Speaking For A Change

Barry's Best Of Broadway
2019-05-03 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Private Venue
As a professional cultural Historian (and a self-described Broadway fanatic) I have actually seen well over 200 performances on Broadway!
I truly love going to the theater in New York City! Accordingly, I make several trips a year to Manhattan just to see what’s new on Broadway! In my home, I host a Tony Awards Show party the way many men host a Super Bowl party! (I am not kidding – I cook for two days and we even get dressed up!)
Barry’s Best Of Broadway
I am so excited to offer an exciting new program featuring the stories and songs of some of my favorite Broadway musicals of all time. We will compare complementary shows from Broadway’s classic era (1943 – 1970) and Broadway’s modern era (1970 – 2018)
This allows you to see how a classic like “The King And I” relates to a modern show like “Anastasia” or how “South Pacific” and “Hamilton” are related.
You will hear insider stories on each of the ten productions we will feature. In addition, I will talk about the cultural importance of the musical and, of course, let you see and hear performances of some of the greatest songs from Broadway. However, I have a very special feature that I am delighted to announce: we will have live renditions of some of the music!
Live Music
As a very special treat – we will have live performances of some of the songs, performed by the amazing young soloist Cameron Faith Baron. Those of you who have heard my presentation on “Hamilton” will remember Cameron Faith Baron as the absolutely amazing singer who brought down the house with her renditions of “Burn,” “Satisfied” and “That Would Be Enough.” Wait until you hear her sing gorgeous songs from shows like “Come From Away,” “Waitress,” “Anastasia, and “Carole King’s Beautiful!” Since Cameron is booked for a musical starting in 2019, this presentation will not be repeated! Do not miss it!

1969 In Perspective
2019-05-07 14:00 - 15:30 | Indian Trails Public Library, 355 Schoenbeck Rd, Wheeling, IL, 60090, United States
1969 In Perspective, 50 Years Ago
Welcome to our time machine! In this fascinating new multimedia presentation we will put the wild, unique and absolutely unprecedented year of 1969 in perspective!
In 1969, America was in turmoil.
With the seemingly endless war in Vietnam entering a deadly phase, a quarter million protestors marched on Washington. The new President, Richard Nixon was sworn in, promising to heal the woulnds of our fractured nation. The year veered from unbelievabe highs to infathomable lows.
It was 1969 when Neil Armstrong became the first human being to step on the moon, Charles Manson directed grisly murders and Woodstock highlighted the Cultural Revolution. And no fan of the Chicago Cubs can ever forget the promise and failure of 1969!
Join us for a fascinating look at a turbulent year!

Kate And Spencer: The Films And Lives of Tracy and Hepburn
2019-05-09 13:00 - 14:30 | North Shore Senior Center, 161 Northfield Road, Northfield, 60093
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy was one of the greatest movie actors of all time. His phenomenal career is highlighted with great performance after great performance. Father of the Bride. Boys Town. Captains Courageous. 30 Seconds over Tokyo. Edison, the Man. Plymouth Adventure. Northwest Passage. Stanley and Livingston. Each of these is considered a classic film and each was made before he began his groundbreaking collaboration with Katharine Hepburn. Spencer Tracy was a difficult man – a womanizer and an alcoholic whose Catholic guilt didn’t stop him from being serially unfaithful to his wife. But as an actor, few movie stars can touch him for the power and depth of his performances.
Katharine Hepburn had been a star on Broadway and enjoyed tremendous popularity films before she was labeled “Box Office Poison” and returned to Broadway hoping to get another shot at the silver screen. Like Spencer Tracy, she had a long and distinguished career as one of the top movie stars in America before they met. Her screwball comedies like “Bringing up Baby” & “the Philadelphia Story” showed her comic range. But all time classic dramas such as “Little Women” & “Summertime” demonstrated that she was a dramatic actress of the first order.
Together they were dynamite. On-screen they engaged in a seemingly never ending battle of the sexes. Offscreen, they carried on a decades long extramarital affair. Tracy died in her home; his wife had to be notified. Their relationship with scandalous but widely known. At the end, Katharine Hepburn could not even attend his funeral for fear of offending his wife and children. This fascinating multimedia presentation looks at their lives and careers, individually and together.

