GREGORY L. FARBER

Education

M.F.A., Creative Writing, with emphasis in Playwriting, Theatre/English departments, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, Expected 2007.

                        Thesis play: Bottom Line

Committee Members: Guillermo Reyes, Chair; Tamara Underiner, Jeff McMahon

            B.A., English, Bentley College, Waltham, MA, December 2002, magna cum laude

Honor’s Thesis: “Dystopian Idea, Utopian Nightmare”

Teaching Experience

Interim Writing Center Director, Department of English and Media Studies, Bentley University. Present.

I am responsible for managing a staff of 10-12 undergraduate writing tutors and for the development and promotion of the Writing Center. Since being there, I have developed a new training program for the tutors, integrating new and old training methods. I have also been working to digitize and update forms and procedures in order to increase efficiency and ease of tutoring. Additionally, I have worked to expand several programs and implemented new initiatives including hosting a series of writing workshops.

Adjunct Lecturer, Department of English, Bentley University. 2007-2010.

Expository Writing 101 & 201 EXP 101 & EXP 201

Creative Writing: Drama/Screenwriting LIT 312

I regularly teach first- and second- year writing composition classes, based

on different themes. I also teach a dramatic writing course with a focus on

writing for film. Expository Writing course topics include: “Exploring

Change: Progress, Regression, or Evolution?”; “Identity in Self and

Society”; and “Technology in Education.”

Adjunct Instructor, Department of English, Montserrat College of Art. 2008-2010.

English Composition I & II EN 100 & EN200

Humanities I & Humanities II HU200 & HU205

I taught a first-year writing course to help students improve their

communication and critical thinking skills. Additionally, I taught

humanities classes designed to introduce students to Western philosophy

and literature. English Composition topics include: “Defining Self in

Society,” and “Exploring New Spaces.”

Writing Associate, School of Management, Boston University, 2009-2010.

Writing Component of Management as a System SM121 & SM299

As part of a required business class, I taught workshops and gave group

tutorial sessions on business writing skills in addition to holding office

hours, grading papers, and meeting with students individually to help them

improve their writing.

Teaching Fellow, School of Theatre and Film, Arizona State University. 2005-2007.

Introduction to Playwriting THP 261 / ENG 210

Introduction to Screenwriting THP 261 / ENG 210

As the instructor of record, I designed and taught my own playwriting and

screenwriting classes.

Writing Teacher, 4 Star Academic Summer Camp, Charlottesville, Virginia. 2006.

Essay Writing

Creative Writing: including scriptwriting, poetry, fiction

I designed and taught several two-week sessions of both essay writing and

creative writing for high school juniors and seniors.

Teaching Assistant, Department of Theatre/Department of English, Arizona State

University. 2004-2007.

Introduction to Screenwriting THP 261 / ENG 210

Introduction to Playwriting THP 260 / ENG 210

For both playwriting and screenwriting classes, I gave lectures, held discussions, and led workshops on a variety of writing topics.

The Writer’s Journey THP 498/598 / ENG 498/598

I assisted the instructor of record for class focused on the development of

story based on the ideas of Christopher Vogler and Joseph Campbell.

Graded creative and critical writing assignments. Delivered lectures on

creating a story, developing an idea, and adaptation. Led discussions of

Ovid’s tale of Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, and

Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe’s musical My Fair Lady.

Writing Tutor, Writing Center, Bentley College, Waltham, Massachusetts. 2000-2002.

Through one-on-one sessions, I provided assistance to all levels of students in all aspects of writing. Additionally, I assisted in evaluation and development of training for new tutors by creating and testing exercises and workshops.

Teaching Assistant, Department of English, Bentley College, Waltham, Massachusetts.

2002.

Expository Writing EXP101L

As the teaching assistant, I co-developed the syllabus with a content focus on colonization and two main texts: Adam Hochschild’s King Leopold’s Ghost and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. I also held in-class discussions, led workshops, and graded, evaluated, and commented on student work.

Co-Facilitator, First Year Programs, Bentley College, Waltham, Massachusetts. 2002.

