Pneuma Brass Quintet

Enjoy an evening of patriotic music to kick off Independence Day weekend. The Pneuma Brass Quintet, an acclaimed group of professional musicians featuring Lauren Bundy and Timothy Deik (trumpet), Debrah Greelish (horn), Joseph Haddad (trombone), and William Gray (tuba), will stir the spirit of patriotism in us all.

The Naked Campaign:
An Evening with Steve Brodner

Today’s most prominent satirical illustrator, Steve Brodner has created caricatures of noted popular and political figures for nearly every major American publication. The artist will speak about his intensive involvement in the 2008 Presidential process and offer wry, humorous observations on the candidates and their campaigns—from primary season to the political conventions. Steve Brodner’s drawings and videos for The Naked Campaign appear weekly in The New Yorker and on the Internet.

Filmmaker Gail Levin:
Animating The Naked Campaign

An Emmy Award-winning producer and director of television and film, Gail Levin will join us to discuss her collaboration with Steve Brodner, America’s foremost political illustrator. Ms. Levin’s online films, which are currently seen on The New Yorker’s Web site and on YouTube, bring Brodner’s drawings and commentary to life for viewers around the globe. Gail Levin is also the producer and director of Marilyn Monroe: Still Life and James Dean: Sense Memories, created for the PBS American Masters series.

Political Cartoons:
A History of Visual Satire

Illustrator/historian Roy Schlemme will trace the evolution of political cartooning— a compelling form of visual journalism that has shaped public opinion since the mid-19th century. From Thomas Nast to Steve Brodner and David Levine, this lively look at the time-honored art of political satire will offer vibrant reflections on our most prominent leaders and their legacies.

Roy Schlemme is a cartoonist and illustrator whose books include Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and Skewed Views: A Cartoon Odyssey for the Terminally Eccentric.

Politics Unusual:
An Evening with Alan Chartock

Enjoy an evening with Dr. Alan Chartock, who will share his perspectives on the political playing field—both nationally and in the region—during this unpredictable election year. Alan Chartock is the President and CEO of WAMC /Northeast Public Radio. A Professor Emeritus at the University at Albany, he is the executive publisher of the Legislative Gazette, the newspaper of New York State government, and hosts Capitol Connection, a weekly series heard on public radio. Dr. Chartock also appears regularly on such WAMC radio programs as The Media Project and Midday Magazine, and writes syndicated columns about politics in our world.

The Campaign Trail:
An A Cappella Evening with Quintessential

Step back in time and enjoy songs from campaign eras past and present, performed with wit and whimsy by Quintessential, a Berkshire-based ensemble of a cappella singers. Tenors Al Thorp, Jay Wise and Jim McMenamy, and bass/baritones John Miner and David Anderegg are back by popular demand, and will perform in the Museum galleries.

Drawing Conclusions:
Gender and Politics in Editorial Cartoons

Join us for this compelling look at the motivations and approaches of noted editorial cartoonists and their ongoing impact on public perception.

Elaine K. Miller, Ph.D., will discuss the issue of gender in visual satire and focus on the representation of such high-profile, female politicians as Hillary Rodham Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro, among others. Elaine K. Miller is Professor Emeritus of Women’s Studies at the State University of New York, College at Brockport. She is the author of such outstanding books and videos as Framing Hillary: Gender Identity in Editorial Cartoons and Trailblazer: The Editorial Cartoons of Etta Hulme.

The Lincoln–Douglas Debate

In anticipation of our upcoming Presidential election, step back in time during this special performance to hear Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas debate the issues of their day. The Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 were a series of exchanges between the two noted politicians for an Illinois seat in the United States Senate. The debates pre-dated Lincoln’s 1860 Presidential campaign and are remembered for the eloquence of both politicians, who discussed the matter of slavery in all seven debates.