Phil Spector And The Murder Of Lana Clarkson
2019-05-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Fremont Public Library, 1170 N. Midlothian Road, Mundelein, IL, United States
Phil Spector And The Murder Of Lana Clarkson
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT IF PHIL SPECTOR WAS GUILTY

It sounds like an Agatha Christie story – a brilliant but troubled music producer takes a very beautiful actress who is down on her luck back to his Tyrolian mansion for a drink. Two people are in the room. There is one gun. She ends up dead. Was it a murder? An accident? A suicide? A brilliant prosecutor and his superb assistant had to fight off the O. J. Simpson dream team to convince a jury that Phil Spector was guilty.
The problem: not only did the defendant have nearly unlimited resources and the ability to purchase the best attorneys and experts in the world, but he had history on his side. No person who was a celebrity before their arrest had ever been convicted of murder in the USA!
The riveting murder trial of the bizarre Phil Spector played out very differently than the trial of O. J. Simpson. In this case, a competent judge and a superb prosecutor made the evidence the center of the case, You will be fascinated by the intricate and detailed strategies used by each team of lawyers and the colorful cast cast of characters called as witnesses.
We will also look at how a crazed HBO movie tried to make the argument that Spector was actually innocent! Sex, glamour, forensics, high priced lawyers – this trial has everything!
IMPORTANT! Registration is required! Please click here for free registration!

Women Who Have Run For President
2019-05-14 13:00 - 14:30 | Private Venue
What do Victoria Woodhull, Gracie Allen, Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Dole have in common?
They are among the amazing and fascinating women who have run for President! We now see the election of a woman as President is not a mater of ‘if’ – it is simply a matter of ‘when’ and who!
In this unique, fast moving and thought provoking presentation, national award winning public speaker and historian Barry Bradford will share the phenomonal stories of the women who blazed the way for a sea change in the political process . t won’t be Hillary Clinton, but iIncluded om the presentation be a prediction of who will be the 1st woman to be elected president! It may happen as soon as the Election of 2020!

Fred Astaire – A Life in Film
2019-05-16 13:00 - 14:30 | North Shore Senior Center, 161 Northfield Road, Northfield, 60093
Fred Astaire is rightfully considered by many critics to be the greatest dancer in the history of movies.
Although the name of Fred Astaire is inevitably remembered alongside that of the underrated and glamorous singer/dancer Ginger Rogers, his career was actually much longer and involved many other partners, Find a Fred Astaire film and you might find him dancing not with Ginger, but with Rita Hayworth, Audrey Hepburn, Nannette Fabray, Eleanor Powell, Judy Garland, Cyd Charisse or Jane Powell. Regardless of his partner, what Fred Astaire brought to the movies was a sense of style, a method of filming dance, and a talent that has never been equaled.
In film after film, Fred Astaire created unforgettable moments. He danced with firecrackers in Holiday Inn, danced on the ceiling in Royal Wedding and danced dressed as a hobo in Easter Parade.
Several of his partners – including Joan Crawford and Gracie Allen – were unexpected and yet proved to be quite wonderful. Click here to read about other unexpected movie teams. Although will certainly look at his groundbreaking collaboration with the immensely talented and often underrated Ginger Rogers, we will examine the totality of his career and his phenomenal impact on the way we look at movies and the ways in which we appreciate dance.

George Gershwin
2019-05-20 09:30 - 11:00 | Private Venue
In a very short career, George Gershwin changed American music forever. He was one of the most beloved composers of music for Broadway. his songs and shows continue to be revived on the New York stage and in theaters around the world. The list of standards written by Gershwin is seemingly endless. “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off * Nice Work If You Can Get It * Shall We Dance * and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me * are just a sample of the many popular songs written by Gershwin; most with unforgettable, urbane lyrics by his ferociously talented brother, Ira.
George Gershwin continued to challenge himself by creating music in challenging and unique styles. He wrote “Porgy and Bess” including the iconic “Summertime” in a blues style, wrote the unforgettable “Rhapsody in Blue” fusing jazz and classical elements, and music for ballet, “An American In Paris.”
He had just conquered Hollywood with his first movie musical, the sublime “Shall We Dance” starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers when he died of a brain tumor. The master of American music was just 38.
In this fascinating multimedia presentation, we will explore the amazing biography, unparalleled career and enduring legacy of George Gershwin.

