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Author: Raue Center

Painting Visual Arts

4th Annual 6×6 Art Auction and Reception

ARTISTS and ART LOVERS REJOICE!

Raue Center’s 6×6 Project online art auction begins June 6, 2022, @ 9 am on Auctria.com.

Bidding is simple! Visit Auctria.com and create an account or download the free app onto your phone! (You must register a credit card to bid).

Bidding begins at $35 per canvas with all proceeds benefitting Raue Center’s fine arts education programs, Mission Imagination and Raue Center School For The Arts.

Artists and the public are invited to our in-person Reception on June 25, 2022, from 5:30 – 8 pm at Raue Center For The Arts, 26 N Williams Street, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. See the artwork in person and mix, mingle, enjoy some tasty treats, and bid! Bidding ends at 8 pm.

BRING ME YOUR FINEST MEATS & CHEESES! Click on the Ad below to pre-order a scrumptious hand-held or solo grazing box from Fork It Foods & Goods! Vegetarian option also available! Fork It will donate 10% of the cost back to Raue Center!

Visual Arts

4th Friday Call For Artists!

Call for ALL Artists for NMP’s 4th Fridays Art Event [IN PERSON] at The Dole.

Submit your artwork here – https://nancymerkling.com/4th-fridays/

Deadline June 12th

$900 in cash prizes.

Questions?  Connect here – we are happy to help – https://nancymerkling.com/about-nancy-merkling-productions/contact-nancy-merkling/

Nancy Merkling
NMP | Nancy Merkling Productions 
www.NancyMerkling.com  815.347.8535
Studio 104 | The Dole Mansion
Professional Photography
Headshots & Portraits, Commercial, Branding & Websites
Photography Instruction
One-on-One Sessions
Group Workshops in Studio & On Location
Chicago Street Photography Workshops
Travel Workshops
Art Event Producer
4th Fridays Art Event at The Dole Mansion [circa 2011]
To Connect on Social Media
Music

BRITISH ICONS MODERN ENGLISH ROCK RAUE CENTER AS PART OF NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

<Crystal Lake>, IL – May 18, 2022 – Raue Center For The Arts welcomes legendary British band Modern English to Crystal Lake on June 26, 2022, at 8 pm as a part of their long-awaited upcoming 2022 North American headline tour. Performing its classic 1982 album, After the Snow, in its entirety and classics from its extensive catalog. The tour was originally scheduled for Summer 2020 and was postponed due to the pandemic. 

“When we finally play the whole of the ‘After the Snow’ album for the first time on tour, emotions will run high. Expect a lot of pent-up energy and excitement. It’s been  a long time coming and will be worth the wait.”

 “I Melt With You” by Modern English is one of the most iconic songs of the New Wave era. It garnered heavy rotation on the then-thriving Modern Rock radio format, MTV and dance clubs across the globe, and was prominently featured in the classic 1983 film Valley Girl, starring a young Nicolas Cage. 

On 1982’s “After the Snow,” the band’s sound evolved from the dark, moody, and challenging post-punk found on its debut, Mesh & Lace, to a more commercial and radio-friendly mix of synthesizers, guitars, catchy drumbeats, and singer Robbie Grey’s unmistakable vocals. As the title suggests, the icy sound featured on Mesh & Lace melted away on After the Snow to reveal more concise and potent songs, highlighted by “I Melt With You” which brought the band up from the underground to the mainstream. It’s a song so popular that the band was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2020 BMI Awards for six million plays on the radio. 

Modern English would record various records over the years, and most recently, the band released its latest album, 2017’s “Take Me To The Trees,” an album that reconnected the band to their youth, in the world of late 1970s/early 1980s post-punk Britain–dark and austere while still melodic and passionate.

Tickets start at $27 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. 

UPDATED COVID POLICY! Raue Center protocols and event requirements are subject to change. Be sure to check your event page on our website to confirm the details of your specific event.  This applies to all rentals as well. For more information visit rauecenter.org/covid/ For questions or concerns, please contact our Box Office at 815-356-9212.

