> OLLI Courses By Topic > In Person Courses

In Person Courses

Courses below meet in person during the Fall 2021 term.

Ahab Beckons! “Moby-Dick, or The Whale”
Coded into a seafaring tale of an insane, revenge-fixated captain and his mixed-race crew, “Moby-Dick” presents America at her worst -- heedless, hell-bent on the mindless destruction of the natural world, plunging mercilessly into imperialism and barbarism, careening headlong into the bloodiest war in American history – and at her best – true brotherhood and miraculous survival. As irresistible as it is overwhelming, with unmistakable and frightening parallels to today, the novel is a riveting meditation on leadership, duty, race, the physical world, and a nation so at war with itself that, like the brutalized Native Americans for whom the ship the Pequod is named, it nearly self-destructs. We will be using Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” as our textbook, and it can be found online for free.

Show Description
Instructor: Abby Mendelson Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/14/2023 - 4/11/2023 Days: Tu Times: 1:15 AM - 2:50 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 14, 21, 28; Apr 4 and 11.

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Arthur Miller: Iconic American Dramatist
In the world of theater, no plays are more revered than those of Arthur Miller. They have been translated into many languages and produced in places as distant as Japan. Broadway's "Death of a Salesman" with an African American cast has been a huge success. In class we will look closely at his work and its significance, focusing on "Death of a Salesman" and "All My Sons."

Show Description
Instructor: Anne Faigen Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/15/2023 - 4/12/2023 Days: W Times: 10:30 AM - 12:20 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 15, 22, 29; Apr 5 and 12.

Chips in Today’s World
Over the last few years, we have heard of “chips” more than ever, and they are a significant part of recent news stories about product shortages, international trade and intellectual property disputes, government programs and technology in our future lives. What are chips? We will explore today’s world of semiconductor chips by examining what they are; how they work; how they are made; who makes them; how they differ; and what all the recent fuss is about. This course is aimed at a broad audience who is curious and wants to explore the importance of chips and their impact on our world, lives, politics, and finances.

Show Description
Instructor: William Stanchina Fee: $0.00
Dates: 2/2/2023 - 3/2/2023 Days: Th Times: 12:30 PM - 2:20 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Feb 2, 9, 16, 23 and March 2.

Cinderella--The Envied and the Envying
Envy is an emotion that we rarely talk about and about which very little is written. Yet, it is all around us. The reason for this silence is because of the pain inflicted. Seated in her nest of ashes, Cinderella is the envy of her stepmother and stepsisters. The tale, so simple and profound, offers a direct road into the quagmire of envying and being envied. If we deny its existence and refuse to talk about it, we become part of the conspiracy and the savage attempts to annihilate the good. Envy, among any combinations of people, is the place of wounding that Cinderella helps us explore. In our time together we will tackle the challenges we face, whether we are being envied or envying another, the pain it inflicts, how it renders us a non-entity, and what we can and cannot do about it.

Show Description
Instructor: Elizabeth Rodenz Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/13/2023 - 4/10/2023 Days: M Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held in-Person
This class will meet on March 13, 20, 27; Apr 3 and 10.

Civil War Soldier
This course focuses on the Civil War soldier–who he (and in some cases, she) was, why he fought, what he wore, ate, fought with and experienced on a day-to-day basis. This includes drills, entertainment, medical care, and discipline. The course is presented through lectures, slides, film, and music.

Show Description
Instructor: David Albert Fee: $0.00
Dates: 2/1/2023 - 3/1/2023 Days: W Times: 10:00 AM - 11:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Feb 1, 8, 15, 22 and March 1.

Constitutional Rights and the Current U.S. Supreme Court
The U.S. Constitution provides important rights for all Americans. But it is the U.S. Supreme Court that interprets the language of the Constitution and thereby defines the scope of our constitutional rights. In this class we will discuss how the current U.S. Supreme Court has approached this task of interpreting the Constitution. We will focus on recent U.S. Supreme Court cases addressing abortion rights, gun rights, religious rights, and the use of race as a factor in college admissions. No prior knowledge of the Supreme Court or constitutional law is required for this course. The goal of the class is to give students a better understanding of how the Supreme Court goes about making decisions that have a huge impact on our country.

Show Description
Instructor: Tom Allen Fee: $0.00
Dates: 2/2/2023 - 3/2/2023 Days: Th Times: 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Feb 2, 9, 16, 23 and March 2.

