LENOX, Mass. – Shakespeare & Company’s Free Friday Talks continue under the tent at the Rose Footprint Theatre, with a discussion of Golden Leaf Rag Time Blues on Friday, August 26, at 10:30 a.m.
Hosted by educator and member of Shakespeare & Volunteer Company Ann Berman, Free Friday Talks examine various themes surrounding many of the 2022 Season’s titles, featuring directors, design-team members, and others at each presentation.
“In each talk, I provide an introduction: main characters and plot points, but no spoilers, and a history of the play’s origin and previous performances,” she explained. “Or, I might have a question about something like how music suggested in the text influences the design of a production. That’s definitely a question I have about Golden Leaf Rag Time Blues.”
Berman, who holds a Master of Arts in Shakespeare Studies from King’s College, London through a program that partnered with Shakespeare’s Globe, a Masters of Education in Special Education from Boston University, and a bachelor’s degree in English from SUNY Binghamton, launched Free Friday Talks at Shakespeare & Company before the start of the 2022 Season.
Prior to relocating to Berkshire County, she served as a longtime volunteer with the Actors’ Shakespeare Project in Boston, and taught Shakespeare’s plays at the Life-long Learning at Regis College program (LLARC), in tandem with what play ASP was performing at the time. Now a resident of Lee, Mass., Berman is also an active member of The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College (OLLI).
“Going to the theater is a kind of magic, as the actors — with the help of the director and all the design and support team members — use language and space, transforming themselves to affect all of us in the audience,” said Berman. “I enjoy getting a peek behind the curtain, and I enjoy sharing those glimpses with others.”
Tickets are required for Free Friday Talks, and donations are accepted. In the event of inclement weather, an indoor location will be chosen, and ticket holders notified via email. For more information, visit shakespeare.org.
About Shakespeare & Company
Shakespeare & Company was founded in 1978 by Tina Packer. Located in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, the Company offers performance, education, and actor-training opportunities year-round, and attracts more than 40,000 patrons annually with a core of more than 150 artists.
