How Very Cool Is This...

I think this sounds great from the New York Times Knowledge Network (with New York Times Reviewer as a guest one night)...
(link)

Theater and Global Change May 12 - June 8, 2011 5 Live Online Sessions: Thursdays, May 12, 19, 26 and June 2, and Monday June 6, 2011, 5:00 - 6:00 PM ESTInstructors: Bill Payne, Ben Brantley, with guest instructors$175.00

This two-part course will explore the diverse ways that theater can help us understand and interact with the significant global changes happening today. Through the study of classic and contemporary dramatic literature and the exploration of the Seven Revolutions taking place today (changes in Population, Resource Management, Technology, Information Flow, Economic Integration, Conflict, and Governance) students will generate awareness and action leading to an appreciation of the role that artistic creation can and does play in our changing world.

Focusing on the first four Revolutions (Population, Resource Management, Technology and Information Flow), this course will include:

• Ancient and modern classic plays by William Shakespeare, Sophocles, David Mamet, Tony Kuschner, August Wilson, and Carel Kapek are the texts used to explore the various ways theater can and does express the world we live in.
  
• A wide spectrum of material from the Knowledge Network, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and various other web sources help from the Seven Revolutions – global trends that will fundamentally change how we live.
  
• Weekly live online sessions with special guests like New York Times Theater Critic Ben Brantley and Theater director and activist Margarita Espada of Teatro Yerbabruja.

Target Audience
This course is for students wanting to learn more about theater, about global change, and about ways artistic creation can help us understand and respond to the changes occurring in our present and future worlds.

1. People interested in learning about global change.

2. People interested in theater.

3. People interested in new ways to respond to the challenges of the present and the future.

In addition to the daily self-paced lessons, online discussion forums and resources, there will be a weekly live online session with the instructor. Live sessions will be archived for future viewing. There will be five live sessions for this course: