January Mini Courses   

**This class will be taught on Zoom**

Silent film comic Buster Keaton is recognized as one of the most daring, inventive and hilarious  comedians ever. (And the subject of two biographies last year.) Using copious clips, we’ll look at  how Keaton’s art springs from the beginnings of comedy – the mythical Trickster – and how,  without dialogue, he employs almost every other element of cinema. While Keaton’s physical  courage, astonishing conceptual innovations and technical breakthroughs remain un-equalled, maybe the most remarkable aspect of his work is his acting; how the Great Stone Face is able to communicate a panoply of emotions without speaking… or even changing expression! His ability  to get us to intuit and then feel feelings which are never actually shown is one of the great  examples of screen performance, and the reason he became the inspiration for countless contemporary actors and filmmakers, including Jackie Chan, Johnny Depp and Tom Cruise. Join us for an overview of Keaton’s amazing career, from his first (and pretty much last) onscreen smile at age 22 to doing pratfalls at 70, scenes that show both his cinematic ingenuity and  almost unbelievable physicality, including both the most expensive and the most dangerous stunts in Hollywood history. See why Orson Welles called Keaton “a supreme artist”…and, not  incidentally, really really fun

**This class will be taught In-Person**

The course grew out of the Greater Good Science Center’s Big Joy program. That program is a free, online,  voluntary series of activities that may enhance one’s ability to experience joy. According to the data  collected so far (the program is ongoing), people who participate seem to feel happier, improve their  relationships, and sleep better.  

This presentation will be a significantly compressed version of a six week course--just a taste, not a meal.

**This class will be taught on Zoom**

Many contemporary artists are engaging with and reworking masterpieces from the Western canon. By doing so they challenge traditional narratives and perspectives sparking wider cultural conversations. These reimagined works often address aspects of history that were previously overlooked or problematic. 

Frank Baum’s 1898 classic “The Wizard of Oz” is an allegory about the 1896 Presidential election which pitted William McKinley against  William Jennings Bryan. This class will shatter all of your childhood love  for Oz as the tin man, scarecrow, lion, wizard and even, the flying  monkeys all are real characters from that election. Be prepared to be  blown away! History teacher, Terry McAteer, will also stress the  importance of one of the most consequential elections in American  history.

The Montgomery Block was an astounding building that opened in 1853 attracting  lawyers, financiers, news writers, clothiers, restaurants, and drinking establishments.  Later, it also became a haven for the growing “bohemians”—writers, actors, and artists of San Francisco. The drink “Pisco Punch” was invented there. James King of William was  shot in front of the building. Montgomery Block’s residents and visitors included Mark  Twain, Adolph Sutro, George Sterling, Gelett Burgess, Ina Coolbrith, Maynard Dixon, Dorothea Lange, Ralph Stackpole, Jack London, and others. The uniquely designed  building survived the 1906 earthquake and fire, when almost everything around it was  destroyed. Find out about this building and people who helped make it amazing for  almost 106 years. 

**This class will be taught on Zoom**

This course will assess the legacy of the most accomplished Congresswoman in history. Serving her 19th – and most believe final – term in office, Pelosi’s reshaping of American politics is unprecedented. This course, taught by the author of her first biography, will examine how she was able to succeed where others failed, what she accomplished, and the legacy she will leave behind.