Literary & Performing Arts   

Designed for anyone who wants to “take the stage” – in acting or public speaking! The art of acting is not just about being the next famous actor, but it explores life skills that everyone can utilize in any profession. Explore the elements of acting while freeing your creativity, increasing your confidence, and learning how to work effectively in a group. The tools and techniques of the actor’s craft are introduced through a wide variety of exercises, games, improvisations, short-scripted material, monologues, and scenes. Use these tools and techniques to forward your career and improve your listening and communication skills. No experience necessary.

In this beginner-level guitar course, students will learn fundamental guitar techniques in an engaging and social environment. The course covers essential musical elements such as rhythm, melody, and notation. Students will be taught proper posture and basic techniques for both the right and left hands. The curriculum includes learning to play simple songs using notes and chords in their open positions, as well as right-hand finger-picking patterns to play simple chord progressions.

Intended for beginners, this class will guide students through the fundamentals of piano, from reading music to playing engaging melodies and simple chords with proper technique and fingerings. With personalized attention and the encouragement of a small group, students will build confidence while developing essential skills.

Designed for emerging pianists, this class introduces students to the essential foundations of piano playing—from reading music to performing engaging melodies and basic chord progressions with proper technique and confident fingerings. With personalized guidance and the support of a small group setting, students gain skills, confidence, and musical fluency as they progress.

Do you have bits and pieces of stories or ideas written on napkins, sticky notes, index cards, and journals--or even a book in the works? This class will help you put all of your ideas together and shape them into a well-written piece. In a writing workshop style, we will gather each week, share stories, and find ways to improve and move them along. So bring in your work(s) and let's start to shape and bring to life the story you have been envisioning.

For more than 125 years, movies have shaped the way we dream, remember, argue, laugh, love, and see the world. This 6-week series offers a sweeping, entertaining, and accessible journey through the history of film, exploring the first half of cinema's remarkable story—from the pioneering silent films of the late 1800s through the groundbreaking movies and cultural shifts of the mid-20th century. (A second 6-week series, offered in the winter term, will continue the journey from the 1960s to the streaming age of the 2020s.)

Each week will explore a different era in movie history, and in Part 1 this fall, we will cover the birth of the motion picture, the rise of Hollywood, the glamour of the silent era, the arrival of sound, the golden age of the studio system, film noir, and postwar cinema. Along the way, we will look at legendary stars, groundbreaking directors, unforgettable scenes, major technological shifts, and the cultural moments that made each decade distinct through clips and class discussions.

Whether you are a lifelong film lover or simply curious about how cinema became cinema, this series will give you a richer understanding of the movies you already love and introduce you to many more worth discovering.

For a look at the weekly lecture topics, please click here.

This hands-on workshop introduces the essentials of screenwriting in a friendly, supportive environment for students who are beginning their screenwriting journey or looking to build upon the fundamentals. Weekly writing exercises will strengthen your grasp of story structure, compelling character development, authentic dialogue, and writing action and imagery. In class, we’ll share work, exchange constructive feedback, and watch and analyze film clips that highlight key elements of powerful visual storytelling. Whether crafting a screenplay, TV pilot, or a short film, you’ll explore the core mechanics of strong screenwriting, learn proper script formatting, and begin building your own screenwriting portfolio. This course is ideal for those who are seeking structure, accountability, and community in their screenwriting practice. For returning students, we will work on log-lines and treatments for your existing projects. 

If you have always wanted to learn to sing but have never had the opportunity to do so, this is the class for you. Join people who have the same love for singing that you do. You'll learn the essential tools of vocal technique (breathing, support, focus) in a supportive group setting so you can understand how to sing your favorite songs with ease. Singing both in a group setting and with some individualized instruction, we will also spend several weeks exploring the singing styles of the repertoire of Classic Broadway, the Great American Songbook, and Pop/Rock from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

 

No experience? No problem! In this workshop, you’ll learn to play the harmonica through fun, simple songs that even total beginners can master. We'll focus on rhythm, musicality, and playing together—no music reading required. With live guitar accompaniment to keep us on beat and add extra energy, you'll be making music in no time. 

Ready to make music, share a laugh (or several), and strum your way to happiness? This beginner-friendly ukulele class is designed especially for adults looking to try something new, have fun, and perhaps even unleash their inner rock star — or at least a very enthusiastic campfire singer. In this class you’ll learn to strum, play basic chords, keep a steady rhythm, and sing songs that speak to you. The only prerequisites: a fun-loving spirit and a song you can physically sing (yes, that one you belt out in the shower counts). Bring one song idea to class, and we’ll take care of the rest. This class is structured for beginners and will go at a relaxed pace with plenty of musical “aha!” moments and good-natured laughs along the way. Come as you are, leave with a smile, and maybe even a few new friends. Warning: Spontaneous humming and toe-tapping may occur. Ukuleles will be provided for class use.

Take a look at some pictures from Ginger Lai Kokoszka's past classes here. 

 

Discover the life, music, and lasting legacy of the true architect of rock and roll. We will explore how Chuck Berry fused country, blues, and rhythm and blues music to create the definitive sound of a generation. Through vintage performance clips and audio recordings, we will trace his journey from a St. Louis cosmetology student to a global superstar. Learn the stories behind timeless anthems like "Johnny B. Goode" and "Maybellene," analyze his iconic "duckwalk" showmanship, and examine how his innovative guitar riffs shaped the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and everyone who followed.