ENGAGE DANCE THEATRE brings dazzling production of “THE NUTCRACKER” to Life!

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL – Raue Center For The Arts is pleased to welcome Engage Dance Theatre for a co-production as they present “The Nutcracker” on December 16 and 17, 2023 at 1 p.m. and 5 pm with a special sensory-friendly performance on December 20 at 6 pm. 

 

“From dancing to acting and even tumbling, Engage’s ‘Nutcracker’ has something for everyone! This year, the production includes the addition of several new elements to keep the show fresh and exciting for our audience,” says Courtney Petrocci, Artistic Director of Engage Dance Theatre. “As Milwaukee Ballet company prepares for a brand new Nutcracker of their own this year, we have gratefully purchased multiple costumes and stage sets from their previous production, designed by Zak Brown. These additions will continue to take our production to new heights with its professionalism and majesty.”  Engage Dance Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker’ is an annual holiday tradition at Raue Center, featuring guest artist Elijah Richardson (one of Dance Magazines 2022 top 25 dancers to watch) as Arabian and Spanish Cavalier, guest artist Annia Hidalgo (former leading Artist Milwaukee Ballet) as Sugar Plum and Pedro Lapetra Miñana (former dancer with English National Ballet) as Cavalier. ,” says Courtney Petrocci, Artistic Director of Engage Dance Theatre.

 

Join Clara at her annual Christmas Eve party at the Staulbaum house enjoying a night full of celebration, dancing, and magic! As the party comes to a close Clara sneaks downstairs to find her precious new Nutcracker doll and falls asleep dreaming of her wonderful evening. She is startled awake by a group of mischievous mice and taken on an exciting journey with Drosselmeyer and her precious Nutcracker. Battling a life-size mouse Queen, slipping & sliding with snowmen & dazzling Snow Queen, and then flying off on an enchanted crystal sleigh to meet the Queen of the Angels and her herald of Angles at the gates of the Land of Sweets. Spanish Chocolate, Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea, Russian Taffy, Marzipan Candy, Merry & her sweet Mini Mints, Dew Drop with her carousel of flowers, and the elegant Sugar Plum Fairy & her Cavalier all dance for Clara in an adventure not to be missed this holiday season! 

 

Audience members will be moved to leap from their seats to battle the Mouse Queen and her horde of mice, have a snowball fight alongside Clara and a family of snowmen in the Land of Snow and Ice, and, of course, dance along with the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.

 

This beautifully reimagined production of “The Nutcracker” features over 100 performers, as well as guest artists from renowned dance and theatre companies throughout the United States. 

 

The new sensory-friendly performance will be a special one-hour presentation of the Nutcracker with open seating in a reduced house size with softer lighting and sound effects, to support a comfortable sensory-friendly experience. Please call Engage for further details and help answer any questions regarding this inclusive performance.

 

Performance times are 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on December 16th and 17th. Tickets are $30 ( $18 for students 17 and under and Seniors). Tickets for the sensory-friendly performance are $20 ($15 for students). Tickets can be purchased online at rauecenter.org or via the Box Office at 815.356.9212 or at 26 N. Williams Street in downtown Crystal Lake. 

 

About Engage Dance Theatre 

Engage Dance Academy is a premiere dance academy owned & operated by Courtney & Marc Petrucci, former professional dancers at the Milwaukee Ballet, bringing professional caliber dance training to McHenry County for dancers ages 18 months-Adult. Engage is a triple-track dance studio offering dance classes for all levels; Engage Dance Theatre, a year-round pre-professional dance company for the more serious dancers ages 5-18, training includes partnering classes with professional dancers from the Milwaukee Ballet and three performances a year including a full-length production of The Nutcracker; an award-winning competition team for those dancers looking to compete in Chicago based competitions; and an Open Division for dancers looking for a wide variety of weekly classes ranging from baby ballet, jazz, hip hop, and Aerial Silks & Tumbling. 

 

About Raue Center For The Arts

Raue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 20 years, they have provided quality programming – striving to make it pertinent, available, and affordable to all. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor—Lucile Raue—Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians and artists. Named on the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the finest examples of restored art and decor in the nation. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a gathering place for our region’s citizens and has become a true destination. 

 

For additional information, visit rauecenter.org, facebook.com/RaueCenter, and twitter.com/RaueCenter. 

CELEBRATE 18 YEARS OF FAMILY FUN MAGIC

<Crystal Lake>, IL – September 19, 2023 – Get ready for a magical show filled with fun for the whole family! Children and adults alike will be mystified, dazzled, and bamboozled by tricks, illusions, and more as “Nothin’ Up My Sleeve” celebrates almost 18 years of family magic fun at Raue Center For The Arts at 7 p.m. on October 29, 2023, at 3 p.m. 

