
Tuesday, July 13: Seminar on Tonio Kröger
A seminar on Thomas Mann's Tonio Kröger, led by Larry Feinberg (A64).
Tuesday, June 8: Annual Potluck and Meeting
You are cordiallly invited to our Chapter Potluck and Annual Meeting!
It will be held at the National Arts Club by Grammercy Park.
Tuesday, May 18: Bartleby
James Crotty (SFGI 2002) will lead a seminar on Herman Melville's novella "Bartleby, the Scrivener," first published in 1853.
Tuesday, April 13: Waiting for Godot
Larry Feinberg (A64) will lead a seminar on Samuel Beckett's 1949 play "Waiting for Godot," first performed in 1953.
Monday, March 22: The Fall
Santa Fe Tutor Grant Franks (SF77) will lead a seminar on The Fall by Camus, published in 1956.
Tuesday, February 9: Herodotus and Said
Note clarification!
A seminar on the Introduction to Edward Said’s 1978 book Orientalism and the introductory passage to Herodotus’s The Histories (Book I, paragraphs 1-5) to be led by Michael Busch (A00).
Tuesday, January 12: Emerson's Divinity School Address
Annpolis tutor David Townsend will lead this seminar on Ralph Waldo Emerson's Divinity School Address (1838). Annapolis tutor Tom May, who was unable to lead it because of a scheduling conflict, calls the speech “a rich, seminal piece of American religious and theological thinking, radical and provocative, essential Emerson.” You can read it Here,
or print this Word version.
A reception will follow the seminar at 9 pm.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009: Holiday Party
Come celebrate the holidays with us for our sixth year at Verlaine's Bar on the Lower East Side. Enjoy Happy Hour prices with appetizers on us.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009: Seminar on Montaigne on Education
Montaigne's essay “On Educating Children” and Hannah Arendt's essay “The Crisis In Education” led by John McCarthy (A01) and Jessica Speer (A02).
Friday, October 30, 2009: Memorial for Frances Mason
A memorial service will be held for Frances Mason, A43,
editor, writer, cultural diplomat, radio dance critic and dance devotee, who died September 24.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009, 7:00pm - 9:00pm: Seminar on “The Judgment”
Franz Kafka's 1912 short story “The Judgment”, led by Mark Stratil (A02).
Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 6:30pm - 8:30pm: Recent Graduate Reception
Please join us for the New York City Alumni Chapter's annual "Recent Graduate Reception." We will welcome newcomers, especially recent graduates, to the New York Chapter.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 7:00pm - 9:00pm: Seminar on The Painted Veil
“The Painted Veil with its sadness, its moral tension, its irony and compassion, its building evocations of lust and terror and remorse, is a work of art.” —Spectator
Maugham's prose “rivets attention from the first page to last.” —Saturday Review of Literature
Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 6:00pm - 8:30pm: NYC Chapter-Annual Meeting and an Evening with Santa Fe President, Michael Peters
This year we welcome Santa Fe President Michael Peters to our annual potluck party and business meeting.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 7:00pm - 9:00pm: Seminar on informed consent and medical treatment ethics
Steve Sedlis leads a seminar on four readings relating to the issues around informed consent and the ethics of medical treatment on human beings.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008: Seminar on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility
Ms. Austen's very first published novel. The seminar will be led by Tom Geyer, A'68.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008: Seminar on Dostoyevsky’s The Ridiculous Man
To be led by Susan Stickney and Carey Stickney (A'75). This is not only a seminar; it's also a Chapter meeting!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008: Old Comedy After Aristophanes' Frogs
Some members of John Van Doren's Study Group are going to the current production of Old Comedy After Aristophanes' Frogs, by David Greenspan, running from May 7 to May 31. If you'd like to link up with them and go as a group, contact Larry Feinberg (feinberglawrence@hotmail.com) or Steve Weinstein (SWeinst254@aol.com). Or go by yourself!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008: Seminar on Luce Irigaray's Key Writings
Join Xhuliana Agolli, SF'04, in a discussion of selections from Key Writings by the major French social theorist Luce Irigaray.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008: Seminar on Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes
Please join Steve Thomas, SF'74, in a seminar on Benjamin Britten's
.
The opera is a powerful depiction of the conflict between rootedness in a society and alienation from it. This was a conflict that Britten found within himself: a gay pacifist in a country girding for war, he at the same time felt a powerful if not overwhelming draw to costal Suffock, where he was born and where he lived from the time of his return to England until his death.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008: Seminar on Plato's Timaeus
Please join retired Tutor Thomas Simpson, A'50 for a discussion of Plato's Timaeus. All great books are always relevant, but it may be that the Timaeus is especially so at this moment. Its theme is the search for unity, the attempt by way of myth to find those roots which might make the body politic one and whole. In a nation and a world showing signs of serious fracture, we may find earnest counsel, and even a source of good hope, in Plato’s text.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008: Seminar on Selected Writings of Abraham Lincoln
In the midst of the American Civil War, President Lincoln pushed the limits of executive power and restricted civil liberties far beyond any previous president. Please join us on Lincoln's 199th birthday, Tuesday February 12th, for a seminar to discuss his justifications and what his actions imply about the limits of our Constitution. Our discussion will be led by
,
A'73, who has selected a set of readings to make for a thought-provoking discussion.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008: Seminar on Phenomenology
Please join , A'51, for a discussion of phenomenology. The reading will be of Tony's new book, Perspectives and the Construction of Consciousness. You can read what Tony has to say about his new book .
