Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II forged much more than a songwriting partnership; they created one of the most profitable and powerful entertainment businesses of their era. Todd Purdum, culture and politics writer for The Atlantic, examines how the innovative musicals of these cultural powerhouses came to define postwar America on stage, screen, television, and radio.

Saturday, June 22, 2019 - 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

To mark the anniversary of the landmark HBO series, Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz, television critics of New Jersey’s Star-Ledger—Tony Soprano’s hometown newspaper—discuss the show’s artistry, themes, and legacy, as well as its deep connections to other film and TV classics.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019 - 6:45 p.m.

Spend a day behind the scenes at Wolf Trap, America’s only designated National Park for the Performing Arts. Highlights include a tour of Wolf Trap’s performances spaces, the nearby Barns of Wolf Trap, and an invite to a private rehearsal with singers from the Wolf Trap Opera Company.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019 - 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Spend a summer evening with local historian Garrett Peck and step into the heyday of Washington’s “Black Broadway,” when jazz filled the clubs and theaters of U Street and the nightlife scene rivaled Harlem’s.

Thursday, July 11, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Compositions in the concerto form can offer audiences some of the most thrilling of listening experiences. Saul Lilienstein, an expert in classical music and opera, surveys and discusses several outstanding recorded examples of works from three centuries.

Saturday, July 13, 2019 - 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Spend a summer evening with local historian Garrett Peck and step into the heyday of Washington’s “Black Broadway,” when jazz filled the clubs and theaters of U Street and the nightlife scene rivaled Harlem’s.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Their names are familiar: Juliet, Lady Macbeth, Viola, Desdemona, and Ophelia. Explore the scope of female characters in Shakespeare’s plays, and the ways in which he reinforced and challenged Elizabethan society’s norms.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 6:45 p.m.

Spend a summer evening with local historian Garrett Peck and step into the heyday of Washington’s “Black Broadway,” when jazz filled the clubs and theaters of U Street and the nightlife scene rivaled Harlem’s.

Thursday, July 25, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

In 1969 the events rocking American culture and society found a corresponding reflection in pop music. From Woodstock to “American Pie”, explore the music of that era and why it endures in this 3-session course. This session focuses on Woodstock.

Monday, July 29, 2019 - 6:45 p.m.

A new exhibition at the Portrait Gallery, One Life: Marian Anderson, examines how the performer’s roles as singer, diplomat, and muse helped shatter segregationist policies on and off the stage. Join curator Leslie Ureña, to learn about the making of the exhibition and the powerful cultural and artistic themes it illuminates.

Thursday, August 8, 2019 - 6:45 p.m.

In 1969 the events rocking American culture and society found a corresponding reflection in pop music. From Woodstock to “American Pie”, explore the music of that era and why it endures in this 3-session course. This session focuses on music from 1959 to 1979.

Monday, August 26, 2019 - 6:45 p.m.

In 1969 the events rocking American culture and society found a corresponding reflection in pop music. From Woodstock to “American Pie”, explore the music of that era and why it endures in this 3-session course. This session focuses on the music of protest.

Monday, September 23, 2019 - 6:45 p.m.