Oregon Adventure Theatre (OAT) is thrilled to host Portland Shakespeare stalwart Jake Merriman in his Shakespearian Text Workshop. Happening at the Peninsula Odd Fellows on Sunday 3/22/26 and 3/29/26 from 1-9 PM.

Biography: Jake Merriman has been a Shakespeare nerd since he saw King Lear at Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 1995. He was lucky enough in University to study under Nancy Benjamin who was the voice and text coach at OSF (and later A.C.T. in San Francisco and the Stratford Festival) and continued his education by deep diving into the trainings and writings of John Barton. Later he would become a director for the Fall Festival of Shakespeare (both in Portland with Portland Center Stage and Lenox, MA with Shakespeare & Company), a program that has been studied by Harvard which concluded it should be taught in every school and whose architect Kevin Coleman has been nominated for a Tony and invited to the White House for his work. Jake did extended training at Shakespeare & Company as well, taking their Month Long Intensive as well as additional workshops (including from Tina Packer). Through incredible luck he’s been in the room with masters and he’s taken his learning and experience with what has impact on students to create a very practical workshop with easily actionable techniques of big ideas from giants that is first and foremost a great time.

Past Student Reactions:

"All of the info, for me, was new, illuminating, and actionable info that I can and will use the next time I’m working on Shakespeare, and it will all add to the quality, and CLARITY that I can bring the material.

And I came out of it, with a polished, ready to destroy an audition room, monologue.

The main triumph of Mr Merriman’s workshop, is the learning atmosphere he created. regardless of the skill level of the individuals involved, he led the charge on acceptance, support, and encouragement as they grappled with new, or familiar techniques. And following his example, I, and the other folks learning the material, accepted, supported, and encouraged our fellow students growth.

After only 16 hours together, I felt totally safe and supported by the group. We’d unintentionally built an ensemble I felt I could do anything with: fail or succeed, and be supported."

Workshop Participant Homework: Participants need to prepare around ten lines of verse text from any Shakespearian piece. One or two rhyming couplets are OK, but the whole piece should not be rhyming. Please email info@oregonadventuretheatre.com what your prepared text will be.