Saturday, January 5, 2008: Wine Tasting
William Randolph (A'75) is an international wine consultant who lives in Paris. He will be in New York in January and has offered to host a wine tasting for us. Mr. Randolph has selected a variety of wines for us to try and a set of readings about wine -- selections from Paul Valery, Leon Kass, H. Warner Allen, Hawthorne, Shakespeare and others. When people register for the event, Daniel Van Doren will email them a set of the readings or send it to them by snail mail.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007, 7:00pm: Silvan S. Tompkins Talk
Chicago-based psychologist Brian Lynch, A'76, will give a talk in New York City about the work of the psychologist Silvan S. Tomkins, followed by a discussion of several related readings. Dr. Tomkins wrote extensively about the role of humiliation in human psychology. Dr. Lynch welcomes all alumni to his seminar.
Monday, December 10, 2007: Annual Holiday Party
Come celebrate the holidays with us from 6pm to 9pm at
,
a terrific downtown nightspot on the Lower East Side. This is a great chance to just let loose and have a good time with friends and fellow alumni. It'll be a cash bar at Happy Hour prices, but the appetizers will be on us. At 110 Rivington Street on the Lower East Side.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007: A tribute to Robert Fagles
A tribute to Robert Fagles at the and sponsored by the , $15. Fagles has written well-received translations of Homer and Virgil.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007: Seminar on Moliere's The Misanthrope
In conjunction with our play series, we will be holding a seminar on The Misanthrope by Moliere. Chester Burke (A '74), a Tutor in Annapolis since 1984, will lead the discussion.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007: Seminar on The Declaration of Independence
Please join Annapolis tutor David Townsend for a discussion of The Declaration of Independence and The Federalist Papers, Nos. 10 and 51.
Friday, November 9, 2007: An Evening with Ang Lee and James Schamus, A'81
An Evening with Ang Lee and James Schamus, A'81 at the and sponsored by the , $25.
Lee and Schamus are the director and producer of Brokeback Mountain. You can read an interview with Schamus at
,
and see a catalog of his work at the
.
Saturday, November 3, 2007, 8:00pm: Theater Series: Moliere's The Misanthrope
Moliere's The Misanthrope, performed by the
,
79 East Fourth Street. Tickets are $40 each, reduced from $65, and available for purchase online at
.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007: Seminar on Jane Jacobs' The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Seminar on selections from The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs, a pioneering critic of soulless city planning. The seminar will be led by Alex Bowles, A'97. The Municipal Art Society will be holding an exhibit on the life and work of Jacobs at about the same time.
Saturday, October 13, 2007, 8:00pm: Theater Series: Shakespeare's Hamlet
Shakespeare's Hamlet, performed by the
at the
.
Tickets are $30 each, reduced from $50, and available for purchase online at
.
Saturday, October 20, 2007, 9:30am - 3:30pm: New York Cares Day
Interested in doing some volunteer work but scrambling to find the right project? Wanting to go to an alumni event but week nights never work for you? Interested in an event that could include your children ages 12 and older? Looking for another opportunity to relax with alumni without having to finish a reading? Or just wanting to help make a positive change for the more than one million children who attend NYC public schools?
Then join other alumni to volunteer for the 16th Annual New York Cares Day! Our team name: St. John's College NY Area Alumni. We will be offering elbow grease only, no fund raising.
From 4:00 to 6:00 we might party at Pressure at Bowlmor Lanes. If you have trouble registering or have suggestions, comments, or questions please email .
Monday, October 8, 2007, 7:30pm: The Osiander Preface
Andreas Osiander subverted the masterwork of Copernicus. Why and exactly how he managed it is not known. The Osiander Preface by Geoffrey Paul Gordon and David Morgan tells a story of the intrigue that prompted this scandalous act. It is a science play because it portrays the struggle of individuals and societies to construct and protect "knowledge". Battles of faith against reason, the one against the many, and man against woman are some of many offshoots from the core questions that the play explores: who tells the truth, what is the truth and how do we know?
FREE ADMISSION. At La MaMa Club, 74A East 4th Street between Bowery and Second Avenue. Directed by Zishan Ugurlu with music composed by Ivan Rykoff.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007: Annual Recent Graduate Reception
We are kicking off the new season with one of our most popular events, and we encourage you to come out and welcome recent graduates to our Alumni Chapter. Everyone is welcome to network and connect in a variety of areas including publishing, teaching, business, law, medicine, information technology, media and theatre. This event has enabled newer graduates to come away with some fresh perspectives on how to take the next step in their lives after St. John's, with help from the people who already know best how to make the challenging (and never-ending) transition from the College to the "real" world.
Saturday, September 8, 2007: Theater Series: Iphegenia 2.0
We have secured 28 discounted tickets for Saturday September 8, 2007 for Iphigenia 2.0, starring Kate Mulgrew as Clytemnestra. Iphigenia 2.0 is a modern retelling of the play by Euripides in which a great imperial power decides to go to war, taking an action so wrong that it sets the empire on the road to complete self-destruction. Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek army, must prove to his uncertain troops that the dangerous battle they are about to undertake is righteous and worthy by making the ultimate sacrifice himself.