Dead Poets and Wonder Boys: Teachers in the Movies
Teaching is not a glamorous job, and yet teachers often appear as central characters in popular movies —shown sometimes as hardworking heroes who rescue students, and other times as uncaring hacks who abandon them. Occasionally, they are even portrayed as complicated people trying to do a difficult job. In this course, we will look at some of the ways movies have imagined teachers, from the days of “Goodbye Mr. Chips” and “To Sir, With Love” to “Dead Poets Society,” “Freedom Writers,” and the Harry Potter films. The movies that we will discuss can be streamed online, and we will also screen brief clips of them in class.

Show Description
Instructor: Joseph Harris Fee: $0.00
Dates: 2/2/2023 - 3/2/2023 Days: Th Times: 12:30 PM - 2:20 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Feb 2, 9, 16, 23 and March 2.

Early Pittsburgh
We all know Pittsburgh as the Steel City, but what came before that? Through a mix of storytelling and lecture, we will explore the first 150 years of Pittsburgh history, from Pittsburgh’s origins in the French and Indian War through the Whiskey Rebellion, the keelboat era, and on to the great Homestead Strike of 1892, which laid the foundations for the rise of the steel industry.

Show Description
Instructor: Alan Irvine Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/16/2023 - 4/13/2023 Days: Th Times: 12:30 PM - 2:20 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 16, 23, 30; Apr 6 and 13.

Flannery O’Connor: Southern Gothic
Her life was cut short by lupus, but she produced short stories and two novels of astonishing artistry. Rather than being racist, as she has been falsely portrayed, she held up the mirror of racial injustice, not just to white Southerners, but to all Americans. Although it is not always obvious, her fiction is imbued with her Catholic faith. However, her insights transcend any religious doctrine. Tales such as “The Displaced Person” are cited by speakers who have no connection to Catholicism. We dare not overlook her humor. When she read her material aloud in her rich Georgia drawl, she would provoke gales of laughter in her hearers. We will read a few of her most famous tales, looking carefully at her style, on which she lavished attention, even making final revisions on her deathbed. All readings can be found for free, online.

Show Description
Instructor: Cliff Johnson Fee: $0.00
Dates: 1/30/2023 - 2/27/2023 Days: M Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Jan 30; Feb 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Great Low-Budget Small Independent Films
“Indies” are films without big-budget actors, directors, writers, or other attached production elements and they are some of the most engaging, affecting, poignant, delightful films to be found. Come see how raw talent can shine through even when a movie’s budget is modest—or even miniscule! We will cover the films “Wendy and Lucy,” “The Visitor,” “Blood Simple,” “El Mariachi,” and “The Full Monty.”

Show Description
Instructor: David Shifren Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/13/2023 - 4/10/2023 Days: M Times: 1:15 PM - 4:00 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 13, 20, 27; Apr 3 and 10.

History of Early Photography
This class will examine the many forms and uses of photography in the 19th century, from the daguerreotype to the dawn of the snapshot. We will look at the double origins of the medium in France and England and see how the first positive-negative methods were used for early photographic books. We will consider the ways photography formed American identity, from portraiture to documenting the American West, and the many uses of the medium in the Civil War. Photographic imaging advanced scientific knowledge in many ways during these years. Each technical innovation led to new ways to use photography as an art form, from composite photography to atmospheric pictorialism. We will see how photography could capture movement and truly function to document everyday life by the end of the 19th century.

Show Description
Instructor: Christine Lorenz Fee: $0.00
Dates: 2/1/2023 - 3/1/2023 Days: W Times: 10:00 AM - 11:50 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Feb 1, 8, 15, 22 and March 1.

History of Ireland
The history of Ireland is nicely summed up in the tongue-in-cheek toast, “Here’s to the Irish, who never knew what they wanted, but always fought darn hard to get it.” So, what did the Irish want? We will explore the colorful history of Ireland, starting with the ancient Celts and St. Patrick, then the Vikings, the Normans, English conquest, the Plantations, and the origins of Catholic vs. Protestant conflicts. What was the Potato Famine and how did it create Irish-America? How did independence (for part of Ireland) from England lay the foundation for the Troubles in Northern Ireland? Finally, we look at the Good Friday Accords that ended the violence in the north and why Brexit threatens to undo all that.

