Featuring the Crystal Lake Strikers
February 2024 @ 7p
A night of music featuring the best percussion and drumming groups around! Don’t miss this local fan favorite!
The Evening of Percussion features the performing ensembles of the Crystal Lake Strikers and some surprise guests. You’ll see performers ranging in age from seven to seventy. The Strikers will also award scholarships to local high school students including the Tim Althoff, William Laskey, and Aaron Shepley Memorial Scholarships.
The Crystal Lake Strikers was formed in the fall of 2007 when three area men sat in a local coffee shop imagining the possibility of forming an organization that would achieve the essential goals of providing a performing outlet for drummers of college-age and beyond as well as supporting and educating aspiring young performers. In the 15 years since the Strikers have performed in front of millions and have created seven ensembles for area students.
This event is sponsored by
An Evening of Percussion Program 2024
Featuring
The Crystal Lake Strikers
Have Fun, Don’t Suck
The Pinstripes
Better When We’re Dancing
Joey Dimopoulos
Kaeden Meier
Imani Matula
Jackson Bolos
Fletcher Wood
Killian Baxley
Timothy Bates Jr
Colton Saxton
Ben Carlson
Maddie Hostler
Lachlan Tucker
Taylor Disney
Simon Welch
Avery Carrera
Miles Primeau
Nolan Duesterhaus
Benjamin Chase
Ryder Burk
Wesley Chaix
Lucy Bean
Jace Johnson
Matthew Diederich
The Kingpins
Kingpins Rock
Justin Kriho
Emmalee Shepard
Josefina Vallenas
Ben Gancayco
Brogan Hora
Dylan Krambeer
Donovan Warren
Conrad Graef
Kassandra Michalski
Eric Sychta
Blake Svitak
Louis Borowski
David Kendzora
Joseph Kendzora
Grady Hanson
Spencer Potthast
Addyn Wozniak
Olivia Oetjen
Anaka Brown
Zachary Pierce
Rung Again
Tom Kundmann
Val Kundmann
Chris Smith
Craig Lescher
Simple Song
Ashwin Mahidhara
Convergence
An Evening at the 21 Club
Stacy Sunderlage
Ethan Miller
Kate Boulter
Kayleigh Rosinski
Cece Brichta-Bachar
Jonathan Lansmann
Megan Christy
Zoe Bosonetta
Pauline Navarro
Crystal Lake Thunder
Will Pierce
Luke Baude
Anthony Hugunin
Zachary Timonen
Nicholas Martinez
Xavier McCauley
Joshua Ramos
Brendan Schoneberg
Joe Carlson
Nolan Leegard
Isaiah Ramos
Leo Beck
Brayden Dulin
Christopher Avila
Jack Lyons
Angie Gutierrez
Colman Kennedy
Max Miller
Ashwin Mahidhara
Kale Star
Annaka McQuillan
Abby Wirth
Garrick Bambule
John Dorizas
Kush Adhvaryu
Morgan Hoey
Chace Yormark
Isaac McGee
Charlie Miller
Sam Means
Alexys Girton
Voodoo, Who Do? You Do
Brayden Dulin
Ladies Night
Peggy Sue Casey
Madison Diamond
Natalie DuShane
Ashley Naskrent
Cristina Druetta
Natalie Virgil
Erin Arnold
Gabby Kyobe
Bailey Schneyr
Ciera McDermott
Strike Force
Shut Up and Dance
Quincy Murphy
Ryan Harris
Victoria Gore
Issac Wallen
Brendan Cunningham
Ryland Shay
Barrett Stechly
Miles Koegel
Spencer Link
Elliot Carrera
Kylie Tarrant
Owen Schuch
Girls on the Drum
Confident
Elliot Schmitz
Brooke Kelley
Victoria Gore
Faye Radeni
Emma DeGeorge
Maddie Sena
Kylie Tarrant
Taylor Hui
Hazel Brozenec
Maddie Schmitz
Madison Barrios
Natalie Gudeth
Emily Bean
Amelya Shaprio
Elenor Zielinski
Lowan Haas
Sadie Johnson
All-Stars
I’m A Believer
Sydney Carson
Ciara McDermott
Cayden McLean
Jaxson Pfister
Gavan McLaughlan
Nathaniel Blackwell
Marissa Mauger
Andrew Gudeth
Cristina Druetta
Gabby Kyobe
Jacob Chambers
Madison Diamond
William Sykes
Jace Bemis
Natalie DuShane
Ashley Naskrent
Rylen Shanholtz
Cary Lorentz
Rebekah Butzow
Sydney Mattingly
Robert Zera
Dylan LaPorte
Isaac Kupfer
Jasmyn Fletcher
Jason Relaz
Owen Schuch
Spencer Link
Kendall Haak
The Crystal Lake Strikers’ Cast:
The Strikers Adult Line – The original performing group made up of adult and student drummers who perform at events around the Chicagoland area.