According to , "Charles Mee's Iphigenia 2.0 manages a very tricky feat: to completely update and reinvent Euripides' Iphighenia in Aulis while staying surprisingly true to its basic structure. This compelling work, directed by Tina Landau and featuring a terrific ensemble cast, gets the Signature Theatre Company's season off to a great start."
*** Stop the presses ***
For one day only,
will direct CONFESS \ CONFUSE, four little micro-mini musical theater pieces by Bruce Trinkley, with words by Jason Charnesky. At the
,
Thursday, August 30, 2007 at 8:30PM.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007, 7:00pm - 9:00pm: Seminar on Schiller's Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Man
Sara Barker, A'98, will lead a seminar on Schiller's Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Man.
NOTE: We are no longer meeting at Bear Stearns, but at the home of Mira and John Van Doren. Click on the RSVP link for details.
June, 2007: On Love
Dinner Party, based on Plato's Symposium (c. 360 BCE) and produced by . Throw a dinner party for antiquity's greatest and wittiest thinkers with a never-ending supply of really good wine, and you’re bound to be in for quite an evening. Full of lust and poetry, fighting and camaraderie, rhetoric and desire, Dinner Party asks us how we love and what we think love is.
This season offers a museum-worthy selection of the rich and strange treasure that is classical Greek literature. No other catalogue of work so completely marries burning personal passion with civic politics. The Greeks remain stubbornly alien to us, though we insist on claiming their mantle. These ancient texts have never been more relevant. How can we capture their elusive power? Via drama, philosophy, and scholarship, Target Margin’s curatorial team has assembled a blockbuster exhibition.
June, 2007: On Scholarship
The Argument, based on Aristotle's Poetics (c. 350 BCE), written and performed by David Greenspan, and produced by . A passionate student's love-letter and farewell to his teacher, The Argument reminds us of the personal pathos that binds us to the Greeks, and fires us to capture that chimera, art. Based on both the Poetics and the essays of Gerald F. Else, this new one-man play written and performed by the virtuosic David Greenspan explores the non-artist’s take on categorizing, dissecting, and defining art for the rest of us.
June, 2007: Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew
Catch , in a new production of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew at the Flamboyan Theater inside the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center at 107 Suffolk Street (between Rivington and Delancy). Opening Friday June 15th and running through Sunday July 1st, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 5pm, Special Matinee Saturday June 30th 2pm.
Sunday, July 1, 2007: Summer BBQ and Seminar on Henry James' The Beast in the Jungle
Summer BBQ and seminar on Henry James' The Beast in the Jungle, led by Victoria Mora, the Santa Fe Dean.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007: Seminar on William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience
William James's 1901 series of lectures, The Varieties of
Religious Experience, has become a classic text in the
psychology of religious belief. Join us as we discuss James's thoughts
on the psychological origin of religious consciousness, mysticism and
the divided self, and the process of conversion.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007: Fine Arts Seminar on Picasso
The 1930's were a time of upheaval, not just
politically but in painting and thought as well. Starting in the early
1900's Braque and Picasso and other artists experimented with the
expression of how we see form including the human form. Cubism,
fauvism, futurism and other -isms were born. Freud expounded his
theory of the subconscious and Jung delved into the hidden self. Man's
view of himself was altered. This seminar will look at a brief text by
Jung, "Picasso" and two painting by Picasso at the Museum of Modern
Art, "Girl Before a Mirror," and "Three Musicians."
Tuesday, April 17, 2007: Theatre Series: The Iliad by Homer
Homer's The Iliad, in the acclaimed translation by Stanley Lombardo will be performed in three parts with two intermissions at the — April 17 and 18 only.
Saturday, June 23, 2007: Remembering Andrew Klipper
A number of friends and family will be paying tribute to Andrew Klipper at Fantasy Day in Fenway Park this summer and participating in an annual fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund for Cancer Research.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007: Prometheus Bound
The Classic Stage Company presents the Aquila Theatre Company's production of Prometheus Bound, Aeschylus' epic Greek tragedy, translated and directed by James Kerr, and starring David Oyelowo. Playing March 13 through April 14. Visit for tickets, or call 866/811-4111.
Saturday, April 14, 2007, 9:00pm: Film Showing: The World Was Ours: The Jewish Legacy of Vilna
Channel 13 (WNET) is screening a new documentary film describing the history, vitality, and ultimate destruction of the Jewish Community in Vilna (now Vilnius), once known as The Jerusalem of Lithuania. This film, narrated by Mandy Patinkin, tells the story of a 400-year-old community of 80,000 souls who created a world that found a fleeting way to bridge the gap between Jewish and Modern European Culture. This city was the home of Alexander Schneider, Chaim Soutine, Jascha Heifetz, among others. Among the many survivors who tell their stories are Alexander and Gabriel Sedlis, father and uncle to our own Steven Sedlis, A'73, (and father-in-law, etc, to Melissa Sedlin, A'73).
