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Sidney Berger Acting Shakespeare Master Class
The Prague Shakespeare Festival is pleased to announce that we will be hosting a unique Acting Shakespeare Master Class featuring Sidney Berger, Artistic Director of the Houston Shakespeare Festival, and one of the world's foremost experts on Shakespearean Verse May 17-19, 2010 in Prague, Czech Republic. Space for this exclusive Master Class will be limited to 30 participants and a select number of observers. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from one of the most respected Shakespearean Theatre experts in the world.
SIDNEY BERGER is celebrating his thirty-seventh year as founder and producing director of the Houston Shakespeare Festival. He is also currently the John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Theatre; the former Director of the University of Houston School of Theatre; and co-founder and producer of the Children's Theatre Festival, UH's professional summer children's theatre. He has directed many productions for the Houston Shakespeare Festival, and over sixty at UH. As Associate Artist at the Alley Theatre he directed FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE, T BONE N WEASEL, and ALL IN THE TIMING. Other professional directing credits include A DELICATE BALANCE, BETRAYAL, SIGHT UNSEEN and THE SUBSTANCE OF FIRE at Stages Repertory Theatre, where he also served as Artistic Director. He also directed Albee's ALL OVER, with Mr. Albee consulting. As well, he has directed JACQUES BREL for the QCC Equity Theatre in New York, GREASE and MY FAIR LADY (with Noel Harrison and Clive Revill) for Theatre Under The Stars and the film HOUSTON PROUD narrated by Ben Vereen.
His musical theatre credits include directing productions both in America and abroad including USO-Defense Department tours of THE BOY FRIEND, BRIGADOON, THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE and SWEET CHARITY to Asia, Greenland, Iceland, Labrador and Western Europe. Equally at home with opera as well as musical comedy, he has directed Tableau Opera tours of MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, MACBETH and ROMEO AND JULIET for the Houston Grand Opera. For two consecutive summers Dr. Berger was appointed American Theatre Specialist by the U. S. State Department and toured throughout Western and Eastern Europe giving concert performances of selections from American Theatre including WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, AFTER THE FALL and OF MICE AND MEN. He was invited by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany to meet with heads of German theatres and served as a NASA consultant for the arts in the Space Program.
In 1990 he co-founded and was elected President of the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America, uniting all major professional Shakespeare producers in North America. Elected to membership in the National Theatre Conference, he served as one of its trustees and its president.
Dr. Berger also serves on the board of governors for the International Shakespeare Globe Centre project in London.
In recognition of the role he has played in the theatre life of Houston, TX, Dr. Berger was chosen as a recipient of the Mayor's Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Performing Artist. The City Council and the Mayor again recognized his accomplishments by issuing special proclamations in 1989 and 1993 for outstanding service to the arts. In 1992 he received the Esther Farfel Award, the University of Houston's highest academic honor bestowed on the most outstanding faculty member of the year. In 1997 he was inducted as a Fellow of the American Theatre at the Kennedy Center and in 1998 was elected to the post of Vice-President and President- Elect for the National Theatre Conference andi in 1999, President-Elect of the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America. Dr. Berger was also elected as a Fellow of the National Foundation For Jewish Culture. In 2002, he received the highest award given by the Association For Theatre in Higher Education: the ATHE Career Achievement Award. In 2007 Dr. Berger was awarded the Ruth Denny Award For Lifetime Achievement. As well, Congressman Gene Greene presented Dr. Berger with a plaque of his citation in the U.S. Congressional Record for distinction in theatre. The University of Houston Library will form a collection of Dr. Berger's memorabilia and personal papers
Cost:
Particpants (limit of 30 total) - 1,500kĨ
Observer (limited seating) - 900kĨ for all days, 500kĨ for one day
To Apply and Request an Application form, email Guy Roberts:
guy@pragueshakespeare.cz
For interviews with Sidney Berger and more information on the Master Class contact:
Guy Roberts
Artistic Director
Prague Shakespeare Festival
guy@pragueshakespeare.cz
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