COME ON OUT!
Girls! Boys! Middle School! Elementary School! High School! Special Needs! Competitive Color Guard! Competitive WGI Drumline!
The Crystal Lake Strikers have educational ensembles that check all these boxes! Come and learn more about them…and register for a $50 tuition credit (limited supply).
DATE:
September 25, 2022
TIME: 11 AM – 1 PM
LOCATION: Striker Hall 54 Lou St. Crystal Lake
CONTACT: [email protected]
Raue Center For The Arts in historic downtown Crystal Lake warmly welcomes new staff member Robin Irwin as Director of Education & Cultural Partnerships.
“I am beyond excited to be returning to Crystal Lake-the place where my life-long love affair with the performing arts began,” said Irwin. “The understanding that the arts are essential to the life of a community has been baked into the DNA of the Raue Center for the Arts since its founding. I look forward to joining the exceptional staff of The Raue in furthering that goal, and to helping guide the next generation of artist-citizens to find that theater and arts skills are life skills.”
Robin Irwin appeared in the original Broadway cast of the Tony award-winning TITANIC on Broadway, as well as its subsequent National tour. Other credits include the Broadway productions of GREASE! and DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES, Off-Broadway, and at regional theaters around the nation, as well numerous voice-overs for everything from baby products to chainsaws. She has been a featured soloist with symphonies from Berlin to Barbados. She’s an award-winning director and has been an instructor at NYU Tisch School for the Arts, the New York Film Academy, and Montclair State University, as well as curriculum consultant and corporate educator for arts programs nationally. She has degrees from Northwestern University and Roosevelt University, as well as graduating from prestigious programs at NYU and The Commercial Theater Institute.
As director of education at Luna-Stage, she built in-school residencies and developed cross-sector partnerships across the state and as a NJ State Arts Evaluator. She served as producing artistic director of Montclair State University’s professional development programming and for the Foxy Awards for six years, both resulting in streamlined arts education experience for over 5,000 students and educators. For the past several years, Robin was founding Executive Director of The Appalachian Center for the Arts, a full-service arts center in Eastern Kentucky where she revolutionized all the arts, both performing and visual. She’s served on several boards, but most recently the Kentuckians for the Arts.
“Building partnerships is a point of personal pride for me. The arts get so often talked about as something that is the exclusive province of the elite or privileged, but I’ve devoted my work life to amplifying the arts as a tool of healing hearts, opening minds, and as a medium that should pave the pathways to fun and joy.”
For more information regarding Raue Center and Raue Center School For The Arts or to purchase tickets for upcoming shows, please visit our website at www.rauecenter.org or call the Box Office at (815) 356-9212.
It’s a dark and stormy night, and you’ve been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well… dead. So whodunnit? Join the iconic oddballs known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count stacks up. Based on the cult classic film and the popular board game, Clue: High School Edition is a madcap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist.
Ticket sales begin 9/26 at 9 am. Tickets are $10. Activity passes will be accepted at the door.
To purchase tickets click HERE.
Don’t miss the first show of the 2022-2023 season! Visit carygrovedrama.org for more information.
Submit your artwork here – https://nancymerkling.com/4th-
$850 in cash prizes.
Questions? Connect here – we are happy to help – https://nancymerkling.com/
<Crystal Lake>, IL – September 6, 2022 – Celebrated author, speaker, and cultural anthropologist, Rich Benjamin, joins Raue Center on October 14, 2022, at 7 pm for “The Divided States of America: Big National Transformations, Small Towns” a special presentation and moderated Q&A discussing his personal experiences engaging with communities in small-town America and his deft observations of modern society, culture, and politics with a goal toward building understanding and openness.
” It’s important for us to have honest conversations on Race,” Raue Center’s executive director, Richard Kuranda. “It helps us move forward. Over the last 5 years, we have opened our eyes to the power of a community wanting to confront the ugly truth that racism does exist here. Hopefully, this discussion will help further that conversation in McHenry County.”
Rich Benjamin is a political analyst, a cultural anthropologist, a speaker, an author. Benjamin’s cultural and political analysis appears regularly in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, The New York Times Sunday Book Review, and National Public Radio (NPR). His scholarly research has received support from Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, Brown University, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Benjamin was recently a Fellow in the literary arts at the Bellagio Center (Italia), Rockefeller Foundation. Rich has a BA in English and political science from Wesleyan University and a Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University. He sits on the Board of Trustees of the Authors Guild, the national union of writers that has been protecting authors’ rights and free speech since 1912.
He is the author of “Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America” selected as an Editor’s Choice by Booklist and The American Library Association (2009). This groundbreaking study is one of few to have illuminated in advance the rise of white anxiety and white nationalism in contemporary public US life. Barbara Ehrenreich, the author of Nickel and Dimed, calls Searching for Whitopia, “A daring feat of the 21st Century exploration that will have you laughing and shuddering at the same time.” The book is now in its second printing. He is currently at work on a new book, Talk to Me.
“I believe that adaptation requires openness. It requires a willingness to understand others, a willingness to understand oneself. And I believe in that willingness comes an openness to change.” – Rich Benjamin
Don’t miss this timely discussion, “The Divided States of America: Big National Transformations, Small Towns,” with one of America’s finest scholars. Moderated by James Knight. Tickets are $20. Student discount is available. For tickets or more information visit rauecenter.org or call Raue 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 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.
For additional information, visit rauecenter.org, facebook.com/RaueCenter, and twitter.com/RaueCenter.