 

“‘Nothing Up My Sleeve’ returns to Raue Center with magic that is sure to please all who love tricks and illusions,” says Raue Center Board President, Tim Paul. “Back by popular demand, this show always dazzles and leaves audiences wondering ‘How did they do that?’”  

 

Co-hosts and co-producers Glenn Chelius and Nino Cruz will once again bring some of the finest magic, juggling, and comedy entertainment to the stage, this time with a vaudeville/variety theme. “Nothin’ Up My Sleeve” is a family-friendly magic variety show filled with tricks and treats that you won’t want to miss! This year’s Halloween show features magician Steve Chezaday, circus performer Bobby Hunt, magician Placido “Plaz” Garcia, and children’s television favorite, WIZZO!

  

Raue Center will still be decked out in spooktacular Halloween decorations for the evening, so kids of all ages are encouraged to wear their costumes (nothing too scary, please!) to the show. Guests should also be sure to arrive early to experience all the magic! Doors open at 2 p.m.

 

“Nothin’ Up My Sleeve” is sponsored by Northwest Herald. Tickets start at $20 and may be purchased online at rauecenter.org or via the Box Office at 815.356.9212 or 26 N. Williams Street in downtown Crystal Lake. Proceeds of this magic variety show will benefit Raue Center. 

 

Adult tickets start at $20* ($14 for RaueNOW Members*) and $8 for children and may be purchased online at rauecenter.org or via the Box Office at 815.356.9212 or 26 N. Williams Street in downtown Crystal Lake. Become a RaueNOW Member and get 30% Off Tickets and early access to upcoming shows. 

 

About Raue Center For The Arts

Raue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 20 years, they have provided quality programming – striving to make it pertinent, available, and affordable to all. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor—Lucile Raue—Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians, and artists. Named on the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the finest examples of restored art and decor in the nation. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a gathering place for our region’s citizens and has become a true destination. 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT TAKES THE STAGE AT RAUE CENTER FOR THE ARTS!

<Crystal Lake>, IL – August 23, 2023 – Raue Center For The Arts is excited to announce a fundraiser for Raue Center and the Crystal Lake Library Foundation! See history come alive when scholar, writer, and historical interpreter Clay Jenkinson steps into the shoes of our 28th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt on October 21, 2023, at 7 p.m. 

 

“We are excited to be working with the Raue Center to bring Clay Jenkinson and one of his classic characters, Theodore Roosevelt, back to Crystal Lake,” said Crystal Lake Library Foundation president Terri Reece. “If you haven’t seen Clay in the past, you are in for a treat! Clay brings all the energy and enthusiasm that the 26th President had in his portrayal of Roosevelt. It’s an evening you won’t want to end.”

 

 The audience will experience Jenkinson’s great depth and talent as he reveals the many sides of America’s greatness! Jenkinson’s performances are always humorous, educational, thought-provoking and enlightening!

 

Jenkinson is known for his portrayals of multiple historical characters, including Jefferson, Roosevelt, Meriwether Lewis, J. Robert Oppenheimer and John Wesley Powell. He is also the author of nine books, including the critically acclaimed “The Character of Meriwether Lewis.” Jenkinson has also created four documentaries and has appeared in three documentaries by Ken Burns, including his most recent film, “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History.”

 

A distinguished scholar of the humanities at Bismarck State College, Jenkinson has won multiple awards, including the National Humanities Medal, the highest honor awarded to a public humanities scholar in the U.S. He has also been named Humanities Scholar of the Year in Kansas, Nevada and North Dakota. Jenkinson is also the founder of the Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University.

 

 

Tickets tickets for this fundraising event are $45 / $50 / $55* and may be purchased online at rauecenter.org or via the Box Office at 815.356.9212 or 26 N. Williams Street in downtown Crystal Lake. 

 

About Crystal Lake Public Library

Crystal Lake Public Library has been serving the community for 109 years! The library is located at 126 Paddock Street in Crystal Lake. Everyone who lives in the city of Crystal Lake is eligible for a library card, which provides access to books, ebooks, audiobooks, movies, music, games and a long list of online resources. Visit clpl.org for more information!

 

About Raue Center For The Arts

Raue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 20 years, they have provided quality programming – striving to make it pertinent, available, and affordable to all. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor—Lucile Raue—Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians and artists. Named in the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the finest examples of restored art and decor in the nation. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a gathering place for our region’s citizens and has become a true destination. 

For additional information, visit rauecenter.org, facebook.com/RaueCenter, and twitter.com/RaueCenter.

RAUE CENTER SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS ANNOUNCES FALL 2022 SEMESTER CLASSES

[Crystal Lake, IL] – August 31, 2022 – Raue Center School For The Arts creates a welcoming place where students of all ages can let their creativity soar. Now offering classes for students of all ages—from 18 months to 18 years. Adults too!