This film was produced and directed by Mira Jedwabnik Van Doren, a Vilna native, with help from her son, Chapter President Daniel Van Doren, A'81. It had its New York Premier in November 2006 at the . In December the Jewish Daily Forward published a profile of Mrs. Van Doren entitled . [This film was originally scheduled for a chapter screening and panel discussion on April 17th, but due to its impending showing on Channel 13, the screening has been postponed until further notice.]
Thursday, April 5, 2007, 6:00pm - 9:00pm: Morgan White-Smith's Happy Hour
Unlike Eliot, you don't need to let your April fall victim to the cruelty born of winter-induced cabin fever. On April 5, get on out to the Stoned Crow in the Village to ring in spring with recent grad and hoist a stein or two to go along with that memory and desire.
Meet us at , 85 Washington Place (1 block north of West 4th St. at Sixth Avenue), (212) 677-4022. To find the SJC contingent, look for Morgan. (If all else fails, just start reciting Homer in Greek and you'll find the Johnnies.)
Tuesday, March 6, 2007: Seminar on J. M. Coetzee
Please join us for a discussion of 20th Century Literature in the form of South African author J. M. Coetzee, who was awarded the
,
specifically two chapters from Elizabeth Costello.
by .
Tuesday, February 6, 2007: Architecture Seminar on Frank Lloyd Wright
Please join us for the next installment in our seminars on the arts, in this case the building arts, with a discussion of two essays by
.
You may also be interested in visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright rooms at
,
or take a look at
,
one of his most well-known buildings.
by .
Tuesday, January 9, 2007: On Duty
As Yet Thou Art Young and Rash, based on Euripides' Suppliants (c. 420-414 BCE) and produced by
. Runs til February 3.
Mythic and local, sweeping and intimate, As Yet Thou Art Young and Rash epitomizes the tragedy of the aftermath of war. After the physical combat has stopped, what responsibilities do we hold towards the defeated? How do we not only build a better body politic, but in doing so, a better world community?
Saturday, January 27, 2007: On the Side
The Labs, produced by
. Runs til February 3.
A series of events, readings, and performances in response to Hellenic drama and philosophy. Our lab will feature a new adaptation of Sophocles' The Women of Trachis (c. 431 – 419 BCE), directed by Alice Reagan, recipient of a Princess Grace Award and TMT Artistic Associate for the 06-07 Season.
Saturday, January 6, 2007: Theatre Series: The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
Please join us for the first of what we hope will be a regular theatre series in which we see an off-Broadway play, followed soon after by a seminar. We'll be starting with an opening night performance of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice with a production by the
. Three days later, we'll be
hosting a seminar on the play from 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday, January 9th,
led by Annapolis Tutor Thomas May.
Monday, December 11, 2006: Fieldtrip to Jason Viseltear, Violinmaker
Our Annual Holiday Party at Verlaine's in December will be preceded by a special treat, a visit to
where Jason Viseltear, GI'95, makes violins, violas and cellos. Jason's studio is right near Verlaine, at 133 Essex Street on the Lower East Side.
Monday, December 11, 2006: Annual Holiday Party
Come celebrate the holidays with us at
,
a terrific downtown nightspot on the Lower East Side. This is a great chance to just let loose and have a good time with friends and fellow alumni. It'll be a cash bar at Happy Hour prices, but the appetizers will be on us. At 110 Rivington Street on the Lower East Side.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006: Seminar on Beethoven's Seventh Symphony
At the College, well before the seminars on music settled on operas (and Passions) that had words attached, they used to have seminars on wordless musical works. We now have the special treat of hosting Annapolis Tutor Elliott Zuckerman as a leader of a seminar on Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. Mr. Zuckerman has long been associated with music at St. John's and has been the featured player at waltz parties in Annapolis for years. We've arranged for a piano, so that Mr. Zuckerman will have the chance to say some words of introduction and illustrate passages on the piano as they come up.
Friday, November 10, 2006: Shakespeare's Winter's Tale
The Hipgnosis Theatre Company presents Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, running from November 2 to November 19, Thursdays - Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm, at the Access Theatre, 380 Broadway (2 blocks south of Canal St). John A. Castro, A'93, directs and
plays Paulina. After the performance on Friday, November 10, Johnnies are welcome to meet up with John and Sara at the
in Tribeca at 311 Church St. (It's Sara's birthday!) From the theatre, make a right on Broadway, then a left on Walker, then a right on Church. You can order tickets through
or by calling 212-868-4444. For more information, visit
.
Tuesday, November 7, 2006: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and The Tempest
Not a chapter-sponsored event, but worth your consideration: Two new productions of Shakespeare standards at the .
One of Shakespeare's most effervescent and mutable comedies, Twelfth Night undergoes a delightful, gender-bent makeover by the Olivier Award-winning director Declan Donnellan. It's a Twelfth Night operating at full comedic throttle, designed with elegant economy by Nick Ormerod. November 7 to 12.
Allegedly intrigued by the theatrical potential of lantern light, the cutting-edge technology of his time, Shakespeare would no doubt be fascinated with the digital magic of Montreal-based 4D art's award-winning La Tempête (The Tempest), a decidedly imaginative and contemporary take on one of the Bard's most hallucinatory works. November 15, 17 and 18.
