters to be depicted on the stage. She's college educated, expects to be paid — and paid well — for her work, and has no use for men or mothers who want to run her life.

That is worth looking past the prostitution and hints of incest.

E-mail Ken Sain at ksain@gazette.net.

IF YOU GO

Mrs. Warren's Profession

When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 6

Where: Greenbelt Arts Center, 123 Centerway [Road? St?], Greenbelt

Tickets: $15, $12 for seniors and students

Box office: 301-441-8770