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Talkin' Shaw Class

Shaw's beard isn't the only thing on point when it comes to his body of work...
Shaw's beard isn't the only thing on point when it comes to his body of work...

Join us for a lively group analysis of George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara facilitated by Benjamin Fainstein, literary manager and resident dramaturg at The Armory. Attendees will have the chance to share impressions and pick each other's brains about this dynamic text. The class will consider the script from both a literary perspective and a dramaturgical one, touching on issues of Shaw in performance as we talk through our responses. Collectively, our investigation of this classic play's characters, themes, and dramatic structures will illuminate its many resonances for a contemporary world.

All are welcome to attend; the only requirement is to read the play in advance. (We will provide an electronic copy of the play a week in advance of the class.) Note: while we truly hope you will join us for a performance of The Armory's production of the play, seeing the show is not a prerequisite nor is our production the focus of this particular session.

Wednesday, May 2

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

$10

Purchase online here!

About Ben

Benjamin Fainstein is the literary manager at The Armory and for JAW: A Playwrights Festival. He is currently developing plays for The Armory’s NW Stories series with writers Lauren Yee, Mary Kathryn Nagle, Dan O’Brien, and James Beaton. Selected dramaturgy credits include Astoria: Parts One & Two (Portland Center Stage at The Armory), Sarah Sander’s Golden (MIDD Summer Play Lab), Kevin Artigue’s The Forcings (JAW), Meg Miroshnik’s The Tall Girls (Carlotta Festival of New Plays), and Marcus Gardley’s The House That Will Not Stand (Yale Repertory Theatre & Berkeley Repertory Theatre). As a playwright, director, and collaborative theatre maker, Benjamin has created numerous original works, including Carnival/Invisible, The Body Politic, Cat Club, Iphigenia Among the Stars, Prototype 373-G, and Paradise Sets In. He is a former founding artistic director of Whistler in the Dark Theatre, associate artistic director of Yale Cabaret, managing editor of Theater magazine, and artistic coordinator for Yale Repertory Theatre, where he supported the development of more than two dozen new plays. He is an alumnus of Middlebury College and Yale School of Drama.

Attend this class for 500 points on PlayMaker! After registering, look for a welcome email containing your code to redeem for points. Sign up or sign in at playmaker.org.

Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).

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