GregRobin Smith

Headshot of a man with short gray hair, smiling and wearing a collared shirt.

GregRobin Smith began his journey with Shakespeare in high school when he saw a Star Trek episode featuring an interstellar Shakespearean troupe and that changed the course of his life. At the same time, the polymath Dr Benjamin Franklin caught his attention as someone who excelled in many fields of study.

After achieving a BA in Theatre at Eastern Washington University in 1977, GregRobin settled in Seattle to seek fortune and fame.
Always an educator, GregRobin founded, “A Knight’s Tour” in 1982, bringing interactive classes in Medieval history to schools all over the Puget Sound region. Now, as managing director of the Washington Shakespearean Festival, he continues to teach with his interactive touring program and performance-based classes for Continuing Education programs at Western Washington University (Bellingham), Seattle Central College (Seattle), and online for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (University of Alaska Fairbanks). He has also taught as a guest lecturer in Texas, both Dakotas, Ireland, Oregon, Washington, BC & Alberta Canada, Idaho, Montana, Connecticut, and New York.

GregRobin has been presenting programs on, and as, Dr Benjamin Franklin since 2001, written over 3,000 sonnets, as well as a book on Shakespeare’s writing techniques that includes an original five act Shakespearean style Comedy. He is also a public speaker, a musician, ​Renaissance Faire performer, and an avid fundraiser, often performing as Benjamin Franklin for non-profit organizations across the country.

Teaching Style & Class Formats

GregRobin’s classes are interactive experiences exploring the methods and mechanics of literature, history, art and culture. Through lecture, discussion, role playing, classes explore the point of view of other times in history.

Students will view a slide presentation for the class outline (an electronic version will be made available to the class), see videos of various performances and biographies, and read the words written in the times the class discusses.

For Shakespeare Classes, the instructor’s book on the subject will be made available to every student free of charge (PDF).   
When this class is offered in the summer, attendance to Shakespeare in the Park performances will be an option.  

The instructor, a trained actor, will demonstrate speeches to highlight concepts.

Resources 

www.Ben-Franklin.org
RenList Player: https://www.therenlist.com/vendors/robyn-plaeyr-308323080830
www.facebook.com/MayPoleMan/
Renaissance Faire List: https://www.therenlist.com/all-fairs
 

Student Reviews

“Mr. GregRobin Smith was a true delight. He is very knowledgeable on the subject and I learned a lot.”

“GregRobin opened up the world of Shakespeare in a way that makes me want to explore it further. Dress, music, food, architecture, societal norms, are all of interest to me now.”

“Shakespeare is a life passion for GregRobin and it shows. His enthusiasm is infectious and makes for an engaging class.”

“Please have Mr. GregRobin Smith back." 

"GregRobin was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the subject of Shakespeare."

Classes