Show Description
Instructor: Alan Irvine Fee: $0.00
Dates: 2/2/2023 - 3/2/2023 Days: Th Times: 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Feb 2, 9, 16, 23 and March 2.

History of the Supreme Court
Nearly every facet of our society has been profoundly-and frequently controversially impacted by Supreme Court decisions. Yet this is the least known of the three branches of our government. This course traces the history of America’s highest court and its significant rulings, including a discussion of the major justices and of those decisions that have shaped America and its Constitution.

Show Description
Instructor: Louise Mayo Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/15/2023 - 4/12/2023 Days: W Times: 1:00 PM - 2:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 15, 22, 29; Apr 5 and 12.

Humor and Human Life
Is humor an intrinsic part of being human? What is funny to us? Why is it funny? What does offensive humor tell us about ourselves, our society? This course introduces students to the philosophy, history, culture, and psychology of humor and laughter. Our time will be spent reviewing pertinent literature, observing humorous archetypes, and actually creating our own examples. The objective is to enable participants to achieve a little wisdom about mirth and self.

Show Description
Instructor: Joseph Givvin Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/13/2023 - 4/10/2023 Days: M Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 13, 20, 27; Apr 3 and 10.

Impact of Epidemics on Civilization: From Black Death to COVID
This course covers the major epidemics that have ravaged humanity and attempts to explain how those diseases have shaped who we are as a society. We will discuss the worst of the epidemic diseases as causative agents of change in history, religious traditions, social interactions and technology. The course will include a component that "looks forward” to the technologies that can help us, the interconnectedness that makes us more vulnerable and the politics of dealing with epidemics. We will also discuss bioterrorism threats.

Show Description
Instructor: Christine Milcarek Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/14/2023 - 4/11/2023 Days: Tu Times: 10:00 AM - 11:50 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 14, 21, 28; Apr 4 and 11.

Introduction to Astronomy: The Solar System
The universe is unimaginably vast and wonderful. In this course, we focus on the solar system: Earth and the other planets that orbit our sun. This course is the first part of a two-part sequence. However, the parts can be taken independently and in either order. In Part I, we start with a discussion of the nighttime sky. Next, we relate the motion of the Earth around the sun to the passage of seasons on earth. Next, we introduce the terrestrial planets, followed by the Jovian (gas giant) planets and their moons. Finally, we will discuss the origins of the solar system, ending the course by introducing the ongoing search for life in the universe.

Show Description
Instructor: David Nero Fee: $0.00
Dates: 2/1/2023 - 3/1/2023 Days: W Times: 1:00 PM - 2:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Feb 1, 8, 15, 22 and March 1.

Irish Culture and Traditions
This course is a study of Irish culture in Ireland as well as in the Irish diaspora overseas over the past ten years. Members will explore aspects of Irish culture and traditions still vibrant and thriving today. The course will be conducted in English. Discussions and lectures will be organized around themes from Gaelic games, to music, to Irish language, and will include current cultural changes and advances in Ireland and among its people.

Show Description
Instructor: Marie Young Fee: $0.00
Dates: 1/30/2023 - 2/27/2023 Days: M Times: 1:15 PM - 2:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Jan 30; Feb 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Music in the Classic Hollywood Western: Listening to Max Steiner
Often referred to as the “Father of Film Music,” Max Steiner (1888-1971) composed musical accompaniments for hundreds of feature films, 27 of which were westerns. As the most popular and lucrative film genre during much of Hollywood's history, the western offered Steiner the opportunity to compose music for diverse narratives and a variety of starring actors, representing important developments in its style. This course will focus on Steiner's music for several westerns, examining how Steiner adapted his Viennese musical background, grounded in an operatic style, to fit the frontier musical aesthetic. Lectures will include extensive film clips, but participants may want to watch complete films outside of class. In addition to a suggested biography of Steiner, there will be short weekly readings.

Show Description
Instructor: Mariana Whitmer Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/14/2023 - 4/11/2023 Days: Tu Times: 1:00 PM - 2:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 14, 21, 28; Apr 4 and 11.