The Doolittle Raid - Flying Into Greatness
2019-05-21 14:00 - 15:30 | Private Venue
The Doolittle Raid: America Fights Back

After the deadly surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the USA wanted. Pres. Roosevelt knew that it would inevitably be a long war when we took on the forces of the Japanese Army and Navy. Our forces were insufficient before the devastating attack on Hawaii. nonetheless, FDR wanted to send a strong, clear, and unmistakable message to the Japanese: the United States WOULD fight back.
An Unexpected Plan
Col. Jimmy Doolitte volunteered to lead a group of raiders on one of the most audacious attacks of all time. The plan was to drop bombs on Tokyo in the middle of the daytime. The Japanese people have been told that their island was invulnerable to an outside attack. If the Doolittle Raiders were successful, their attack would be a shattering blow to the Japanese psyche. The only problem was that there was no practical way for American planes to attack the Japanese mainland. But utilizing American ingenuity, full support of Pres. Roosevelt and Gen. George C Marshall, and sheer bravado, the Doolittle Raiders flew into greatness. Despite the myth that the Doolittle Raid was just a “psychological victory,” the truth is that the raid changed the direction of the war!
The heart stopping story of the Doolittle raid offered by a master storyteller makes for an unforgettable presentation!

Tom Hanks
2019-05-22 14:00 - 15:30 | Private Venue
If you were watching TV in 1980, you might have noticed a curly haired 26-year-old named Tom Hanks starring in an innocuous new show about roommates who dressed up in drag in order to live in a women’s only residence. How could we imagine the silly star of “Bosom Buddies” would go on to become of the greatest stars in the entire history of the movies? Tom Hanks’ long career has led him to be compared with the great Jimmy Stewart – and the comparison seems more accurate with each passing year.
Like Jimmy Stewart, Tom Hanks has starred in almost every genre of movie. Hanks has been a smash doing comedy, (“Splash” “Big”) drama (“Saving Private Ryan,” “The Post”) and been a leading man in romantic films (“You’ve Got Mail.” “Sleepless In Seattle) Hanks has starred in historical epics (“Sully, Apollo 13”) and has won two Oscars amidst his five nominations. Clearly Tom Hanks has built a legendary career, appearing in almost eighty films. And at only 61, he has the potential to keep working for a long time!
Please join us for this great multimedia presentation on the life and career of Tom Hanks. PLEASE NOTE: This event is not open to the public.

Offbeat Broadway
2019-05-24 10:00 - 11:30 | Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Senior Center, 100 E. Old Mill Road, Lake Forest, IL, 60045, United States
Some Broadway musicals that are not big hits still produce unforgettable music, delightful characters, and fascinating plots.
After all, who would have guessed a musical about singing pussycats in a London alley would be a hit!? Join Broadway historian Barry Bradford for a fun and insightful look at shows like Finian’s Rainbow, Call Me Madam, Xanadu, and Babes In Arms, none of which was a huge smash, yet each of which is delightful and important in its own way!

Wedding Ceremony
2019-05-25 16:00 - 17:00, 2019-05-26 17:00 - 18:00, 2019-05-31 17:15 - 18:00, 2019-06-01 17:30 - 18:00, 2019-06-08 17:00 - 18:00, 2019-06-09 17:30 - 18:00, 2019-06-15 17:00 - 18:00 | Private Venue
You are seeing this notice because this block of time has been put aside for one of my favorite speaking opportunities! To learn more about my work as a wedding officiant, please click here.
I am so blessed and so humbled to be a licensed wedding officiant. I will be conducting the wedding for a lovely couple!
What do I love about officiating weddings? Whether the wedding gifts large or small, religious or civil, traditional or same-sex, I love being part of a couple’s most special day. I do not do “cookie cutter” weddings – every ceremony is completely unique to the couple. Every story, every relationship, every family is different. It is so much fun for me to get to know the wonderful people and families whose lives are going to be changed on one special day.
This is one of the most joyful ceremonies anyone can experience! If you, or someone you know, are in need of a warm, articulate, thoughtful officiant for a wedding, please email me or click here for more information.

