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

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of mathematics as more than just numbers and equations. Our guest, a passionate math instructor, shares his journey of discovering Plato’s Republic and explores how ancient philosophy can transform our understanding of math today. Through rich discussions, he explains why math is essential to human flourishing, offering insights into its power to shape minds and nourish the soul. From the concept of zero and its unique historical roots to the role of calculus in the church and beyond, he reveals how math has always intertwined with humanity’s deepest questions. Join us as we explore why studying math can be a path to personal growth and fulfillment, and why, as Plato believed, mathematics is truly a pursuit for the human spirit. About Torgun Lovely Torgun Lovely has been with Liberty Common School for 16 years, working in various teaching and leadership capacities. He started as the school’s mathematics specialist, teaching classes while overseeing the school’s k-9 mathematics program. In 2010, as the school was expanding to offer grades 10-12, he helped orchestrate what was to become the State of Colorado’s top-performing high-school mathematics program. In 2013 he was promoted to serve as the school’s first assistant principal, and then was promoted into the high-school principal position in January of 2018. More recently he has resumed his role as a mathematics instructor and as the chair of the mathematics department. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics as well as a master's degree in business administration, both from Colorado State University. He and his lovely wife of 23 years, Kathy, have raised two lovely children, Hannah (21), and Mathias (19) – both of whom are proud graduates of LCHS. Additional Resources

Math for English Majors by Ben Orlin

Math with Bad Drawings by Ben Orlin

Here's Looking at Euclid by Alex Bellos

Mathematical Mysteries by Calvin C Clawson

The Number Devil by Hans Magnus Enzensberger

Mathematics for Human Flourishing by Francis Su

A Most Elegant Equation by Stipp

Euclid in the Rainforest by Joseph Mazur

Zero by Charles Seife

The Republic by Plato

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

LCHS Spanish Instructor Paulina Deitrick dives into the fascinating world of magical realism, a captivating genre that has profoundly influenced Latin American literature.

She will explore the works of celebrated authors such as Gabriel García Márquez, author of One Hundred Years of Solitude and how popular films like Disney's Encanto bring elements of magical realism to mainstream audiences.

Tune in to discover how magical realism transcends mere storytelling, offering a window into the soul of Latin America’s people and their complex relationship with reality, imagination, and history.

Additional Resources:

Authors:

• Gabriel García Márquez (One Hundred Years of Solitude, Love in the Times of Cholera, No One Writes to the Colonel)
• Isabel Allende (The House of the Spirits, Eva Luna, Tales from Eva Luna, The Sum of our Days, The Infinite Plan, The Wind Knows my Name)
• Jorge Luis Borges (especially Fictions, The Library of Babel, Borges and I)
• Julio Cortázar (Hopscotch, Letter to a Young Lady in Paris, Cronopios, Famas)
• Laura Esquivel (The Law of Love, Like Water for Chocolate, Malinche)

Movies:

• Encanto
• Big Fish
• Pan's Labyrinth
• Inception
• Edward Scissorhands
• Midnight in Paris
• Amelie
• Chocolat

Art:

• Gonzalo Endara Crow

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