Wednesday   

In 2026, Route 66, America’s iconic “Mother Road,” celebrates its 100th anniversary. Join acclaimed author and travel writer Roger Naylor as he takes us on a lively and insightful journey through the history, culture, and enduring charm of this legendary highway. Discover how Arizona played a pivotal role in preserving Route 66, becoming its greatest champion and caretaker. Roger will share stories of the breathtaking landscapes, vibrant small towns, and quirky mom-and-pop eateries that still thrive along Arizona’s stretch of the road. Don’t miss this chance to rediscover the road that shaped a nation and continues to inspire wanderers today.

Join Arizona Broadway Theater’s Director of Education, Stephen Hohendorf, for a lecture class exploring the magic behind "Cats," one of the most iconic musicals in theatre history. Based on the whimsical poetry of T. S. Eliot, "Cats" transports audiences into the mysterious world of the Jellicle cats during the night of the Jellicle Ball, where each cat shares their story through dynamic dance, acrobatics, and unforgettable music while hoping to be chosen for a journey to the Heaviside Layer and a new life. In this engaging session, participants will learn about the history and lore of the show, explore ABT’s unique makeup design process, and even create their own original cat character makeup. Featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary score—including the beloved song “Memory”—this class offers a behind-the-scenes look at the theatrical artistry that has captivated audiences worldwide for decades. This class includes the matinee showing of "Cats" and lunch on Sunday, June 28. *Excludes meal upgrades, alcoholic beverages, and dessert.

When the Erie Canal opened in 1825, it revolutionized American travel and transportation, but its inspiration came from Europe’s earlier canal networks. In this course, we will trace the development of French, British, and Irish canals in the 17th and 18th centuries. We will follow the story into the 19th century as we turn to American canals, especially in New York and Pennsylvania. Along the way, we will explore how canals reflect the politics and aspirations of different nations and why they still matter for global shipping today. Whether we are drawn to engineering marvels, the people who built them, or the pleasure of drifting along a canal or hiking a towpath, we will deepen our appreciation of canals’ importance and beauty.

Often overlooked in traditional design and architecture courses, twentieth century women designers profoundly shaped the way we perceive, experience, and enjoy our built environments, interiors, and decorative objects. In this course, we will explore the work and influence of such designers and architects as Elsie de Wolfe, Eileen Gray, Lilly Reich, Charlotte Perriand, Dorothy Draper, Ray Eames, Zaha Hadid, and others. Their lives and the beauty of their enduring designs are documented within the context of the social and political issues they faced, as they left their unmistakable imprints upon twentieth century design.

In this course, we will gain a comprehensive introduction to Hindu traditions, emphasizing the importance of ritual, knowledge, and devotion across Hindu traditions from classical to contemporary times. We will introduce Hinduism’s South Asian roots, that can be traced to the Vedic tradition, which provides key conceptual and religious foundations. We will consider early and classical expressions of Hindu thought and religious life through the complex term dharma. Major Hindu deities are then introduced alongside associated narratives, practices, and iconography. We will examine the six major schools of Hindu philosophy using both secondary and primary sources. We will then consideration bhakti (devotion) that has characterized diverse Hindu traditions across centuries. Finally, we will  consider sacred space and places including temples and tīrthas, as well as the interrelationship of the concept of divine presence and pilgrimage practices the relate to these holy sites.