First Ladies of the 20th and 21st Centuries
2019-05-29 07:00 - 20:30 | Private Venue
First Ladies of the 20th and 21st Centuries
When Martha Washington became our first First Lady, she stepped into a roll with no job description and no precedent. She handled the position with grace and polish. however, each of the extraordinary women who served as First Lady brought something unique and different to the role.
First Ladies of the 20th and 21st Centuries
This installment in our series on the history of the First Ladies looks at the changing roles taken on by the wives of the presidents from 1932 – 2012. We begin with Eleanor Roosevelt and conclude with Michelle Obama. This is certainly a distinctive mix of personalities and aspirations! We will look at the “traditional” First Ladies who took on the role of wife and mother and shunned the spotlight. This group includes Bess Truman, Mamie Eisenhower, and Barbara Bush. Jacqueline Kennedy carved out a very different niche for herself, raising a young family while bringing glamour back to the White House. Several of the First Ladies in this group were transformative figures. Lady Bird Johnson, Nancy Reagan and Rosalyn Carter were tremendously influential in their husband’s administrations. Betty Ford brought a new candor to the position. And our most recent First Ladies – Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama raised the bar in terms of education and professional accomplishment before serving as First Lady.
Using numerous film clips, intriguing insights, thought provoking comparisons, and fascinating anecdotes, I will open your eyes to the very different personalities and accomplishments of the First Ladies of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau - The Odd Couple Of Comedy!
2019-05-30 13:00 - 14:30 | North Shore Senior Center, 161 Northfield Road, Northfield, 60093
Individually, they were two of the best screen actors of their generation.
Collectively they were one of the greatest movie teams of all time!

Like Fred and Ginger, Tracy and Hepburn, Burns and Allen, when you think of one, you think of the other. (Click here to read about some unusual movie teams – ones that will surprise you!) Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau each had a stellar individual career, both excelled at comedy and drama, both appeared on stage and television as well as the movies. Their off -screen personalities were as different as those we saw in the movies. And they were best friends!
Join us for a fun and fast multimedia twin biography of one of the greatest movie teams of all time!

1944 - History In Perspective
2019-06-02 13:00 - 14:30, 2019-06-17 13:00 - 14:30 | Private Venue
1944 was one of the most dramatic years in American history – indeed, it was a turning point in the history of the world!
The liberation of Europe that began on D-Day was destined to change the trajectory of human history. In this fascinating multimedia presentation, we will examine America as it was in 1944. The Second World War will be an important topic, of course, but we will look at many aspects of American life as well
So what was America lreally ike in 1944? How much did it cost to buy a gallon of gas, a loaf of bread or a postage stamp?
What music were we listening to and how much did the average American make that year? You will learn about the Oscar winning best film and how Broadway was being transformed into something much modern. We will look at how the Cubsand the White Sox did, gaze at what a 1944 car looked like and how people dressed. Naturally, 1944 being an election year, our focus will also be to examine the tumutuous world of politics of 1944.
President Roosevelt was elected to a fourth term in 1944 and Harry Truman, largely an unknown figure was elevated to the Presidency.
Please join us as we put History In Perspective – 1944!

Julia Child: Spy And Chef
2019-06-03 09:30 - 10:30 | Private Venue
Julia Child: Spy And Chef

In 1963 Julia Child became the first national superstar chef on TV.!
Her program “The French Chef” was so influential that the Smithsonian Institute features her kitchen, intact, as a permanent exhibit! Julia Child changed the way America thought about food, became the first star of public broadcasting, opened the doors for cooking on television and became one of the first and most important faces of public broadcasting. Quite a legacy for a woman who was neither French nor a chef!
There was another side to Julia Child–one that the public knew little about. In 1943, twenty years before her cooking and media skills would make her famous, Julia Child served in America’s top secret spy corps during World War II! The amazing Julia Child worked in the OSS,
Julia Child – In China WWII
which was later to become the CIA. Utilizing a very high level of security clearance, amazing organizational skills and endless optimism and resourcefulness, the former party girl from California served America her nation. She worked at the right hand of “Wild Bill” Donovan, the head of America’s foreign spies! With her husband, Paul,Julia Child moved from one dangerous overseas post to another, serving our country before she learned how to cook.