Thursday, October 26, 2006: Adam Van Doren Watercolor Exhibit and Book Signing
Not a chapter-sponsored event, but worth your consideration: The entire New York Alumni Chapter is invited to attend the opening reception for an exhibit of fine watercolors by the noted architectural painter Adam Van Doren, son of John Van Doren, A'47, and brother to chapter president Daniel Van Doren, A'81. This gallery opening will coincide with the publication of a new retrospective of his art by Samuel White, Richard Boyle and Avis Berman, and published by Hudson Hills Press. Mr. Van Doren will be on hand to sign copies of his book which will be for sale, too.
Saturday, October 28, 2006: Crossing the Bridge -- The Sound of Istanbul
Not a chapter-sponsored event, but worth your consideration: A film about Istanbul and its music. Alexander Hacke, a member of the German avantgarde band "Einsturzende Neubauten" first came into contact with Istanbul and its music while producing the score for Fatih Akin's Duvara Karsi (Head-on). A lover of experimenting with sound, Hacke roams the streets of Istanbul with his mobile recording studio and "magic mike" to capture the musical diversity of Istanbul. His voyage leads to the discovery of a broad spectrum ranging from modern electronic, rock and hip-hop right down to classical "arabesque". Fatih Akin accompanies him with his camera and shoots a portrait of Istanbul where music suffuses every part of the city, and is dearly loved by all of its inhabitants.
This film is part of the New York Turkish Film Festival that runs from October 21 to October 28.
Saturday, October 21, 2006: North India Guitar and Sitar
Not a chapter-sponsored event, but worth your consideration: Two of the leading stars of the younger generation of Indian classical music are featured in this two-part concert of North Indian music. Debashish Bhattacharya, a disciple of Brij Bhusan Khabra (the father of Indian classical guitar), is a pioneer of the Indian slide guitar who received the prestigious President’s Award at the age of 21 and went on to tour with Shakti with John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain. Sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee belongs to the Senia Maihar gharana (tradition) and carries on the legacy of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, combining the richness of ancient dhrupad with the exuberance and lyricism of khyal. Part of a series of upcoming concerts at the World Music Institute.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006: Seminar on Plato's Symposium
Plato, Allan Bloom wrote, is "the most erotic of philosophers," and his Symposium is one of the greatest works on the nature of love ever written. In the Symposium, Plato recounts a drinking party following an evening meal, where the guests include the poet Aristophanes, the drunken Alcibiades, and, of course, the wise Socrates. The revelers give their views on the timeless topics of love and desire, all the while addressing many of the major themes of Platonic philosophy: the relationship of philosophy and poetry, the good, and the beautiful. Kevin Farrelly, A'01, will lead the discussion. Following the seminar, everyone is invited to join Mr. Farrelly for dinner at Connolly's Pub and Restaurant.
Saturday, October 7, 2006: Beethoven Festival
Not a chapter-sponsored event, but worth your consideration: WNYC Radio's Beethoven Festival. Beginning Saturday, October 7, WNYC, 93.9 on your FM dial, is hosting a weeklong "Beethoven Festival." Designed to delight and inform aficionados and novices alike, the festival will celebrate the music, the spirit and the person of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Wednesday, October 4, 2006: Briefing on the Campaign for St. John's College
On Wednesday, October 4th, The St. John’s College Advancement Office is holding an event to inform New York Chapter members about "With a Clear and Single Purpose": The Campaign for St. John's College. The reception will be held at The Harold Pratt House in Manhattan.
Saturday, September 30, 2006: Octoberfest with Readings from Goethe's Faust
Goethe's Faust may no longer be on the St. John's reading list, but that's no reason to deprive yourself of the fun of reading Faust with your fellow alums over hearty food and drink. Bring a copy of Faust as we read aloud from scenes from the play.
Saturday, September 16, 2006: National Theatre of Greece returns to New York with The Persians
Not a chapter-sponsored event, but worth your consideration: The National Theatre of Greece makes its annual trek to New York's City Center Sept. 16-20 for a limited six-performance run of Aeschylus' The Persians.
The Persians is the oldest known play in Western civilization. It was written in 480 B.C. to celebrate the final defeat of the armies of King Xerxes in the sea battle of Salamis — a war in which Aeschylus himself fought. It is set in the Persian capital of Susa, where the despotic Queen Atossa and The Chorus wait for news of the king's campaign against the Greeks.
The Persians will be performed in Greek with English supertitles. The translation is by Nikoletta Frindzila, sets and costumes are by Lili Kendaka, music is by Takis Farazis and lighting is by Lefteris Pavlopoulos.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006: 21st Annual Recent Graduate Reception
We are kicking off the new season with one of our most popular events, and we encourage you to come out and welcome recent graduates to our Alumni Chapter. Everyone is welcome to network and connect in a variety of areas including publishing, teaching, business, law, medicine, information technology, media and theatre. This event has helped many newer graduates hope the newer graduates come away with some fresh perspectives on how to take the next step in their lives after St. John's, with help from the people who already know best how to make the challenging (and never-ending) transition from the College to the "real" world.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006, 7:00pm - 9:00pm: Seminar on Three Shakespeare Sonnets
Michael Dink, A'75, recently chosen as the new Dean for the Annapolis campus, will lead us in a discussion of sonnets 64, 66 and 73.