Raue Center School For The Arts (RCSA) announces Broadway Baby running September 5 through December 12, 2022 (off the week of Thanksgiving) on Tuesdays from 10:00 am-10:45 am. Broadway Baby is a fun discovery class for your little mover (ages 18 to 36 months) to explore music, storytelling, and movement. Sign up for the full 14 weeks ($210) or drop in per class ($15/class).

Tiny Tunes (ages 3 & 4) is a new 45-minute class full of songs, rhymes, rhythm, coordination, imagination, and FUN. Bring your dance and music-loving kid in for their first taste of theatre. Each class will have time for music, dancing, and storytelling. The class runs September 5 through December 12, 2022 (off the week of Thanksgiving), Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 1:00 pm-1:45 pm. Sign up for the full 14 weeks ($210) or drop in per class ($15/class).

The littlest stars get to shine in Little Stage Stars (ages 5 to 7). This six-week class is full of fun theatrical play, creative movement, and skill-building theatre games to help students explore their own creativity and talents. This class culminates in an open class where parents and families can observe the students at play, and even be treated to a “mini-showcase”! Class runs September 13 through October 18, Tuesdays from 4:00 pm-4:45 pm. Tuition is $150 per student (RaueNOWFamily Price: $112.50).

Our popular intro to acting series, Ready, Set, Act! (ages 7 to 12), uses theatre games and creative play techniques to help bring students out of their shells and teach them the basics of theatre. In classes tailored to the unique needs of each age group, our staff of working theatre professionals offers individualized attention and encouragement as students hone their skills and learn tips and tricks from the best. Each class section runs for six weeks and culminates in a showcase on the Raue Center stage! Tuition is $200 per student (RaueNOWFamily Price: $150).

In addition to introductory classes, RCSA is proud to offer several pre-professional classes as well. Acting II: Scene Study (ages 13 & up) is a new class for those actors who are ready to advance their skills and build stronger connections to text and character. Using the techniques of Uta Hagen, students will take a deeper dive into character relationships and learn to use their impulses to create dynamic scenes. The class culminates in a showcase on the Raue Center stage on the last day of class! Class runs September 12 through October 20, Mondays & Wednesdays from 4:00 pm-5:30 pm. Tuition is $250 per student (RaueNOW Family Price: $187.50).

Raue Center For The Arts is excited to offer a new all-encompassing class aptly named Musical Theater T³: Triple Threat for Teens with instructor Robin Irwin! Musical Theater combines singing, acting, and dancing to create a uniquely American form of stage magic. Musical Theater T³ will consist of 3 classes a week: an acting class, a song interpretation class, and a fully staged/choreographed number. The class will conclude with a showcase of the student’s work. These sessions provide individual training for each student in a variety of musical theatre styles and acting techniques all presented in a supportive and collaborative atmosphere. Class runs Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 6:00 pm-7:30 pm, September 12-26. Tuition is $375 per student (RaueNOW Family Price: $281.25).

Youth Musical Theatre Ensemble is back by popular demand! YMTE focuses on a vocal technique that expands beyond solo singing into small and large group ensemble singing. The group will work on multiple songs that will feature all members in some way, with a final performance at the end of the session. Students in this class will also join Jane Lynch, Kate Flannery, Tim Davis, and the Tony Guerrero Quintet in “A Swingin’ Christmas” for special performances on Raue Center’s stage at 8 pm on Saturday, December 10th and 1 pm on Sunday, December 11th! YMTE rehearses October 10 through December 6, Tuesdays from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm. Tuition is $350 per student (RaueNOW Family Price: $262.50).

RCSA is proud to introduce Song and Story: An Adult Musical Theatre Intensive for our adults! This fun-filled course will allow adult students to experience the joys of storytelling through song. We believe that growing in the arts and growing as a human being are synonymous and this intensive allows adult students to explore that magical moment when a scene becomes a song. The class will culminate in a cabaret-style showcase where you can strut your stuff. Why should the kids have all the fun? Class runs Mondays from 7:30 pm-9:00 pm, September 12-26. Tuition is $100 per student (RaueNOW Family Price: $75).

 

Risk. Explore. Create. Visit https://www.rauecenter.org/education/.

Become a RaueNOW Family Member and get early access and 25% off all classes and workshops! For more information on enrollment, discounts, and financial aid visit rauecenter.org/education or email rcsaeducation@rauecenter.org.

About Raue Center For The Arts

Raue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 20 years, they have provided quality programming – striving to make it pertinent, available, and affordable. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor—Lucile Raue—Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians and artists. Named on the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the nation’s finest examples of restored art and decor. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a gathering place for our region’s citizens and has become a true destination.

More information and tickets are available by visiting www.rauecenter.org or by calling the box office at (815) 356-9212. For additional information, visit rauecenter.org, facebook.com/RaueCenter, and twitter.com/RaueCenter.

