Literary & Performing Arts   

You don’t need to travel to exotic places to write about your journeys. Travel writing is not about tourism but about personal experiences in any place. Join us in this new class where we’ll plan a journey to a place nearby, learn the basics of the genre, and workshop our writing. You’ll leave this class with ideas and tools to write about any trip.

Have you always wanted to sit down at a piano and play your favorite songs? What if you could accompany yourself singing a Joni Mitchell, or Beatles, or Cole Porter song? You could be the hit of the party – even if you are the only one there! Even if you’ve never touched a piano or read a note of music, Dr. Regina Zona will teach you everything you need to know to be able to play simple and complex chords, read a lead sheet, and create simple accompaniments so you can sing and play almost any song. This will be a small class so you will get lots of personal attention to support your learning. The only requirement is that you have a keyboard or piano at home so you can practice and play to your heart’s content! Please note this is not a singing class. This class is focused on learning how to play the piano so that you can accompany yourself or others as you sing your favorite songs.

Intrigue, romance, betrayal: Alfred Hitchcock brings Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman together in a thrilling postwar spy romance. Set against the glamorous yet dangerous backdrop of Rio de Janeiro, the film explores the perilous secrets and tangled loyalties of espionage. With Hitchcock’s masterful direction and a mesmerizing cast, Notorious is suspenseful and seductive. Join us to dive deep into this "very strange love affair" and discuss how Hitchcock’s storytelling continues to captivate generations.

Click here to receive a 10% discount when you register for the three-part series, which includes screenings of three of Hitchcock's classic suspense films on three different evenings.

Check out the other two classes that are part of this series:

• Tuesday, Jan. 14: Hitchcock's The 39 Steps with The Picture House
• Tuesday, Mar. 11: Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train with The Picture House

 

This class covers the basics of playing the harmonica, including how to hold it and proper breathing and embouchure techniques. Students will learn essential skills like playing single notes, basic chords, bends, simple blues improvisation, and songs, fostering a solid foundation for further musical exploration and fun playing music.

Everyone has a voice. Everyone has a story. Share yours in this interactive course designed to equip you with the skills to tell your story–personally or in presentations–with confidence and flair. In a welcoming and supportive setting, students will engage in relaxation techniques and exercises designed to ease anxiety and boost self-assurance. Each session will feature practical activities and constructive peer-to-peer feedback to help you grow and refine your skills. You’ll learn how to overcome fears, maintain focus, and adapt with ease—all while discovering and using your voice.

This class will help writers put pen to paper and find their voice and story. The six words will help shape your narrative, no matter how long or short. Based on your six words, you will have the start of a flash-fiction piece, a short story, a piece of poetry, or the start of a memoir. Through the course of the class, you will work with your original six words to help develop the story’s statement, including plot, setting, characters, and more. In the end, you will have a writing project you can be proud of and can add to as you continue the story's journey.

The role of women’s lives in society from the 18th century to the 19th Amendment is highlighted in popular song. Playing mountain and hammered dulcimers and guitar, Linda sings broadsides, laments, love songs, work songs, parlor melodies, and suffrage anthems. The songs reflect the changing status of women in society. Interspersed with the music are excerpts from women’s diaries and letters. Among the stories included will be those of Deborah Samson, who fought as a soldier in the Patriot army in the Revolutionary War battles in White Plains and Tarrytown, and the New York and New Jersey women who led the fight for Women’s Suffrage.

Obsession, deception, fate: Hold onto your seat for one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most diabolical thrillers. When two strangers meet on a train, an innocent conversation about their “problems” turns into a deadly pact—or does it? With one of the most gripping climaxes in cinema history, this 1951 film explores themes of fate, guilt, and the dark side of human nature. We "have a theory you should do everything before you die," including joining us for an unforgettable evening, as we delve into the suspense and psychology that define Hitchcock’s chilling style.

Click here to receive a 10% discount when you register for the three-part series, which includes screenings of three of Hitchcock's classic suspense films on three different evenings.

Check out the other two classes that are part of this series:

• Tuesday, Jan. 14: Hitchcock's The 39 Steps with The Picture House
• Tuesday, Feb. 11: Hitchcock's Notorious with The Picture House