Saturday, June 10, 2006: Schooner Odyssey
On Saturday, June 10, 35 lucky members of the Chapter will board the iron-hulled schooner Pioneer and embark upon a two-hour Odyssey. Tickets are $20, and each alum will be allowed to bring one guest.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006: Annual Membership Party
We will once again be holding our annual membership party at the home of John Van Doren (A’47) in Midtown. We will include the election of chapter officers and reports from chapter committees. You'll hear the latest updates about the website, membership, fundraising, seminars and the many new events we have planned. Our special guest will be Santa Fe tutor Peter Pesic, who will speak about his new book Sky in a Bottle.
Tuesday, May 9, 2006: Seminar on Shakespeare's Coriolanus
Steve Thomas, SF'74, will lead us in a discussion of Shakespeare's Coriolanus.
"The last of Shakespeare's great political tragedies, chronicling the life of the mighty warrior Caius Marcius Coriolanus. It covers many issues including pride of coming before a fall. The ambitious mother of of the hero plays a large part in his initial successes. Coriolanus supports the old patrician ways and is totally out of tune with the needs of the ordinary people. Aufidius, jealous of Coriolanus's popularity with the Volscians, denounces him as a traitor, and the Volscians then kill the Roman. He then regrets his action and praises Coriolanus a real hero."
Thursday, April 6, 2006: Writers' Night
NETWORKING AND CONVIVIALITY FOR WRITERS, EDITORS, AND OTHERS. Are you a published author willing to read excerpts from your work and to share career advice with other chapter members? Are you an aspiring writer looking to try out some new material and learn the tricks of the trade? Are you an editor willing to give tips to those in your field? Are you in none of the above categories, but willing to eat and drink with your chapter compatriots while having a good time? Yes, you say. Good. On Thursday, April 6 the chapter will be hosting a "Writers' Night" with an open mike, food service, and a cash bar available. Come on out and join the festivities.
Please notify Chris Denny (A'93) at by March 24 if you would like to read or offer career advice in an open forum.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006: Seminar on Kafka's The Burrow
Tutor Greg Bayer (A78) comes to us all the way from Santa Fe to lead a discussion of this short story. Mr. Bayer recommends a translation by Edwin Muir in Selected Stories by Franz Kafka (Modern Library, 1993).
Monday, March 13, 2006, 8:00pm: A Performance of The Odyssey
Not a chapter-sponsored event, but worth your consideration: The Odyssey, directed by Kathryn Walker, at the 92nd Street Y. Robert Fagles' acclaimed version of Homer's Odyssey is brought to life by Kathryn Walker and a top-caliber cast. Because of constraints on the actors' schedules, the cast will be announced shortly before the performance, but previous productions directed by Ms. Walker have featured Kate Burton, Larry Pine, Keith David, Mary Beth Hurt, Zoe Caldwell and David Strathairn, among others.
Wednesday, March 8, 2006: Seminar on "Modern Times" by Charlie Chaplin
We welcome back Tutor Emeritus Thomas Simpson, A'50, to lead us in a discussion of Charlie Chaplin's masterpiece, Modern Times (1936). As a special treat we will be showing the film at 6:15 pm, with the seminar to follow at 8:00 pm. This film is widely available in VHS and DVD formats for those of you who cannot make the screening.
Friday, February 24, 2006: Guggenheim Art Night and Social
In conjunction with the Rembrandt seminar earlier in the month, and the chapter's ongoing examination of perception and the visual arts, the Chapter will host a visit to the Guggenheim Museum on the Upper East Side. The Gallery visit will extend from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, with supper and informal conversation to follow.
Friday, February 10, 2006: Heidegger Documentary
Not a chapter-sponsored event, but worth your consideration:
THE ISTER, by David Barison and Daniel Ross, an award-winning film about the past and future of Western civilization and the 20th century's most influential and controversial philosopher Martin Heidegger.
Playing Friday, February 10 through Thursday, February 16 at 7:00 nightly, $8 (or less).
2004, 189 minutes, color. Distributed by First Run/Icarus Films.
"A work of cinematic beauty." — BBC
"A gripping philosophical journey." — CAHIERS DU CINÉMA
Tuesday, February 7, 2006: Will the Real Rembrandt Please Stand Up?
We
are scheduling a new and unusual seminar for our chapter, a seminar on eight paintings — in this case, eight self portraits by Rembrandt. The seminar will be led by Lovejoy Duryea, A'67, chair of the Interior Design Department at the School of Visual Arts.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006: A Proposal for Polity-Wide Consideration of Pressing Ideas
Chapter President Daniel Van Doren, A'81, will lead a discussion of a proposal he has offered to the Alumni Association involving all members of the College Polity: alumni, faculty, students and administration. Van Doren proposes that the entire College community be brought into the consideration of one idea every year, particularly ideas that trouble the world today. We will also consider the larger question of what role we as alumni should play in the College community.
Friday, January 13, 2006: St. John's Music Night
Feeling nostalgic for freshman chorus, but with a more contemporary slant? The New York City Chapter of the St. John's College Alumni Association has just the right antidote to your music blues. We have secured the microphone at Freddy's Bar and Backroom in Brooklyn for a Friday night in early January, and will be booking some sensational all-Johnny bands. If you're interested in performing, please contact
.