Freshman Seminar

Freshman Seminar is a class designed to acclimate first-year students to college life and academics. As a co-facilitator I delivered lectures, led discussions, and gave assignments designed to prepare students for their new experiences at the university level.

ESOL Microsoft Excel Tutor, Waltham, Massachusetts, Spring 2002.

Volunteered to teach adult ESOL students how to use MS Excel. Helped students learn technology and business related English words and phrases. Tutored students in the use of computers for business and professional activities.

Teaching and Research Interests

Writing Composition

Writing Center Management/Tutor Training and Development

Playwriting

Screenwriting

Dramatic Literature

Dramaturgy

Productions

“Weathertician,” ten-minute play

University of Maryland Baltimore County, Grrl Parts Festival, March 2010.

“Like Father Like Daughter,” excerpt from Bottom Line

Exclamation Point! short play festival, Fort Point Theatre Channel, Boston, MA

March 2008.

Bottom Line, full-length play

MFA staged reading series, Arizona State University, April 2007.

“Statement,” ten-minute play

Insomnia and Sunglasses, Playwrights on Campus evening of ten-minute plays,

Arizona State University, February 2007.

“Jesus on the High Seas,” ten-minute musical, co-written with Jeremiah Clay

24-Hour Play Festival, Playwrights on Campus, Arizona State University,

January 2007.

Bottom Line, full-length play

staged reading, Festival of New Work, Arizona State University, November 2006.

“Journalistic Integrity,” one-act play

Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo, Playwrights on Campus evening of one-act plays,

Arizona State University, October 2006.

“Penury Penitentiary,” ten-minute play

Gardner-Webb University Festival of New Work, Boiling Springs, NC, April 2006.

Broken Memories, full-length play

MFA staged reading series, Arizona State University, April 2006.

Taking Leave, full-length play

Arizona State University’s Mainstage season, November 2005.

Unlucky Little Lamb, one-act play

Festival of New Work, Firehouse Center for the Arts, Newburyport, MA,

September 2005.

“Penury Penitentiary,” ten-minute play

Five of a Kind, ten-minute play festival, ASU, October 2005.

Taking-Leave

MFA staged reading series, ASU, April 2005.

“Simon Says,” ten-minute play

workshop production, ASU, March 2005.

“No Place Like Home,” ten-minute play

workshop production, ASU, February 2005.

“The Following is a Paid Presentation,” ten-minute play

Teatro Caliente festival, Theatre in My Basement, Phoenix, AZ, October 2004.

“The Following is a Paid Presentation,” ten-minute play

Gods, Guns, and Gynecologists ten-minute play festival, ASU, October 2004.

The Salesman’s Son, one-act play

Bentley College, Waltham, MA, February 2003.          

Publications/Exhibits

            “Wherever Home Is,” poem/print exhibited

Arizona State’s STEP gallery.  Developed as a collaboration among photographer Tracy Longley-Cook, poet Katherine Larsen, and myself as part of Visual Text 2: Connection project, February 2006.

            “Playwrights’ News,” online publication

                        Chronicle of Arizona State alumni productions and news, 2005.

            “Central Artery,” poem/print exhibited

Arizona State’s Harry Wood gallery.   Developed as a collaboration between sculptor Alison Young and myself as part of the inaugural Visual Text: Transformation project, January 2005.

            “Shoot,” poem

                        Published in Piecework, April 2002.

Professional Experience

Director of Development, Theatre on Fire, Charlestown, MA, 2008-2010.

Worked to increase local presence, develop online marketing tools, and devise a long- term marketing strategy. Researched and wrote grants, and helped make decisions about theatre’s season. Helped raise money though grants, donations, and sponsorships.

Co-founder/Vice President of Playwrights on Campus, Arizona State University,

2006-2007.

Founded an organization which allows students of all levels to experience

productions, readings, and discussions of their plays.

Promoted the organization and its productions. Responsible for writing grants

and securing funding. Managed finances and budgets for the organization in the

short-term while creating a long-term organizational model which allows for the

continual transition of leadership and consistent revenue streams. Developed

mutually beneficial relationships with other local theatrical organizations, both

on- and off-campus. Helped choose, schedule, and organize a season of three to

four productions, including securing space, equipment, and funds as well as

directors, designers, actors, stage managers, and crew.

