This seminar will explore Chicago’s riches in the realm of public art, including murals, commemorative statues, architectural sculpture, commercial decorations, and park designs, through a series of walking tours. We will pay special attention to the role of public art in shaping the civic, national, and ethnic identities of its audiences, and consider the role of public art in promoting...
Upcoming Chicago Interest Seminars
This list is of upcoming seminars only. Since most seminars meet more than once in a term, if a class has already met at least once, it will no longer show up on this list.
Starting:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Public Art and Public Life in Chicago
Tuesdays, June 4 – August 6
Led by Diane Dillon
Starting:
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Chicago Playwrights and Their Plays
Thursdays, June 6 – August 1 (class will not meet July 4)
Led by Todd Bauer
Each week a different Chicago-based playwright will discuss one of his or her plays with the class. Ranging from established plays which have had a number of productions to scripts still in development, this seminar will give participants an intimate glimpse into the creative process and a unique opportunity to engage in an in-depth dialogue with local playwrights. Participating playwrights...
Starting:
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Chicago's Musical Heritage, 1830-1920
Thursdays, June 6 – August 1 (class will not meet July 4)
Led by Guy A. Marco
This is the first of two seminars examining the people, organizations, and events of music in Chicago. The story begins before the city was incorporated in 1837, with dance music heard in local taverns, and will move to popular songs and minstrel shows. We will consider opera, which began in the 1880s, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which gave its first concerts in 1891. At the turn of...
Starting:
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Studs Lonigan’s Chicago
Thursdays, June 6 – July 25 (class will not meet July 4)
Led by Heath Carter
We will immerse ourselves in the world of James T. Farrell’s classic Studs Lonigan trilogy. It tells the story of a young Irish-American man trying to make his way on the South Side of Chicago during the years between World War I and the Great Depression. While approaching Farrell’s work critically as literature, we will be especially interested in the many glimpses it offers of...
Starting:
Saturday, June 8, 2013
The Radio Genius of Jack Benny
Saturdays, June 8 – 29
Led by Gwen Ihnat
Jack Benny created the situation comedy and put radio on the map, creating a legacy of timeless humor that still delights audiences today. In this seminar, we take a closer look at Benny’s special brand of radio comedy and how he was able to sustain this excellence for decades. We will also explore his crucial supporting cast, including Phil Harris, Eddie Anderson, and Mel Blanc.
...
Starting:
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Tuesdays, June 25 – July 30
Online registration is closed; call (312) 255-3700 to register.
The City that Drinks: American Identity and Chicago Saloon History and Culture
Led by Bill Savage
Bars have long been central to Chicago culture. From the city’s first election—held in the Sauganash Tavern—through the opulent saloons of the Gilded Age and Prohibition-era speakeasies, to generations of ethnically-identified bars, such venues have provided the “third place” where people create community and negotiate identity. We will discuss how writers and film-makers have...