“Life isn’t about finding yourself.  Life is about creating yourself.”  George B. Shaw

Whether you integrate arts/drama into your teaching or just want to be inspired by the magic of stage and the wisdom of playwright George Bernard Shaw, you’ll want watch the new PBS documentary, The Shaw Festival:  Behind the Scenes, on WGBY this Friday, July 19, at 9:30p.  The film captures a unique approach to theatre in one of North America’s longest-running and most distinctive dramatic experiences.  By following the process of getting plays from the page to the stage, you — and students —  can gain insight into the production at a world-renowned repertory theatre festival as well as the genius of Shaw.

The documentary’s site has the following engaging classroom activities for grades 6-8, complete with  useful links,  bonus videos and downloadable pdfs:  Radical Rebel with a Cause, Lights, Camera, Action!  Build It!, Shaw Says, Music and Movement.

Among the video resources within these activities, you’ll find those from PBS LearningMedia, which has many more resources on related topics and those from The Annie on Broadway Education Initiative, including short videos from individuals (e.g., director, set designer, choreographer) who explain their roles in the 2012 production of The Musical Annie.