When George Bernard Shaw first wrote his play Arms and the Man, he ended it with a bold, definitive statement.

Shaw later changed that same final line to an open-ended question, but he still managed to make a statement by keeping with the flavor of a play that thematically explores the true making of a genuine human being.

"It's a play that I think is timeless in its message, and I think that problem Shaw is talking about is a problem that almost never goes away," said Norrine Sims, who is directing State College Community Theatre's production of Arms and the Man this week. The play's run continues today and tomorrow, as well as Wednesday through Saturday of next week, at the Boal Barn Playhouse in Boalsburg.

"Part of the reason that playwrights become classics, and don't just fade away, is because their messages are timeless," Mariliz Diccicco (junior-theatre), who plays Louka, said.

"They can be applied to different times and different situations. This still has impact."

Arms and the Man takes place in Bulgaria in the late 1800s and is set in a home where two of the men in the family are out at battle.

Although Shaw based his play on a real battle, Simms said it acts as nothing more than a situation that adds to the development of his work.

It's a work that employs comparison and contrast, as Shaw's ideas about false heroism, false patriotism and false romanticism are conveyed by placing phony characters side by side with one who is considered "the real man." This is also where the humor comes in, Sims said, as Shaw uses these opportunities to poke fun at his characters.

This is something that surprised Regina Brannen, who plays the part of Raina, and it's also something she thinks the audience will enjoy.

"I thought it was going to be very dry, and very boring, but there are really some very, very funny parts to it," Brannen said. "We've rehearsed it so much now, it's second nature. There's going to be some laughs even when we don't expect it.

"There's something for everyone."

Interestingly, Brannen is starring opposite her husband, Patrick Brannen, for the first time in Arms and the Man.

The Boal Barn, however, is a familiar setting for the husband and wife team. The two actors met there 12 years ago and were married there five years ago.

And while Regina Brannen said it's been wonderful to work off of her husband's character, she also said she has enjoyed working with the entire cast -- a sentiment that Sims also expressed.

"They are wonderful," she said.

"They just have very professional attitudes and approaches to the play, but they've been blending that with a lot of fun and cooperation. It's really a fine group of people."

Tickets for Arms and the Man are $7 for adults and $6 for youths under 18, and they're available by calling 466-7141 or visiting the SCCT box office, 204 Calder Way, between 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Boal Barn on the night of the show between 6:30 and 8 p.m.