Shenandoah Conservatory welcomes acclaimed director Paul Mason Barnes as guest director for its fall production of Molière’s timeless comedy “The Miser.” Performances will take place Thursday, Oct. 30, through Sunday, Nov. 2, in Glaize Studio Theatre on Shenandoah University’s main campus.

“Working on James Magruder’s adaption of Molière’s ‘The Miser’ affords Shenandoah Conservatory design, technical theatre and acting students wonderful opportunities to explore a historical period that is as fresh and current today as it was when Molière wrote the play some 350 years ago,” said Barnes. “Turns out that an obsession with riches, the hoarding of gold and matters of young love and parental conflicts transcend centuries. Magruder’s adaptation offers just enough anachronistic flourishes to bring us into the 21st century, while simultaneously digging into one of world theatre’s great satirical farces. It is a delight to make my Winchester directing debut with this play and in the company of the sparky, talented and hard-working Shenandoah students.”

Barnes, a nationally recognized theatre artist, brings decades of experience to the conservatory stage. He has directed extensively at leading regional theatres across the United States, earning praise for his imaginative interpretations of both classical and contemporary works. Known for his inventive staging, precise attention to language and ability to balance humor with human depth, Barnes has staged celebrated productions at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Denver Center Theatre Company and many others.

Molière’s “The Miser” remains one of theatre’s most beloved farces. Translated and adapted by James Magruder, the play tells the story of Harpagon, a wealthy but obsessively greedy man whose miserliness creates chaos for his family and those around him. With its biting satire, rapid-fire comedy and exploration of timeless human foibles, “The Miser” continues to delight audiences more than 350 years after its premiere in 1668 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris.

Paul Mason Barnes’ residency at Shenandoah Conservatory is made possible by the Lewis Endowed Fund for Excellence in Acting Training.

Performances of “The Miser” begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30; Friday, Oct. 31; and Saturday, Nov. 2, as well as 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2.Tickets are available for purchase online 24/7 at conservatoryperforms.org. Tickets are available for purchase in person at the Shenandoah Conservatory Box Office located in the Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre lobby and over the phone at (540) 665-4569 during regular box office hours (Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m.).

About Paul Mason Barnes

Paul Mason Barnes is an award-winning American theatre director, educator and arts administrator celebrated for his dynamic work across Shakespeare, musicals, new plays and classic revivals. His passion lies in storytelling — regardless of venue — from modest stages to lavish productions.

A founding producing director of both the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, Minnesota, and the Oregon Cabaret Theatre in Ashland, Oregon, Barnes has also contributed significantly to theatrical education. He served as conservatory director and associate artistic director at PCPA Theaterfest in California and was education director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Barnes’s freelance directing encompasses esteemed regional theatres, festivals and university programs across the United States, from the Folger Theatre and Denver Center to Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Syracuse Stage and Virginia Stage Company. His work has received glowing reviews in top-tier publications such as The Washington Post (“lucid, compelling”), Newsweek (“superb”), The Wall Street Journal (“authoritative, masterful”) and Opera News (“profound”).