Thursday, December 15, 2005: New York Cares Annual Coat Drive
Join other SJC alumni help sort donated coats as part of the New York
Cares Annual Coat Drive!
Each December collects thousands of coats to redistribute to those who would otherwise go without. Your labor and good humor are required to help sort donated coats — you are not expected to donate a coat but can if you wish. Children 12 and over are welcome to come and volunteer.
Monday, December 5, 2005: Annual Holiday Party
Come celebrate the holidays with us at Verlaine Bar, a terrific downtown nightspot on the Lower East Side. This is a great chance to just let loose and have a good time with friends and fellow alumni. It'll be a cash bar at Happy Hour prices, but the appetizers will be on us.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005: Seminar on Mark Twain
Deborah Papier, A'72, president of the Washington, D.C. alumni chapter, will lead a seminar on two stories by Mark Twain: 1), Extracts from Adam's Diary, and 2), Eve's Diary.
Extracts from Adam's Diary is available online from Project Gutenberg, infomotions.com, the Classic Literature Library, and mtwain.com.
Eve's Diary is available online from Project Gutenberg, readbookonline.com, and mtwain.com.
The complete works of Mark Twain are available at several websites, including mtwain.com.
Thursday, November 10, 2005: Reception for Michael Peters, new President of Santa Fe
Are you aware that St. John's is only one of three private colleges in New Mexico? Can you name the other two? Did you know that as a proportion of the graduating classes, St. John's sends more graduates back to live and work in New Mexico than the University of New Mexico? Do you have any ideas for improving St. John's, especially Santa Fe, but feel that no one has been listening, or that you just haven't gotten the attention of the right people so far?
Here's your chance! Straight from his inauguration last weekend as President of the Santa Fe campus of St. John's College, Michael Peters will be visiting our fair city on Thursday, November 10th at a reception hosted by Philanthropia and the New York Chapter of the Alumni Association.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005, 7pm - 9pm: Seminar on St. John's in the 21st Century
John Van Doren, A'47, former member of the Alumni Association Board and the St. John's College Board of Visitors and Governors, will lead us in a discussion of God and the Professors: Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion [1941], by
Mortimer Adler.
What is the mission of St. John's at the beginning of the 21st Century? Does that mission extend beyond the College? In two seminars over the past two years with former members of the Board of Visitors and Governors, we staked out two positions that led us to send a report to officials at the College for their consideration:
Wednesday, September 14, 2005: Recent Graduate Reception
We are kicking off the new season with one of our most popular events, and we encourage all alumni to come out and welcome recent graduates to our Alumni Chapter. Graduates from the last 10 years (and more) will be joined by more seasoned alumni in networking and making connections in a variety of areas including publishing, teaching, business, law, medicine, information technology, media and theatre. As a reward for coming you'll receive a copy of the new Career Networking Resources guide that chapter president Daniel Van Doren has just prepared. And we hope you'll come away with some fresh perspectives on how to take the next step in your lives after St. John's with help from the people who already know best how to make the challenging (and never-ending) transition from St. John's to the "real" world.
Sunday, August 14, 2005: Potluck Picnic and Seminar (on the Balcony)
We have scheduled a picnic/seminar at Laura Strache's (A'01) place in Astoria. The seminar will be the first of an irregular series examining how and what we see when we view the fine and performing arts. The reading, 20 pages from The Republic, concerns most directly the relationship between the visible and the intelligible. Our selection includes the divided line, the allegory of the cave, and the inquiry into why some objects are visibly interesting and others are not.
Learn more and RSVP.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005: Seminar on Four Poems of Baudelaire
We are delighted to welcome Peter Kalkavage back for another go-round on Baudelaire, this time with the added treat of Henry Higuera. We look forward to a lively and thought provoking discussion.
Learn more and RSVP.
Thursday, June 16, 2005: June Seminar
Join Annapolis tutor Brother Robert in a discussion of Christopher Logue's War Music: An Account of Books 1 - 4 and 16 - 19 of Homer's Iliad.
Learn more and RSVP.
Thursday, May 19, 2005: Annual Chapter Business Meeting
Please join us in celebrating the good work we have done in the past year and our possibilities for next year. We'll be electing chapter officers and directors, hearing from the various committees concerning networking, seminars, movies, parties, fundraising, the newsletter, the website, and special chapter events. We'll also get a chance to hear about the Touchstone Discussion Project that brings the Great Books into schools, prisons and retirement homes and learn how we can help the Project in its efforts.
We'll be serving wine, soda, cheese, crackers and fruit, plus a variety of hors d'eouvres.
