Masterclass 2026: An Introduction to Heartbreak House

An Introduction to Heartbreak House

In anticipation of our first show of the season, George Bernard Shaw's Heartbreak House, Company Member Elizabeth Swain will lead an evening of exploration. Read sections of the play with Elizabeth, hear about the artistic challenges of rehearsing, and learn more about one of the most sparkling and incisive playwrights in the classic canon. Enjoy a lively discussion with the class, which will enhance and enrich your experience at the performance. Copies of the script will be provided.

*Please note, students under 18 require permission from the moderator to take this academy class. If you’re in this category, please reach out to us at academy@antaeus.org.

About Elizabeth Swain Elizabeth Swain (elizabethswain.net) is a director, actor and teacher, and a member of ANTAEUS. Directing includes Two Noble Kinsmen and Romeo and Juliet for The Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival, The 6th Act’s An Evening of Betrayal, The Winter’s Tale, Hamlet, Measure for Measure co-directed with Armin Shimerman, and Marston’s The Malcontent for ANTAEUS, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth for CSULB. She has directed staged readings for Classical Theatre Lab and ANTAEUS. As an actor she has worked on Broadway, Off Broadway and in many regional theaters, including The LA Women’s Shakespeare Company and ANTAEUS (The Curse of Oedipus, Macbeth, Top Girls). She has taught at Cal Arts, Barnard College and is Professor Emerita at Marymount Manhattan College. She was awarded an NEH Fellowship to study at Shakespeare’s Globe in London and holds a PhD from the CUNY Graduate Center.