Lectures. Talks. Ideas.
Dear Friends,
We are thrilled to finally share the two new courses that we’re offering this winter at the Al Green Theatre in the Miles Nadal JCC!
On Tuesday mornings, starting January 20th, Dr. Andrew Scott makes his triumphant return to The Speakers Annex for a fun series on “The World’s Great Music Cities and the Artists They Inspired.” Learn more and register HERE.
On Wednesday mornings, starting January 28th, Natasha Frid Finlay, a wonderful pre-show speaker at the National Ballet of Canada, leads “Passion and Precision: The History of Ballet.” This series will close with a special onstage conversation with the great Veronica Tennant, C.C., the NBoC’s legendary former Prima Ballerina. Learn more and register HERE.
If you’re interested in attending both courses, make sure to take advantage of our “Winter Season Pass,” which gives you unlimited access to both winter programs at a significant discount. Click HERE to learn more and contact our trusty Help Desk ([email protected]) or me ([email protected]) with any registration questions.
A reminder that our two current courses, “How Paris Changed the World” and “The Joy of Food,” wrap up in the next two weeks and you’re welcome to swing by for a drop-in ticket. Please scroll below for more on all of these programs and some cool events from our partners.
Here’s to a winter of exciting new discoveries!
Will Di Novi
Host and Organizer
The Speakers Annex
The Speakers Annex is proud to be presented in partnership with
OUR EXCITING NEW WINTER COURSES!
Tuesdays, January 20-February 24
10:30 AM-12 PM
MNjcc Members: $99
Non-Members: $119
| Musical Meccas: The World’s Great Music Cities and the Artists They Inspired
He's back! After rave reviews for his recent series on history’s greatest songs, Dr. Andrew Scott returns with this fun new course on the musical icons of the past century and the cities that inspired them.
From Django Reinhardt’s Paris at the apex of the Jazz Age to the sun-drenched LA landscapes that gave the world the Beach Boys; from London’s mods and rockers at the height of the Swinging Sixties to Glenn Gould’s intimate bond with his hometown of Toronto, we’ll explore how the cultural landscapes within these wonderful cities shaped the careers and music of the century’s musical giants.
Click HERE for the full course schedule and descriptions of each of the six sessions. |
Wednesdays, January 28-March 4
10:30 AM-12 PM
MNjcc Members: $99
Non-Members: $119
| Passion and Precision: The History of Ballet
Take a dazzling journey through the history of ballet with Natasha Frid Finlay, a dance notator and popular pre-show speaker with The National Ballet of Canada.
From ballet’s origins in the royal courts of Europe to the first iconic productions of Swan Lake and Giselle to 20th century icons like Rudolph Nureyev and Karen Kain, Natasha will pull back the curtain on this wonderful art form, before closing the series with a very special treat: an onstage conversation with the great Veronica Tennant, former Prima Ballerina with The National Ballet of Canada and an inspiration to generations of dance-artists.
Click HERE for the full course schedule and descriptions of each of the six sessions. |
MNjcc Members: $149
Non-Members: $179
| All-Access Season Pass!
Interested in attending both of our winter programs?
Then consider signing up for this all-access season pass.
Receive unlimited access to each of our two programs at a significant discount! |
OUR TWO ONGOING COURSES
Fridays, November 7-December 12
10:30 AM-12 PM
Drop-in Tix Available:
MNjcc Members: $21.60
Non-Members: $24
| The Joy of Food: Six Delicious Dishes That Explain the Modern World
Speakers Annex favourite Dr. Laura Carlson leads this delightful survey of the history of six foods that have become staples of the modern table.
From bagels and lox and its lip-smacking journey into the heart (and stomachs!) of the Jewish diaspora to the migration of ice cream from the royal courts of Europe into your freezer at home, Laura will explore the rich histories of these iconic dishes and what they each reveal about the exchange of culture, ideas and delicious food that has shaped our modern world.
Click HERE for the full course schedule and descriptions of each of the six sessions.
*Join us for our final lecture on December 12th, on Canada’s favourite foods. We’ll be serving some special treats! |
Wednesdays, November 12-December 17
1:00 PM-2:30 PM
Drop-in Tix Available:
MNjcc Members: $21.60
Non-Members: $24
| How Paris Changed the World
Acclaimed writer and TV host Lisa Pasold takes us on an immersive journey through the history of Paris, exploring the city’s outsized impact on many aspects of urban life that we’ve come to cherish.
Drawing on exciting new material that we didn’t cover in her popular recent courses on Paris’s cultural landmarks and cafe society, she’ll guide us through the revolutions in art, fashion, food and politics that emerged from the City of Light, transforming our idea of the modern city.
Click HERE for the full course schedule and descriptions of each of the six sessions.
*Join us for our final lectures, on December 10th and 17th, exploring how Paris changed politics and how we think about the modern celebrity! |
SOME COOL EVENTS FROM OUR PARTNERS
| Learn about Shakespeare in the Park founder Joseph Papp
Join the MNjcc for a screening of the documentary Joe Papp in Five Acts and enter the dramatic world of Joseph Papp, founder of Free Shakespeare in the Park and The Public Theater. The original producer of Hair and A Chorus Line, Papp’s productions were awarded 28 Tonys and three Pulitzer Prizes. His great accomplishments and tumultuous personal history are told with rare film footage and interviews featuring many famous actors and playwrights he discovered, including: Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, James Earl Jones, Christopher Walken, Olympia Dukakis, Martin Sheen… and more!
Monday December 15, 1:00-3:00pm. Join us in the Al Green Theatre, or register to receive a link you can watch at home! Questions? Email [email protected]. |
| Film Critic Adam Nayman Returns Monday January 12!
The passing of Hollywood icon Robert Redford prompted reflection on his impact - not only as a movie star, but also as a director, producer, Sundance Festival founder, and behind-the-scenes power broker. Learn about actors who leveraged their stardom to become ‘multi-hyphenate’ moviemakers: Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, Warren Beatty, Jodie Foster, Clint Eastwood, Diane Keaton … and more! Presented in partnership with the Toronto Film Society.
Mondays: January 12 - February 9, 1:00-2:30pm. Join us in the Al Green Theatre, on Zoom simulcast, or register to receive the recordings!
Questions? Email [email protected].
Register HERE. |
| Visit and Enjoy the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto
The Arts & Letters Club is a social club for people active or interested in literature and the arts. Located in its historic Toronto building at 14 Elm Street, the Club hosts literary talks, stage productions, musical performances, painting sessions and more. The Club’s lounge and bar is open to visitors every Friday from 4 pm to 7 pm. Beginning in September, the Club will be offering the Speakers Annex community an opportunity to sample its fun events.
If you are interested in learning more, please email Martin Jones at [email protected]. For more information on the Club, please visit www.artsandlettersclub.ca. |
THE SPEAKERS ANNEX READING GUIDE!
In June, I asked some of our favourite Speakers Annex contributors to share a few books that we all might enjoy over the summer months. The summer months are now (sadly) over but if you’re ever looking for something fun to read you can see the full list HERE.
And if you’ve read anything lately that totally knocked your socks off, please email me at [email protected]. I’d love to add it to the list for others to enjoy!
HELPFUL LINKS AND MORE!
For registration assistance, please contact the MNjcc customer support team at 416-924-6211 x0 or email [email protected]. You can also refer to this detailed, step-by-step registration guide.
Email me about our fall and winter programs, or anything else on your mind, at [email protected]. I always love to hear from you!
Consult this FAQ Help Sheet for answers to common questions about our events.
Thank you so much again!