Truck Off: An epic evening of food & fun!

The 5th Annual Truck Off food truck festival returns Saturday, September 10, 2022 at the McHenry County Fairgrounds in Woodstock, IL. 50% off Early Bird tickets are on sale through April 30. Then they go up to $10. Buy & save now!

What to Expect

Truck Off curates a lineup of food trucks and vendors from all over Chicagoland serving everything from ethnic to fusion to American comfort food & desserts. We currently have more than 20 trucks confirmed and will be announced shortly. Enjoy a beer tent and live entertainment. General admission begins at 5 p.m. – plus a VIP Hour from 4-5 p.m.

Major event announcements are shared on Facebook and Instagram leading up to the event, so be sure to follow along!

Reminder: Buy your tickets early and save! Get 1/2 off general admission through April 30 – this is the deepest discount that will be offered! Don’t miss it! 

Questions? Contact truckoff@mchenrycountyliving.com

 

Get Early Bird tickets at eventbrite.com/e/truck-off

I DREAM A WORLD FCC SRING CONCERT MAY 1 @ 4 PM

See you on Sunday, May 1st at 4:00 pm for Vestry Adult Choir and Jubilate Adult Handbell Choir’s Spring Concert, “I Dream a World.” The music promises to be fantastic and you won’t want to miss getting to hear our guest soloist, James Martin, sing several solo selections as well as with Vestry Choir. Below is more information about our soloist. The concert is free and open to the public, nursery care is available.

Guest Soloist: James Martin
Baritone James Martin has won critical acclaim for his performances in opera, musical theater, and concerts as a versatile singer, actor, and entertainer. He serves as Assistant Professor of Music at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. Always an audience favorite, his artistic repertoire spans from Bach to bebop, Busoni to Burleigh, and Berg to Bernstein.

He has appeared with leading musical organizations throughout the United States and abroad, most recently he toured Taiwan and Thailand with frequent collaborator Lynn Raley. Favorite operatic roles include Mozart’s Papageno (Die Zauberlöte), Figaro, (Le nozze di Figaro) and Puccini’s Marcello (La bohème). As a concert artist, Martin enjoys a rich and varied repertoire ranging from the classic art song and oratorio repertory to new modern and contemporary classics with specialties in the music of Black Americans and the Great American Songbook.

Martin holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and his Master of Music from the Juilliard School. He was a Young Artist with the Juilliard Opera Center, and apprenticed with major young artist programs in the U.S. and with L’Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg, France, as one of seven international Les jeunes voix du Rhin. He studied voice with David Nott (IWU), Cynthia Hoffmann (Juilliard), and Benita Valente. In addition to a successful performance career, Mr. Martin is an accomplished teaching artist and arts advocate touring classrooms and educational performance venues across the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has served on the boards of Grace House, a non-profit for homeless people living with HIV/AIDS, and the Mississippi Academy of Ancient Music (M’AAM). James Martin can be heard on the Copland House Blend, Naxos, and Albany record labels.

FCC is very happy to welcome James Martin back to Crystal Lake. Mr. Martin recently performed as a soloist with Encore Music Academy/Voices in Harmony in December.

461 Pierson Street
Crystal Lake, IL 60014

GREENROOM IMPROV JOINS RAUE AS RESIDENT COMPANY 

Improv Comedy for the whole family Finds a home at Raue Center!

Now in its 20th year, GreenRoom Improv joins Raue Center as one of its resident companies, performing its unique blend of clean, high-energy, multi-faceted improv comedy. Raue Center is the place to see GreenRoom Improv!

GreenRoom members include Dave Hunter, Matthew Aldis, Kerry Cox, Sam Barbaro, Christian Zierke, Miriam Naponelli, Jess Smith, Paul Gunsul (piano), & Erik Scheele (piano). For more information, visit greenroomimprov.com

Recommended Audience: All Ages

ABOUT GREENROOM

GreenRoom Improv is an ensemble-based theatre company that specializes in improvisation. GreenRoom was founded by a group of Judson University (Elgin, IL) students in 1999 as a result of the cancellation of the school’s Theatre program. Since then GreenRoom has performed nationally for a wide range of audiences and events. They currently have residencies in two theaters: The Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin, IL, and Raue Center For The Arts in Crystal Lake, IL where they perform monthly. In addition to these residencies, GreenRoom plays multiple bookings throughout the year with their unique blend of clean, high-energy, multi-faceted improv comedy.

About Raue Center For The Arts

Raue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 20 years, they have provided quality programming – striving to make it pertinent, available, and affordable to all. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor—Lucile Raue—Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians and artists. Named on the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the finest examples of restored art and decor in the nation. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a gathering place for our region’s citizens and has become a true destination. 

For additional information, visit rauecenter.org or call the Box Office at 815.356.9212.