 

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. 

Visual Arts

4th Fridays Art Event | Call For Artists!

Call for ALL Artists for NMP’s 4th Fridays Art Event [IN PERSON] at The Dole.

Submit your artwork here – https://nancymerkling.com/4th-fridays/

Deadline May 15th

$900 in cash prizes.

Questions?  Connect here – we are happy to help – https://nancymerkling.com/about-nancy-merkling-productions/contact-nancy-merkling/

As always, thanks for all you do, Meredith!

Nancy Merkling
NMP | Nancy Merkling Productions 
www.NancyMerkling.com  815.347.8535
Studio 104 | The Dole Mansion
401 Country Club Rd.
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Professional Photography
Headshots & Portraits, Commercial, Branding & Websites
Photography Instruction
One-on-One Sessions
Group Workshops in Studio & On Location
Chicago Street Photography Workshops
Travel Workshops
Art Event Producer
4th Fridays Art Event at The Dole Mansion [circa 2011]
To Connect on Social Media
Family-Friendly Festivals Music

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

Family-Friendly Music Spiritual

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
Comedy Fundraisers Sketch/Improv

ALCA Takes Center Stage with Annual Gala

featuring entertainment by Green Room Improv

The Alexander Leigh Center for Autism will take to the stage for their “Night of ImprovABILITY” annual
gala on Saturday, April 30th at the Raue Center in Crystal Lake, IL. The evening will include a silent
auction, various raffles, ALCA presentations, and will conclude with a set from Green Room Improv. In-
person tickets are $100, while a virtual viewing is offered at $50.

All proceeds from the gala will go towards helping ALCA provide an environment where children on the
autism spectrum can develop their potential; academically, emotionally, socially, communicatively, and
physically.

To purchase tickets visit https://aesbid.com/ELP/ALCA22/

The Alexander Leigh Center for Autism (ALCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, full-day, year-round therapeutic
day school approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for children 3-21 years old with
autism spectrum disorder (ASD), OHI, multiple disabilities, developmental delay and/or intellectual
disability. ALCA currently serves students from Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, and Will counties. It
is our mission to provide an environment where children on the autism spectrum can develop their full
potential and gain functional independence.

Event Contacts: Megg Wallen: mwallen@alcacenter.org
JD Harshbarger: jharshbarger@alcacenter.org

Contact Phone: 815-344-2522
Media Contact: Patrick Hastings: phastings@alcacenter.org

Visual Arts

4th Fridays are BACK at the Dole!

by Melissa Riske

Lively music, engaging art, and guests who come early and stay till the band plays its final notes. 

Fourth Fridays Art Event at The Dole isn’t your typical art show.

After the long pause, Fourth Fridays Art Event returns to The Dole Mansion in Crystal Lake on April 22. Founder and producer Nancy Merkling said the event’s reputation for featuring great art and toe-tapping music that you will be singing along to, is what draws crowds to the galleries. 

“People remember when they’ve been to a Fourth Fridays Art Show,” she said. 

Fourth Fridays Art Event features three art and photography exhibits. Watch for the third exhibit, a solo artist show, to return starting in May, Merkling said. 

All of the art pieces are selected by a jury, which changes each month, reviewing submissions and selecting pieces based on ability and merit. The art includes a variety of mediums such as sculptures, paintings and every piece is available for purchase. 

For the April show, her team received more than 100 submissions, with the jury selecting 60 pieces of art and 40 for the photography exhibit. The jury awards a blue ribbon to the best piece and visitors have the opportunity to cast their vote for the People’s Choice. Winning artists receive cash prizes. 

Artists represent a wide range of age and talents, Merkling said, adding she’s had submissions from teenagers and from those who’ve been painting for 50 years or more. The artists in each show represent emerging and established artists. 

