Theatricum Botanicum / Academy of the Classics is launching two online professional classes at greatly reduced prices with powerhouse teachers to provide an opportunity to engage with language, art, and one another. If you cannot afford the reduced tuition, please contact the Theatricum via email, (adult@theatricum.com) with “OnlineClasses” in the subject line, and they will work something out. “Connection is key in this moment and we hope to help facilitate it even in the face of economic challenges.” “Shakespeare’s Rhetoric” with Armin Shimerman, Monday & Wednesday, April 20-May 4, 7-9 p.m., via ZOOM. Students pick two contrasting monologues and work directly with Shimerman to dissect Shakerspeare’s text to gain an understanding of the characters by illuminating his language. ($250) “Breathing Life into Great American Poets” with Ellen Geer, Saturday & Sunday, May 2-16, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., via ZOOM. Discover the beauty and power of great women poets. Students work directly with Theatricum Artistic Director Ellen Geer to discover the power of speaking the language of great poets. Wonderful for the poetry aficionado looking to deepen their appreciation, or the newcomer hoping to ignite a life-long appreciation of poetry. ($250)
LA Theatre Works Free Audio Theater. The theaters may be closed, but the show goes on. L.A. Theatre Works (LATW) offers audiences free access to state-of-the-art recordings of both contemporary and classic plays, each performed by leading actors of stage and screen. Every Friday, audiences can stream that week’s broadcast online, along with broadcasts from previous weeks. April 18: Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, starring James Marsters, Charles Busch, Emily Bergl and Matthew Wolf; April 25: The Graduate, with Matthew Rhys, Kathleen Turner, Bruce Davison, and John Getz. To stream current and recently broadcast plays from LATW weekly radio series: latw.org/broadcasts#recent.
#StayHomeWithLeica. The creative pursuit of photography is a daily exercise. Check in to this complimentary online series, where a member of Leica Akademie talks about connecting through social media, virtual meet-ups, and weekly Instagram photo challenges. Engage in discussions with renowned photographers, inspire your creative spirit, and connect with your Leica family. For information: (https://us.leica-camera.com/)
#SaveLACougars Campaign. California Director for National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Beth Pratt wants mountain lion P-22’s fans to stay connected by launching an online series, P-22 Presents. Visit P-22’s Facebook page for a complete schedule, which includes interviews with scientists and other experts, live concerts, story hours, art lessons, and more. NWF has also partnered with the talented Los Angeles artist, Jonathan Martinez, who created a portrait honoring P-56 Preorder a limited-edition enamel pin of P-56 (1.25” by .75”) online that will ship on approximately April 15. (savelacougars.myshopify.com/).
Garden for Wildlife. Plant a tree! Don’t have enough space? Plant some wildflowers or a native shrub or two, or register your yard or garden as a Certified Wildlife Habitat and the National Wildlife Federation will plant a tree in your honor. (nationalwildlifefederation@nwf.org)n
Nicholas & Nicole: The Secret Adventures of Young St.Nicholas. Topanga resident Rita Street is a television producer and creator of children’s TV series and films whose credits include, Space Chickens in Space (Disney EMEA 2018). In between making animated films, she “wanted something that was totally my own and went into card games for kids.” Street said. Nicholas & Nicole is a free print-and-play card game (PDF) that contains a full card game for kids and family “to get kids off the screen and their cell phones and families playing together.” The icon-matching game is available at streetpartygames.com. Print out a complete set of Nicholas & Nicole cards on 8.5 x 11-inch, 110 lb. card stock. Cut out the cards along the dotted lines, color them, and set up the board. For tokens, steal from another board game or use coins—pennies, nickels, and dimes.
“Since it’s always best to give away “kindness,” that is the highest point card in the deck, a card you don’t want in your hand at the end of play,” Street says.