WHEN:
Thursday, May 19, 2005, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
WHERE:
The home of Mira and John Van Doren (A47), 130 West 57th Street, Apt. 11D, New York, NY 10019
Tuesday, April 12, 2005: Seminar, Selected works of Václav Havel
Please join us and Alumnus Peter Green (A'82) in reading selections of Václav Havel's works:
(1)
The Power of the Powerless, (see
Open Letters: Selected Writings 1965-1990 by Václav Havel, Vintage Books (1992); and
(2) Address by Václav Havel, President of the Czech Republic, before the Members of Parliament, Prague, 12/9/1997. You may
download it here (Word document). For a faxed copy, call Daniel Van Doren at 212-757-9523.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, 2005, 7 - 9pm
LED BY: Peter Green,
Alumnus (A'82)
WHERE: Bear Stearns Building
(13th Floor, Conference Room H), 383 Madison Avenue, between 46th and 47th (main entrance on Vanderbilt). Attendees should check in with lobby security and bring a valid photo ID (such as a driver's license). You will not be allowed in if you have not RSVPed by 7pm the previous day.
(Voluntary seminar fee: $10 per person payable in cash or by check made out to "SJCAANYC").
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT RSVPs: RSVPs are absolutely required by April 11th at 4pm. Because of the building's tight security, your name must be provided at least 1 day (24 hours) in advance. Otherwise, you will not be admitted. Please let us know whether you are coming to the pre-seminar festivities and/or the seminar itself by contacting Daniel Van Doren at 212-757-9523 or by e-mailing
.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005: Seminar, Einstein's Simple Theory of Relativity, Part I
Tutor Sam Kutler leads a seminar on Einstein's
Simple Theory of Relativity, Part I.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 16, 2005, 7:00 - 9:00pm
LED BY: Samuel Kutler,
Tutor (A'54)
WHERE: Princeton Club, 15 West 43rd Street
DINNER: Please feel free to join Mr. Kutler and other chapter members for dinner from 5:15 to 6:45 in the dining room.
RSVP TO:
Wednesday, February 16, 2005: Seminar, Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway
Tutor André Barbera leads a seminar on Woolf's
Mrs. Dalloway.
WHEN: Wednesday, February 16, 2005, 7:00 - 9:00pm
LED BY: André Barbera,
Tutor
WHERE: Princeton Club, 15 West 43rd Street
DINNER: Please feel free to join Mr. Barbera and other chapter members for dinner from 5:15 to 6:45 in the dining room.
RSVP TO:
Wednesday, January 19, 2005: Seminar, Aristotle's Physics II and Metaphysics XII
We will be reading Aristotle's
Physics II and
Metaphysics XII. Tutor Emeritus Tom Simpson will be leading the seminar.
WHEN: Wednesday, January 19, 7:00 - 9:00pm
LED BY: Tom Simpson,
Tutor Emeritus (A'50)
WHERE: Bear Stearns Building
(13th Floor, Conference Room H), 383 Madison Avenue, between 47th and 48th Streets. Attendees should check in with lobby security and bring a valid photo ID (such as a driver's license). You will not be allowed in if you have not RSVPed at least 24 hours in advance.
DINNER: Please feel free to join Mr. Simpsons and other chapter members for dinner prior to the seminar. Time and location TBA.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT RSVPs: RSVPs are absolutely required by September 13. Because of the building's tight security, your name must be provided at least 1 day (24 hours) in advance. Otherwise, you will not be admitted. Please RSVP to
.
Thursday, January 13, 2005: Movie Night: Merchant of Venice
This month, the SJC ACES takes in
The Merchant of Venice (R), directed by Michael Radford. Much like last month's selection,
Closer,
The Merchant of Venice premiered to critical acclaim on the London stage. Unlike last month's selection,
The Merchant of Venice was written in the 16th Century. This adaptation stars Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes and Zuleikha Robinson.
WHEN: Thursday, January 13, 2005, 6:45pm
WHERE: Loew's 19th St. East Theatre
Afterwards, we'll have drinks at the Old Town Bar, on 18th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue, as long as it is not too crowded in there.
E-mail Movie Archon Alex Battles A'94 at
for more information or to RSVP. Yours,
Tuesday, December 14, 2004: Chapter Holiday Party
Come celebrate the holidays with us at this terrific downtown nightspot on the Lower East Side. We've had a great year so far! Now is the time to just let loose and have a good time with friends and fellow alumni. Plan for a cash bar at Happy Hour prices — the appetizers will be on us.
WHEN: Tuesday, December 14, 6 - 9pm
WHERE: Verlaine, 110 Rivington Street (212-614-2494)
RSVP:
Visit our new online RSVP tool or contact Alex Struminger at 212-755-7281
Wednesday, November 17, 2004: Ion Seminar
The NY Chapter invites you to a seminar on Plato's "Ion," led by tutor James Beall.
More details and the readings.
WHEN: Wednesday, November 17, 7 - 9pm
WHERE: The Princeton Club, 15 West 43rd Street, 212-596-1200
DINNER: 5:30-6:45 p.m. in the Woodrow Wilson Room, hosted by Allan Hoffman. The dress code is Business Casual (jackets are required for men).
RSVP: Daniel Van Doren at 212-757-9523 ext. 1, or at
.
Please indicate whether you will be attending the seminar, dinner or both.
Please feel free to contact any of us at the following email addresses. And remember that we're only one chapter of the — so don't forget to visit their site as well.
Click this button to pay your dues using PayPal, or if you prefer to pay by check. Suggested donations are only $10 a year for the five most recent graduating classes, $20 for those who have been out from five to ten years, and $30 if you've been out of school for more than ten years.