New Way to Look at Movies
Regardless of form or genre, storytellers have always used the same building blocks: plot, characters, descriptive details, dialogue, action, narrative and conflict. The movie-watching experience is enhanced by understanding how each of these contributes to the story. We will see them at work in four classic films: “Thelma & Louise” (1991), “Moonlight” (2016), “Casablanca” (1942), and “Pride & Prejudice” (2005). We will also look at the unique structure of mainstream Hollywood movies and storytelling structures more generally.

Show Description
Instructor: Steven Cherry Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/15/2023 - 4/12/2023 Days: W Times: 12:00 PM - 2:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 15, 22, 29; Apr 5 and 12.

Notorious American Crimes from the 18th to the 20th Century
From colonial times through the 20th century there have been murders, assassinations, attempted assassinations, robberies, kidnappings, dangerous scams and strange frauds. Many of these crimes made news for a while, until something worse or a new disaster drew popular attention. This course will take a second look at some of the remaining ice-cold, unsolved mysteries.

Show Description
Instructor: John Burt Fee: $0.00
Dates: 1/30/2023 - 2/27/2023 Days: M Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Jan 30; Feb 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Overview of the Quran
This course will present an overview of the major themes of the Quran, Islam's holy book. We will cover some historical background and then immerse ourselves in its themes: knowledge of God, defining the straight path, success and failure of the soul, stories of prophets and deviants, arguments against skeptics and achieving God-consciousness.

Show Description
Instructor: Aliya Khan Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/16/2023 - 4/13/2023 Days: Th Times: 12:30 PM - 2:20 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 16, 23, 30; Apr 6 and 13.

Pandemerica TV
Over the last two years, we watched and waited for normalcy to return. But what did we watch while waiting? In this course, we'll explore the television shows that captured our collective attention and examine why these shows kept our eyes locked in during lockdown. We will screen pilot episodes for five popular television shows (“Staged,” “The Queen's Gambit,” “Ted Lasso,” “Mare of Easttown,” and “Only Murders in the Building”) and discuss countless more, investigating how they shaped the pandemic zeitgeist and ushered in a new era of television.

Show Description
Instructor: Megan Kappel Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/13/2023 - 4/10/2023 Days: M Times: 1:15 PM - 2:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held over In-Person
This class will meet on March 13, 20, 27; Apr 3 and 10.

Paul and the First Christians
What did it mean to be a "follower of the Christ" in the Roman Empire in the first century? This course undertakes a close reading of the letters of Paul the Apostle (as our primary evidence), drawing upon critical methods of analysis in modern New Testament and historical interpretation. Paul is often described as the true "founder" of the religion of Christianity, and we will explore the way in which his writings came to influence the later Church. We also survey the cultural context of his communities and the ways in which this culture may have contributed to Paul's thinking, specifically in relation to "salvation," women, and the role of the early Christians as citizens of the Empire.

Show Description
Instructor: Rebecca Denova Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/14/2023 - 4/11/2023 Days: Tu Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 14, 21, 28; Apr 4 and 11.

Pittsburgh in the Gilded Age
Growth in heavy industry in Pittsburgh following the Civil War created a demand for labor. Immigrants from southern and eastern Europe and later from the South flocked to Pittsburgh, making it the eighth largest city in the United States by the end of the century. While captains of industry amassed unheard of wealth in the era before income tax, most Pittsburghers experienced low wages and unhealthful living conditions. This richly illustrated course will explore conditions for all strata of society, technical innovation, architecture and planning, the boom-and-bust economy, politics, labor strife and philanthropy.

Show Description
Instructor: Paul Tellers Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/16/2023 - 4/13/2023 Days: Th Times: 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 16, 23, 30; Apr 6 and 13.

Pittsburgh's East End: An Architectural History
The East End of Pittsburgh refers to more than just a geographic section of the city but to a crucial economic and social development in the city’s history. The course reveals the history of the East End primarily through the rich architectural heritage which remains. The course traces the East End from its rural beginnings, to its vibrant example of an early railroad and streetcar suburb, through the challenges it faced in the late twentieth century and up to and including the recent revival of its fortunes. The course covers the developmental history of various East End neighborhoods and illustrates how architectural can be a window to history.

Show Description
Instructor: Robert Jucha Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/15/2023 - 4/12/2023 Days: W Times: 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 15, 22, 29; Apr 5 and 12.