Reader/Judge, Arizona Playwrights’ Competition.

Read, summarized, and commented on submitted plays for the contest as part of a group of readers and judges.

Proofreader, Curriculum Associates, Billerica, Massachusetts.

Edited and proofread educational books, pamphlets, and other materials for style, content, grammar, and punctuation.

Brief Editor, CCBN, Boston, Massachusetts.

Edited, for style and content, financial briefs to be posted on companies’ websites.

Production-related Experience

Assistant Stage Manager, 7 Blowjobs, by Theatre on Fire, Charlestown, MA, 2008.

Co-producer of Insomnia and Sunglasses, ten-minute play festival. Managed budget,

designed and distributed publicity, organized rehearsal and performance space, and worked with playwrights, directors, and designers to coordinate all aspects of production. February 2007.

Co-producer of 24-Hour Play Festival. Gathered and organized over 50 theatre artists to

produce short plays in 24 hours. Coordinated rehearsal times and spaces as well as designed, organized and distributed publicity. January 2007.

Co-producer of Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo, evening of one-act plays. Organized directors,

playwrights, designers for the plays. Scheduled space, rehearsals, and

performances as well as publicized the event and managed the event’s budget.

October 2006.

Assistant Dramaturg for La Vida Loca in Arizona State University’s Mainstage Festival

of New Work. Helped edit final draft of play, helped give critical feedback on

script, assisted in cultural research for use by designers. November 2006.

Producer of Five of a Kind, ten-minute play festival. Organized all aspects of production of

festival, including finding directors, scheduling performances and rehearsals, and developing publicity. October 2006.

Organizer of MFA Playwrights Staged Reading Series. Organized staged readings for six

new works. April 2006.

Producer of Gods, Guns, and Gynecologists, ten-minute play festival. Organized all

facets of production, including recruiting directors, scheduling performances and

rehearsals, and designing and distributing publicity. October 2005.

Distinctions

2009 – Winner of University of Maryland Baltimore County’s IN10 Playwriting

Competition for “Weathertician”

2008 – Honorable Mention in FirstStageLA’s One-Act Play Contest for “Journalistic

Integrity”

2008 – Finalist in Landless Theatre Company’s Competition for Bottom Line

2007 – Virginia G. Piper Fellowship in New Play Development for Bottom Line

2007 – KCACTF Meritorious Achievement Award for Playwriting for Bottom Line

2004-2007 – Arizona State University Teaching Fellow

Grants

Sovereign Bank Grant, funding awarded for Theatre on Fire. September 2008.

Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing Grant, funding awarded for Playwrights on

Campus. Fall 2006.

Division of Graduate Studies Travel Grant, for expenses associated with representation at

the Firehouse Center for the Arts production of Unlucky Little Lamb.

September 2005.

Service

Writing and Communiation Committee Member.

Serve on the WCC Committee working to develop departmental and writing course objectives. Present.

Capstone mentor for undergraduate playwright.

Served as a mentor for a graduating senior as he completed a full-length play as

his final project at Arizona State University. Spring 2007.

Graduate and Professional Studies Association Grant Reviewer. Fall 2006.

Capstone mentor for undergraduate playwright.

Mentored a graduating senior in the School of Theatre and Film as he completed a

one-act play for his final project. Spring 2006.

Professional Development

Preparing Future Faculty Program, ASU: A one-year series of seminars dealing with

issues of teaching at the university level, 2005 – 2006.

Course & Syllabus Design workshop: Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence,

ASU.  September 2006.

Outstanding TA Panel: Division of Graduate Studies Strategies for Success, ASU,

April 2006.

Using Humor in Teaching workshop: Preparing Future Faculty, ASU, March 2006.

Academic and Artistic Freedom in the University workshop, Preparing Future Faculty,

ASU, November 2005.

Peer Review in Expository Writing workshop: Bentley College English Department,

Bentley College, October 2001.

Professional Affiliations

Dramatists Guild

Playwrights Center, Minneapolis

StageSource

References

References will be provided upon request.