The daring story of Julia Child in the OSS is only one of the delights in this unique, funny and fascinating multimedia presentation! We will look at how she changed public television, changed the way America cooked and ate – and how she had a whole lot fun in everything she attempted!

Offbeat Broadway
2019-06-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Private Venue

America's Greatest First Ladies
2019-06-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Private Venue
Who were America’s Greatest First Ladies?
Nobody really knows!
Today, the press and public pay great attention to the President’s spouse. However, the role of First Lady was not given so much as a moment’s thought by the Founding Fathers. In fact, the title “First Lady” itself was not even widely used until the 1850s! Nonetheless, our First Ladies represent an amazing array of accomplished women, each with a unique story and a unique place in American History.
In this original series I will present a list of my top ten favorite First Ladies. Of course you know about the legacy of Eleanor Roosevelt. But did you know that the lives of children, women, and pediatricians are made better every day in real ways by the legacy of First Lady Harriet Lane? Or that almost a century before Jackie Kennedy we had a younger First Ladywho became an icon of style in the White House while raising adorable children? (Click here to read about Frances Cleveland, pictured on the magazine cover.)
Although there are so many fascinating stories in this multimedia presentation! It is not merely a collection of trivia. Rather we will examine how the historical roles of women have changed from the days of marvelous Martha Washington, a slave owner, to modern Michelle Obama, the descendent of slaves!

Offbeat Broadway
2019-06-07 10:00 - 11:30 | Private Venue
The Tony Awards are right around the corner, so let’s celebrate with laughs and some great music! I’ve learned that some Broadway musicals that are not big hits still produce unforgettable music, delightful characters, and fascinating plots.
If you think a musical about an Irish dreamer stealing a pot of gold from a
leprechaun and coming to America where he gets involved in a Civil Rights dispute sounds farfetched, let’s learn about Finian’s Rainbow! After all, who would have guessed a musical about singing pussycats in a London alley would be a hit!? Join me to look at some delightful and memorable shows that you may never have seen!
Here is a sneak peak – we will look at “Xanadu” in which a struggling artist’s prayers for inspiration are answered when one of the Muses – the daughters of Zeus – roller skates down from Mount Olympus to inspire him to open a You are in for a fun and insightful look at shows like Finian’s Rainbow, Call Me Madam, Xanadu, and Babes In Arms, none of which was a huge smash, yet each of which is delightful and important in its own way!

Offbeat Broadway
2019-06-07 10:00 - 11:30 | Lake Shore Men’s Club, 1301 Clavey, Highland Park, IL, 60035, United States

Chicago's Best Broadway - 2019
2019-06-11 13:00 - 14:30 | College of Lake County, 1120 S Milwaukee Ave, Vernon Hills, IL, 60061, United States
Each year, this Cultural Historian (and self-described Broadway nerd) offers a dynamic program looking at some of the best Broadway musicals that will be playing in the Chicagoland area this year!
Every year brings a new crop of delights to Broadway lovers living in the Chicago area! This year’s multimedia presentation will emphasize some of my favorite shows at Broadway In Chicago, Drury Lane, Marriott Lincolnshire and more during the 2019 theater season.
Highlighted musicals will include the uplifting, unique and very beautiful “Come From Away,” and the powerful “Dear Evan Hansen,” which are both playing through Broadway in Chicago.
We will also take a look at a personal favorite, “Something Rotten,” a hilarious comedy (pictured above) that will be featured at Marriott. Bonus! Click here to read my review) Other shows include the sublime “An American In Paris” (Drury Lane) and “The Bridges Of Madison County” at Theo Ubique.
Can’t wait to share my passion for these great Broadway Musicals with you!
Please Note: This program is offered through College Of Lake County and registration is required.