Russia after the Soviet Union: Yeltsin and Putin
It has now been 30 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia has seen a host of changes since then. Under Boris Yeltsin a complex society was deconstructed, and its pieces were bought up by oligarchs. Things fell apart. The average life expectancy plummeted by seven years. Yeltsin’s chosen successor, Vladimir Putin, has tried to put Russia back together and reestablish its power and confidence. We will examine the goals, reforms and wars of both men.

Show Description
Instructor: Chuck Hier Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/13/2023 - 4/10/2023 Days: M Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 13, 20, 27; Apr 3 and 10.

Spirited Fun Improv
Improv is play. Imagine for the next 90 minutes that everything you say or do will be right. You cannot make a mistake. No scripts. Nothing to remember. No wrong answers. Just have fun! Your rich collection of life experiences, assorted objects, and literary prompts inspire the games and short scenes. “Yes and …” means you listen and agree with your partner’s suggestions, then add something of your own to move the scene forward. Your partner does the same for you. You leave refreshed with the sound of laughter to brighten your day.

Show Description
Instructor: Emily Harris Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/16/2023 - 4/13/2023 Days: Th Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on March 16, 23, 30; Apr 6 and 13.

Why Is this Music Still Alive after Centuries?
This course will concentrate on specific aspects of musical composition, exploring how composers establish formal structures to build their masterworks. At the same time, it will provide a fun, comparative study between examples of different interpretations of the exact same musical score and how musicians insert their personal insights into the strict guidelines provided by the composer. Carefully chosen examples of solo, chamber, orchestral, and vocal works will be heard, including comparisons between performances. Some jazz, Brazilian, or even pop oldies may be added into the mix.

Show Description
Instructor: Flavio Chamis Fee: $0.00
Dates: 1/30/2023 - 2/27/2023 Days: M Times: 1:15 PM - 2:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Jan 30; Feb 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Wild Edibles of Early Spring
Early spring--though it might seem like the earth is still in winter slumber--is an amazing time to go out and look for wild edible foods and mushrooms. March and April still get snow, but each week, more and more plants are making their appearance, and it is a fantastic time to witness the coming of spring. We will explore local parks and find and discuss wild plants that can be used as food and health. We will start in March by finding cold-loving plants such as deadnettle, chickweed, garlic mustard, onion grass and more! Each week, more plants will be added: burdock, dandelion, fiddleheads and violet. By mid-April we will have seen over 30 different wild edible plants emerge, and we will learn how to identify, responsibly harvest and use each of them in delicious ways.

Show Description
Instructor: Melissa Sokulski Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/16/2023 - 4/13/2023 Days: Th Times: 10:00 AM - 11:50 AM Sessions: 5
This class will be held over In-Person
This class will meet on March 16, 23, 30; Apr 6 and 13.

Women in the Progressive Era
The period from 1890 to 1920 was the Progressive Era and was known for multiple interrelated reform movements. The Progressive Era reshaped and reformed American cities, politics, economics, and family life. Women were in the thick of these reforms, not only challenging the status of women, but creating many of the institutions that continue to shape our social, racial and political life. The course will look at the many ways that women changed and were changed during these three dynamic decades, and it will include such topics as social welfare, labor organizing, women's suffrage, urban renewal, birth control, and child protection.

Show Description
Instructor: Joan Gundersen Fee: $0.00
Dates: 3/13/2023 - 4/10/2023 Days: M Times: 1:15 PM - 2:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held over In-Person
This class will meet on March 13, 20, 27; Apr 3 and 10.

Work and Labor Organization in Pittsburgh
These five lectures will present an overview of the evolution of work and the organization of labor at the Forks of the Ohio from 1700 to the present. It will examine inequality and class, racial and ethnic dynamics, social conflict, and the evolution of the means of production. Pittsburgh, a central force in American history, played a critical role in the evolution of the modern world. Nowhere is the rise and fall of an industrial society more dramatically displayed. Nowhere is the moral ambiguity of progress, the concentration of wealth and domination, clearer. Nowhere is the hope for a progressive and effective response to environmental collapse stronger. As the world crisis deepens, Pittsburgh’s history of social solidarity and the concerted activity of workers to demand a voice on the job was never more relevant.

Show Description
Instructor: Charles McCollester Fee: $0.00
Dates: 2/1/2023 - 3/1/2023 Days: W Times: 1:00 PM - 2:50 PM Sessions: 5
This class will be held In-Person
This class will meet on Feb 1, 8, 15, 22 and March 1.

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