Visitors wander the galleries but it’s the lively music from two stages that keeps guests lingering at The Dole, Merkling said. 

“We decided to create an event where people stay the whole night,” Merkling said. We wanted to create something that broke the mold of boring art events.”

At the art of Fourth Fridays Art is the opportunity to bring together art and patrons, with the entertainment adding to the great evening atmosphere. 

“Artists have always been the peacemakers, creating and sharing with others,” Merkling said. “Everyone needs art.”

Guests can also visit the 2nd floor of the Dole Mansion, which is open during the event. There is a cash bar and small bites available as well. 

The Dole is located at 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Admission is $10. The remaining 2022 dates include May 27, June 24, July 22, Aug. 26, Sept. 23, and Oct. 28. For more information visit nancymerkling.com/4th-fridays. 

High School Theatre

CG Drama presents “Almost, Maine”

ALMOST, MAINE
by John Cariani

April 21 – 23

Tickets on sale April 11th at 9 am!

Join us for the last show of the 2021-2022 season!

Welcome to Almost, Maine, a place that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States. It’s almost in Canada. And it’s not quite a town, because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it almost doesn’t exist. One cold, clear, winter night, as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the residents of Almost, Maine, find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend – almost – in this delightful midwinter night’s dream.

Tickets are $8 and activity passes will be accepted at the door.

Performances are April 21 – 23 at 7:30 pm.

Visit carygrovedrama.org for more information.
Blues Music Rock Soul

American Idol Winner Caleb Johnson Brings Southern Rock and Blues to Raue Center

<Crystal Lake>, IL – March 31, 2022 – Just Announced! Season 13 American Idol Winner Caleb Johnson rocks Raue Center May 28, 2022  at 8 pm. 

Caleb Johnson’s sole mission is to spread the gospel of rock-n-roll! From his beginnings on American Idol to relentless touring with KISS, Black Stone Cherry, and Trans Siberian Orchestra, Johnson has electrified countless audiences with his thunderous voice and magnetic stage presence. 

Now hot off the heels of his critically acclaimed 2019 album, Born From Southern Ground, Johnson is back with a new album entitled Mountain Mojo Vol. 1. Recorded in three whirlwind days at Nashville’s legendary Blackbird Studios, Johnson and company pushed through a tumultuous 2020 and created what could be Caleb’s best record to date. Johnson enlisted the best of the best to back him on this new album. 

His studio band consists of Jason Bonham, Tyler Bryant, Josh Sawyer, Audley Freed, Tony Lucido, Mike Webb, Damon Johnson, Gale Mayes, Devonne Michele, and Angela Primm. The powerhouse collaboration includes some of the biggest names in rock, Nashville’s finest studio musicians, and, of course, Johnson’s thunderous voice.  The combination creates a unique, soulful, southern, and hard-rocking sound. Mountain Mojo was engineered by Grammy winner Brandon Bell (Soundgarden, Brandi Carlisle), mixed by multi-Grammy-winning engineer/mixer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and master by Grammy Winner Pete Lyman (Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers). Looking into the future Johnson hopes that his fans will love this new album as much as he does.

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. 

UPDATED COVID POLICY! Raue Center protocols and event requirements are subject to change. COVID-19 vaccination and mask requirements may vary by event. Be sure to check your event page on our website to confirm the details of your specific event.  This applies to all rentals as well. 

 For more information visit rauecenter.org/covid/ For questions or concerns, please contact our Box Office at 815-356-9212.

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. 

You May Have Missed

Pedal Into the Night with Raue Center’s Night Owl Bike Ride on Aug 2nd, 2025

Mix and Mingle at Raue Center’s 7th Annual 6X6 PROJECT, June 14th

Beyond the Curtain: How Raue Center Helps Drive Crystal Lake’s Downtown Economy

A Brighter Tomorrow Begins With Creativity Today.

Musical Theatre Masterclass with Broadway Star Emily Kristen Morris