Lectures For Lifelong Learners!

Some stories are so instrumental to our culture that they define years of Storytelling, from their emotional weight to their break from the norm to even their creation of a new genre. This hour-long lecture focuses on five stories that persevere against the test of time and constantly changing media to define what Storytelling is– The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, The Great Gatsby, and The Flintstones – each shaped and defined what could be done in storytelling.

The Movie Musical is a rare and beautiful thing, and yet sometimes they can be placed in a box. But like anything unique and meaningful, creators sparked change, daring to be unique, exploring innovative Storytelling techniques, and even pushing the bar. We will explore these innovative moments, unique and often surreal methods, and see how they won out. Clips and images from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Cats, Schmigadoon, and more will be highlighted in this hour-long lecture that honors the power of music and the voices behind it.

Some stories fade, some last in our community’s mindset for ages, and some shape storytelling so deeply that they become the norm. In this lecture, we will explore mythology from around the world that has shaped modern mythology and continues to impact modern Storytelling. We will explore why they have been remembered and the human struggles that keep creative juices flowing in this hour-long celebration of the most enduring of myths. This will include clips from modern movies like Hercules and The Odyssey (Movie), and we will hear some of these myths read by me to capture the magic of these stories.

In our modern age, stories are pivotal to human experience. But how did we get to our most modern style of American Storytelling? In this hour-long lecture, we will explore Storytelling from around the world, how multicultural stories helped to evolve multimedia, and how they built the foundations of a modern art that encapsulates humanity. This will include clips from modern movies, music like jazz and Pop, and artwork from great works like Stan Lee’s Spider-Man, Black Panther, Shelly Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, and Dr. Seuss’s various works.

In our modern age, stories are pivotal to human experience. But how did the earliest sitcoms and dramas secretly shape expectations in art? In this hour-long lecture, we will explore storytelling from early shows like ” I Love Lucy” and the “Andy Griffith Show,” and more to carry purposeful Storytelling, how modern stories learned from them, and how they built the foundations of a modern art that encapsulates humanity. This will include clips from modern movies, shows like The Brady Bunch, and the Honey Mooners.

In our modern age, comic book stories are everywhere, but Legends Like Stan Lee and Steve Ditko challenged what the medium could be. In this hour-long lecture, we will explore storytelling from the earliest days of comics, how they shaped the morals of our country, fought for kindness, dared to challenge titans, and how modern stories continue to carry the moral fibers of writers from their age. This will include clips from modern superhero movies, read passages and panels from comics, and stories detailing the endurance of the men and women behind the heroes.

Today, action movies, comedies, and superhero movies are everywhere. However, we often forget the effort put in by legends and the uncertainty of its early years. In this hour-long lecture, we will explore movies from the earliest days of film, the fight to keep the medium alive, and the legendary actors who fought for the future of their industry. We will also look at trends that seem to prove this philosophy is not entirely gone in our modern age. This will include clips from Casablanca, noir films like Maltese Falcon, read stories that highlight some of our greatest filmmakers’ struggles and successes, and we will look at the stories that embody the mission of film’s earliest filmmakers