[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 [email protected].
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.
Raue Center For The Arts kicked off its second annual outdoor summer series ARTS ON THE GREEN at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church, 210 McHenry Ave in Crystal Lake Saturday, July 9th at 7 pm with resident artists Bourbon Country!
Featuring Randy Leggee, Jody and Paul Fields, and Wade Frazier, Bourbon Country delighted the crowd with a blend of country and rock music.
Bourbon Country will appear in multiple engagements at Raue Center For The Arts during the 2022-23 season as its Artists in Residence.
For more information and tickets visit rauecenter.org
Photos by Todd Heintz Photography
Raue Center For The Arts hosts a vibrant dance show in Chicago featuring a dynamic classical dance form from India. All are invited to support a beautiful cultural experience on August 6th at 5:00 pm.
Artistic Director, Shri Prashant Shah, a senior disciple of Padma Bhushan Smt. Kumudini Lakhia is one of the very few critically acclaimed male performers. Born and raised in India and now a US citizen, Prashant feels honored to be the first recipient of the SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI YUVA PURASKAR [ National award ] established by the President of India.
Prashant’s unique creative and aesthetical approach in his traditional and experimental presentations of Kathak as a soloist and as a choreographer, has earned him a place in the prestigious empaneled list of ‘ESTABLISHED ARTIST’ category in ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) and also a TOP grade artiste of Indian Television artists panel. Prashant is regularly commissioned by international choreographers to create collaborative works of Kathak with other dance styles like Hip Hop, Belly Dancing, Flamenco, Bharat Natyam, Modern and Contemporary as a dancer & choreographer all over Europe, North America & Asia. Prashant has performed extensively all across the globe where his performances are appreciated and acclaimed by both, critics and connoisseurs.
Prashant will be accompanied by his Company Dancers from across the country. The Company has performed at several prestigious venues in the US including Carnegie Hall and The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Click Here for tickets or visit rauecenter.org.
photo by Todd Heintz Photography
<Crystal Lake>, IL – July 6, 2022 –Great entertainment is back and in your backyard, McHenry County! Raue Center For The Arts is excited to announce the second annual ARTS ON THE GREEN outdoor series at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church at 210 McHenry Ave in Crystal Lake! Enjoy music and live entertainment in the great outdoors this summer!
Join us for the award-winning singer-songwriter, and Catfood Records original recording artist Derrick Procell at Arts On The Green on August 6, 2022, @ 7 pm for the release of his latest album “Hello Mojo!” Listen to the best of Rock, Blues, and Soul!
Originally from Milwaukee, Derrick Procell is a sought-after frontman, vocalist, and musician performing as a solo artist, with his band Derrick Procell and the Redeemers, and with Soundtracks of a Generation. An incredible singer and songwriter, Derrick’s songs have been recorded by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Logan Daniels, and Melissa Manchester. You have heard Derrick’s songs on My Name is Earl, TrueBlood, Criminal Minds, Boston Legal, Saving Grace, The Office, True Blood, King of the Hill, and the Oscar-nominated film, Lady Bird. Check out his latest album “Hello Mojo”
Linda Cain of Chicago Blues Guide calls Procell’s music “a treasure trove of richly detailed story-songs that immerse the listener in the blues experience from the Delta to Chicago and beyond. Blues fans around the world seeking smart, powerful modern blues songs that honor the legacy of the genre’s masters will find it here.”
Tickets for Raue’s Arts On The Green start at $20. Student (18 & under) tickets are $8.
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.
<Crystal Lake>, IL – July 7, 2022 – Raue Center For The Arts is excited to announce a unique and unforgettable tribute experience at its second annual Arts On The Green at St. Mary’s! Don’t miss great entertainment in the great outdoors with Tina Naponelli in “Tapestry Unraveled: The Music of Carole King” at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jul 16, 2022
“This show will send audiences home knowing more background about the history of Carole King’s music,” says Raue Center Board President Tim Paul. “Tina Naponelli brings out all the memories with each Carole King song she performs. Along with her Musical Director Evan Swanson, Tina is superb in her interpretation of this iconic music.”
Hailed as one of the most successful and talented female pop artists, King has carved out an iconic place in music history. King began her rise to the music hall of fame as the songwriter of classics like “Will You Love Me Tomorrow (The Shirelles) and “Take Good Care of My Baby” (Bobby Vee). In 1971, King’s solo album “Tapestry” launched her to the top of the charts with hits like “I Feel the Earth Move” and “Natural Woman,” winning her four Grammy Awards for Best Record, Song and Album of the Year, as well as Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female Honors.
With her powerful voice and soulful dedication, Naponelli has captured the true essence of King in this unique and unforgettable tribute experience. Backed by a bold five-piece band, Naponelli pays homage to the iconic Queen of Pop with impressive renditions of “I Feel the Earth Move,” “Chains” and “You’ve Got a Friend” from King’s “Tapestry” album as well as other favorites.
A Crystal Lake native, Naponelli is no stranger to the entertainment industry. She is a proud graduate of North Central College, where she studied theatre performance. Since graduating, Naponelli has created successful cabarets in tribute to Sara Bareilles and hits from the kings and queens of the music industry. She has also gone on to be a part of several theatrical productions, with recent theatre credits including “Tomorrow Morning” (Kokandy Productions), “Beehive” and “Suds: The Rocking 60’s Musical” (Williams Street Repertory), “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Columbinus 2.0” (American Theater Company).
Tickets start at $20 and may 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 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.
