Anne Frank's diaries give a detailed, daily account of her family's life in their cramped attic, but how did they survive for two years? In an imaginative new play by Michael McKeever,ÊThe People DownstairsÊexplores the lives of those colleagues who kept the Frank and Van Pels families alive. In this interactive discussion about the Palm …
Continue reading FPL12023 – Dramawise: The People Downstairs

Truman Capote is known for two of his novels: "Breakfast at TiffanyÕs"Êand "In Cold Blood".ÊHe is even more renowned for his self-created stardom, his scandalous behavior, his ÒBall of the Century,Ó and his gossip-style exposŽ of Hollywood stars. This talk addresses the rise and fall of the most famous secret-teller of the 20th century. Familiarity …
Continue reading FPL12032 – Truman Capote: The Making and Breaking of a Celebrity

Alexander Wu is equally at home performing classical music or jazz as he also illustrates, from his second solo CD, "Bach to the Future", the links between these musical forms with beautifully chosen comparisons of pieces by a variety of composers from Bach, Chopin and Debussy to Ellington, Gershwin and Brubeck. It's an evening of …
Continue reading FPL12064 – Bach to the Future: An Evening of Classical and Jazz Piano

In the early 17th century, an anonymous Dutch artist drew a landscape scene that depicted a small shoreline settlement with a fort, windmill, and few dozen wooden houses. At first glance, it looks like a typical Dutch seaside village of that era, but the caption reveals that itÕs ÒNieuw AmsterdamÓ on an American island that …
Continue reading FPL12072 – Painting the Town: Cityscapes of New York from Colonial Times to the Big Apple

Matthew Sabatella and the Rambling String Band take you on a journey that connects traditional folk songs, spirituals, work songs, fiddle tunes, Appalachian music, ragtime, blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, old-time country, bluegrass, and early rock & roll. Before the United States declared independence, songs and musical styles were brought to the New World by …
Continue reading FPL12074 – America’s Music: From Plymouth Rock to Rock & Roll

From his childhood in Brooklyn to his final years in South Florida, Jackie Gleason became one of the most influential and recognizable figures in entertainment. Known for his oversized personality and physique, Gleason moved seamlessly from physical comedy to serious drama. In addition to the iconic character of Ralph Kramden, Gleason made memorable dramatic appearances …
Continue reading FPL12083 – Jackie Gleason: “And Away We Go!” Beyond Ralph Kramden and The Honeymooners

The year 1941 was a banner year for music stars, with those celebrating an 80th birthday in 2021 including Little Anthony (of the Imperials), Joan Baez, Neil Diamond, Aaron Neville, Sergio Mendes, Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier (Motown writers Lamont-Dozier-Holland), Buffy Sainte-Marie, Mike Pender (lead singer The Searchers), Mike Love (The Beach Boys), Graham Edge …
Continue reading FPL12084 – The Class of 1941

This program will provide thought-provoking and enlightening commentary on the encore operas scheduled to be shown in the 2021 Metropolitan Opera HD season. These "Live from the Met Productions" are screened at movie theaters throughout the United States. Maestro Albanese will discuss both the importance and historical significance of each opera. In addition, video highlights …
Continue reading FPL12102 – A Preview of the Metropolitan Opera HD Series 2021

Yes! Really! Florida has contributed to this countryÕs rich literary tradition. Ernest Hemingway arguably put Florida on the literary map, writing that Key West was the Òbest place IÕve been anytime, anywhere.Ó There, he produced some of his best work in the mid-1930s, a golden age in FloridaÕs literary history. That era gave us Zora …
Continue reading FPL12131 – Florida: A Literary Treasure Trove (Really!)

Fakes, forgeries, and frauds in the art world are more common than you think! "Fakes" are everywhere, but the definition of a fake varies based on circumstances and culture. So what makes a work of art a fake? Can a "forgery" or "fraud" still have value? How many improperly authenticated pieces hang on the walls …
Continue reading FPL12132 – Fakes, Forgeries and Frauds: International Intrigue in Art Law

The stories we're told about various groups of people can have a profound effect on our opinion and treatment of those people. That's why governments in many eras and countries have used myth to label various groups as "pure" and worthy of belongingÑor as "undesirable" and deserving of elimination. Political myths enable leaders to gain …
Continue reading FPL12133 – The Myth of National Purity: Who Writes the Story of Who Belongs?

Steinway Artist Robert Wyatt will tell the incredible story of the Beatles in this one-time lecture. The story begins in1956, when sixteen-year-old John Lennon formed a skiffle band called "The Quarrymen," eventually adding two even younger local guitarists, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. By 1960, they were known as the "The Beatles," a band quickly …
Continue reading FPL12134 – The Beatles: Exploring the Fab Four Phenomenon

When the Soviet Union collapsed at the turn of the 1990s, its economic support for Cuba collapsed. Thus began the "Special Period in Time of Peace," when Cuba faced severe economic depression. To help bolster the flow of tourism dollars to Cuba, the regime boosted funding to music conservatories and music education to promote the …
Continue reading FPL12144 – The Timba Revolution: Unparalleled Explosion of Musical Creativity in Modern Cuban Music!

The sensational story of "The Divine Sarah." She was a great lady of the theater who was celebrated in both Europe and America. Her flamboyant and extravagant style embraced the late nineteenth-century obsession with sexuality and death. Alphonse Mucha, Toulouse Lautrec, Rene Lalique, and Paul Nadar delighted in her persona and created highly original works …
Continue reading FPL12153 – Sarah Bernhardt

When you think of protest songs from the sixties and seventies, you'd likely think of folk songs by Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger and the Weavers or the old labor and civil rights songs. However, in this program, they will discuss and sing protest songs by artists who are more associated with the folk-rock, rock, …
Continue reading FPL12154 – Pop Music’s Best Protest Songs of the Sixties and Seventies