Cole Porter - Risque Master Of American Music
2019-06-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Cook Memorial Library, 413 N. Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville, 60048, United States
Cole Porter is one of the greatest songwriters in American history. His melodies were sublime. His lyrics were clever, witty, sophisticated, original and naughty. Cole Porter was the ultimate European oriented sophisticate – yet he was born in tiny Peru, Indiana!
The list of songs written by Porter includes some of the greatest entries in the great American Songbook! Consider:
LET’S DO IT (LET’S FALL IN LOVE) (1928)
NIGHT AND DAY (1932)
ANYTHING GOES (1934)
DON’T FENCE ME IN (1934)
I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU (1934)
BEGIN THE BEGUINE (1935)
I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN (1936)
IT’S DE-LOVELY (1936)
Porter’s legacy was further assured by brilliant Broadway shows like “Kiss Me Kate” and “Can-Can.” But beneath the surface of this bon-vivant lay a tortured soul. Cole Porter lived in both psychic and physical pain much of his life. His life story, his personality and his unforgettable music combine for a memorable multimedia presentation!

Barry's Best Of Broadway
2019-06-12 14:00 - 15:30 | Private Venue
As a professional cultural Historian (and a self-described Broadway fanatic) I have actually seen well over 200 performances on Broadway!
I truly love going to the theater in New York City! Accordingly, I make several trips a year to Manhattan just to see what’s new on Broadway! In my home, I host a Tony Awards Show party the way many men host a Super Bowl party! (I am not kidding – I cook for two days and we even get dressed up!)
Barry’s Best Of Broadway
I am so excited to offer an exciting new program featuring the stories and songs of some of my favorite Broadway musicals of all time. We will compare complementary shows from Broadway’s classic era (1943 – 1970) and Broadway’s modern era (1970 – 2018)
This allows you to see how a classic like “The King And I” relates to a modern show like “Anastasia” or how “South Pacific” and “Hamilton” are related.
You will hear insider stories on each of the ten productions we will feature. In addition, I will talk about the cultural importance of the musical and, of course, let you see and hear performances of some of the greatest songs from Broadway. However, I have a very special feature that I am delighted to announce: we will have live renditions of some of the music!
Live Music
As a very special treat – we will have live performances of some of the songs, performed by the amazing young soloist Cameron Faith Baron. Those of you who have heard my presentation on “Hamilton” will remember Cameron Faith Baron as the absolutely amazing singer who brought down the house with her renditions of “Burn,” “Satisfied” and “That Would Be Enough.” Wait until you hear her sing gorgeous songs from shows like “Come From Away,” “Waitress,” “Anastasia, and “Carole King’s Beautiful!” Since Cameron is booked for a musical starting later in 2019, this presentation will not be repeated! Do not miss it!

The Life Of FDR - A Multimedia Presentation
2019-06-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Private Venue
The Life Of FDR

Understanding the life of FDR is like taking a sonogram of the USA. Franklin Roosevelt transformed the United States with his optimism, vigor, vision and skill. The effects are still being felt and still being debated today. And he did it all from a wheelchair.
Optimism was one of FDR’s greatest strengths and greatest gifts. He inspired others to be positive, even during the darkest days of the Second World War and during the depths of the Great Depression. Although FDR was unable to end the misery of the Great Depression, his policies definitely helped relieve the suffering of many people. Just as important, he filled them with optimism.
When the Second World War loomed, he had the vision to appoint George C. Marshall to head our armed forces – and then worked tirelessly to make sure Marshall had everything he needed to secure victory in Africa, Europe and Asia.
Woody Guthrie wrote a song called “Dear Mrs. Roosevelt” which contained the lines:
“I voted for him lots of times
And I’d vote for him again!”
The life of FDR is not without blemish. He was unfaithful to his wife and capable of being duplicitous. His treatment of Japanese Americans is very controversial. So is his reaction to the Holocaust. All of his complexities and accomplishments will come to life in this non-partisan multimedia presentation. We will explore his family history, his marriage, his faith and all the forces that shaped the mind of one of the great Americans.
