About the Episode:

The episode explores what makes a book a "classic" and how books shape the moral and idyllic imaginations of young readers. Our guest, Paige Gowing, a librarian at Liberty Common School, shares insights on the value of classic literature and dispels common misconceptions, while broadening the definition of what makes a book timeless and enduring. About Paige Gowing:

Paige is a Librarian at Liberty Common School’s Plato Campus. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Concentration in Creative Writing from Colorado State University and has been working at Liberty since graduation. Before becoming an employee of Liberty Common School, Paige was once a student here. She began attending Liberty in 1997, the same year the school opened.

Referenced Books:

• Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
• Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• Invisible Man by Ralph Elison
• A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
• Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein
• Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
• Because of Win Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
• The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
• Climbing Parnassus: A New Apologia for Greek and Latin by Tracy Lee Simmons
• The Republic by Plato
• Stick Man by Julia Donaldson
• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
• Square by Mac Barnett
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong by William Kilpatrick
• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Connect with Liberty Common School:

• Liberty Common School Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.libertycommon.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/LibertyCommonSchool/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/libertycommonschool/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/libertycommonschool

In the late Middle Ages, the city-states of Italy witnessed the rebirth of an ancient form of government: the republic. These Italian republics provide the backdrop for the impressive cultural achievements of the Renaissance, and arguably made them possible. We will consider the conditions which led Italian cities to adopt republican governments, how their republican experiments managed to overcome the threat of warfare and social division, and why they ultimately fell. We will also consider the legacy of Italy’s Renaissance republics and how they might help us understand our own republic better. About Joel Penning

Dr. Penning started teaching history at Liberty in 2018. He received his B.A. in history at Clemson University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. In addition to Colorado, he has spent time living in Kansas, South Dakota, Illinois, South Carolina, Australia, and Italy. When not in the classroom, he can usually be found with his nose in a book.

Connect with Liberty Common School

Liberty Common School Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.libertycommon.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/LibertyCommonSchool/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/libertycommonschool/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/libertycommonschool

In this episode, we explore the deep classical roots of musical theater, an art form widely recognized for its collaborative nature. While today’s Broadway musicals might seem like a modern invention, they owe much to the traditions of ancient Greece, where music, poetry, dance, and dramatic storytelling first came together in public performances.

We’ll delve into the historical origins of musical theater, beginning with the grand theatrical festivals of Athens, where playwrights competed to create the best combination of music, drama, and spectacle. We’ll also discuss how many theatrical conventions—like the chorus, special effects, and the orchestra—find their roots in Greek theater and how these ancient practices continue to influence the musicals we know and love today.

About Becky Pollyea

Becky is a music and theater instructor at Liberty Common School where she directs the junior-high and high-school theatrical productions. Her career in theater education spans three decades, and her focus has been on facilitating transformational learning experiences for young people through the performing arts.

Connect with Liberty Common School

Liberty Common School Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.libertycommon.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/LibertyCommonSchool/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/libertycommonschool/⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/libertycommonschool