IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
In 2025 the film “Blue Moon,” directed by Richard Linklater and starring Ethan Hawke, played locally. It portrayed the tragic end of the career and life of Lorenz Hart (1895-1943). For nearly two decades, his partnership with Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) created beloved standards of the American Songbook. We will learn a bit about musical theater and about this talented pair. Most of all, we will hear their songs. In addition to “Blue Moon,” their work included “Manhattan,” “With a Song in My Heart,” “Where or When,” “My Funny Valentine,” “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered,” and others. Join us in a musical walk down memory lane. Michael Homel is Professor Emeritus of History at Eastern Michigan University. He specializes in 20TH century American history and American urban history. He is the author of Unlocking City Hall: Exploring the History of Local Government and Politics, and other publications on urban politics and education.
