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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.