»Lunch at the Forum

Since 1994, Town & Gown has brought its signature speaker series, Lunch at the Forum, to its members and friends. Featuring Chapman University's outstanding faculty members and academic leaders speaking on their research, studies, and experiences, Lunch at the Forum has been a highlight for T&G members, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, friends, and members of the community.

What could be things early composers didn't bother to write down on the sheet music because they assumed you'd just know to do it? Whether you are a music expert or an enthusiastic listener, join Dr. Bruce Bales for this entertaining presentation. With members of the Chapman University Early Music Ensemble, Dr. Bales will use live voices, period instruments, and humor to tell us what we should know. He has been the Director of the Chapman Early Music Ensemble since 2013, where he currently lectures in Medieval / Renaissance / Baroque Music History. Dr. Bales earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree at Chapman University and MFA in Choral Conducting at the University of California, Irvine. His DMA in Early Music Performance is from the University of Southern California. Dr. Bales is a Professor Emeritus at Golden West College, where he was the Director of Choral, Vocal and Early Music from 1992 to 2018. In 2010, the Huntington Beach Arts Council recognized Dr. Bales as their "Arts Educator of the Year."

Join us for an inspiring presentation by Chapman University’s 14th President, Matt Parlow, as he shares his vision for the university’s future in “Chapman University: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.” Drawing on more than a decade of leadership—including roles as Dean of the Fowler School of Law, Executive Vice President, Chief Advancement Officer, and the Parker S. Kennedy Chair in Law—President Parlow will reflect on Chapman’s remarkable transformation over the past 30 years, celebrate its current momentum, and outline bold aspirations for the years ahead. With deep roots in the Chapman community and a passion for innovation, President Parlow will offer thoughtful insights into how the university will continue to thrive as a nationally recognized institution while remaining true to its mission and values.

In a world fractured by violence, power, financial differences, religious divides, and politics, we must invest in scholarship and practices that facilitate peace and justice. After World War II, the discipline of Peace & Justice Studies developed not only to determine the causes of conflict, but also to offer methods for preventing and resolving conflict through nonviolent means. Drawing from her work on a variety of conflicts in the United States, the Middle East, and Europe, Dr. Lisa Leitz will discuss evidence-based practices for building bridges and facilitating lasting peace.

It is a tale as old as time. Man takes the law into his own hands, races toward a destiny that will be his own undoing, and the human condition is revealed to be the ultimate source of our own undoing. The Greeks examined themselves through these lenses in the tragic sagas of epic heroes: Agamemnon is confronted with the fate he has constructed for himself, and Oedipus realizes that his own choices have made him a moral monster. The emergence of American Western was the re-emergence of Greek tragedy. The golden age of the genre in the 1940s and 50s invited audiences to love, hate, and fear the vengeful, flawed, paradoxical heroes such as the Man with No Name of the Dollars Trilogy (1964,1965, 1966) or John Wayne’s black hat character in Searchers (1956). In this presentation, Dr. Brennan McDavid and Dr. Michael Valdez Moses will take a look at the thematic and narrative continuities between Ancient Greek Tragedy and the American Western and consider what accounts for their success.

Drawing from her rich and varied experiences as a professional dancer, Dr. Anne Hogan will explore the enduring impact of dance training—not just on the body, but on the mind, the spirit, and the trajectory of life. In this Lunchtime at the Forum, Dr. Hogan will reflect on how dance training has evolved, with a growing emphasis on well-being and longevity, as exemplified by the forward-thinking practices of our own Dance Department. She’ll share insights into the challenges and advantages of a life in dance, and how the discipline, creativity, and resilience cultivated through years of training and performance have shaped her journey beyond the stage. Whether you’re a dancer, an arts lover, or simply curious about how movement can shape identity and career, Dr. Hogan's talk will offer a compelling look at how the skills honed in the studio and on stage remain deeply relevant—long after the final curtain call.