Next week: BOB DYLAN 101, Mel Brooks revisited
Singer-songwriter course is two-thirds full and will not be expanded
At Noon ET on Monday, November 2, Jewish Culture 101 will launch its five-part “Singer-Songwriter” course with a close look at the early music of Bob Dylan. What were the messages of songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are a-Changin’”? (Hint: they’re probably not what you think.) Why did his music strike a chord with American youth in the early 1960s? In what ways is it still relevant today? Sign up: bitly.com/BenkofSingers
Response to the Singer-Songwriter series has been extremely strong, with more than two-thirds of the slots already taken. The classes will NOT be extended beyond the weekly 1,000-participant limit, so if you plan to come, please sign up today. Most or all classes will fill up. All are Mondays at Noon Eastern:
November 2 Bob Dylan 101
November 9 Simon & Garfunkel 101
November 16 Peter, Paul & Mary 101
November 23 Carole King 101
November 30 Billy Joel 101
On Thursday, November 5 at Noon EST, I’ll be teaching “Mel Brooks: Another Look” - a continuation of Mel Brooks 101, but with completely new clips and discussions. How did “The Producers” address homosexuality? How did “History of the World, Part I” take aim at the Jewish past? And what were Brooks’s greatest artistic and commercial successes BEYOND his "Big Three” (The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein)? Finally, how well did his shows lend themselves to the Broadway stage? They’re fresh questions for Jewish Culture 101, so both veterans and newbies are welcome. Tuition: $1. Register: bitly.com/BenkofBrooks
The first three Thursdays in December at Noon ET will be a Greatest Hits extended seminar on Broadway pioneer Stephen Sondheim. What’s a Sondheim rhyme? How are his lyrics and themes reflected in his songs, especially those of his landmark shows West Side Story and Into the Woods? Tuition: $1 for the three-part series. Register: bitly.com/BenkofSondheim
The FREE, twice-postponed Rodgers & Hammerstein 101 class has been rescheduled for December 7 at Noon ET. Note: if you were signed up last time you still have to sign up again. Register: bitly.com/BenkofMusicals
Finally, vitally, do you know any young or aspiring theater professionals 18-25 who would like a ten-week seminar on the history of Broadway, with a $1,000 stipend upon completion of the course requirements? Right now, venues are closed, so auditions, workshops, and internships are shut down; and it’s the perfect time for young Broadway folks to pursue professional development. For many struggling creative types, the financial incentive can be life-changing. Tell them about my teaching style and send them to bitly.com/BroadwaySeminar