The Strikers All-Stars – Since 2009, the All-Stars have provided a performance outlet for high school drummers in the same manner as the Strikers adult group.
Convergence Winterguard – Established in 2014, Convergence is a competitive winter guard on the Midwest Colorguard and WGI tours.
Girls on the Drum – Founded in 2015, GOTDrums uses lively tunes to teach music fundamentals and drumming basics to elementary school girls while building confidence and synergy among the members.
Crystal Lake Thunder – Starting in 2016, Thunder is the Crystal Lake Strikers entry in WGI competitive drumline circuit including an Independent Class A finalist showing in 2019.
Kingpins – Since its first session in 2019, Kingpins has hosted over 30 special needs students providing a creative outlet and percussion instruction.
Strike Force – This group is for Middle School students who want to have fun and drum great!
Pinstripes – This educational percussion program is for students in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades.
About Crystal Lake Strikers Organization:
THE CONCEPT
In the fall of 2007, three area men sat in a local coffee shop imagining the possibilities of forming a drumline that would achieve two essential goals:
- provide a performing outlet for drummers of college-age and beyond
- support and educate aspiring young musicians
In assembling the group, the founders discussed the simple fact that there are so many people who started playing percussion at a very young age, stayed with it in the various bands and drum corps, then… nothing. The people who have an outlet for their musical training past high school and college are rare. We believe this drumline provides an outlet for those individuals.
THE REALITY
Within a matter of months following that meeting, the founders of the Crystal Lake Strikers Drumline, Aaron Shepley, Brett Hopkins and Thomas Kundmann, realized the first of these dreams when the line with the motto “have fun and don’t suck” stepped off in the Crystal Lake Gala Parade. In over a decade since the Strikers have performed in front of millions of people live and on national television. The group has grown to become one of the most popular entertainment groups in the Chicago area.
But the Strikers weren’t done with performing and entertaining. There was the second goal to be achieved. These past 15 years have seen the creation of 7 educational programs to support the performing arts in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Through these programs, the Strikers fund thousands of dollars in scholarships and education to nearly a hundred performers every year.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tim Paul, board president
John Jacobsen, vice president
Chuck Stevens, treasurer
Luanne Flavin, secretary
John Green
Mike H. Johnson
Richard Kuranda
Jack Minsley
Rich Naponelli
Michelle Nowland
Sandra Pierce
Regan Shepley
Steven Szalaj
Jerry Trachsler
Stacey McInerney
Volunteer Liaison
RAUE CENTER STAFF
Richard Kuranda
Raue Center CEO & Founding Artistic Director of Williams Street Repertory
Justin Wellington
Managing Director
Jenna Klaproth
Operations Manager
Meredith Schaefer-Flowers
Director of Marketing &
Institutional Advancement
Michele V. Knight
Marketing Manager
James Knight
Economic Development Manager
Rob Scharlow
Raue Center School for the Arts
Director of Education
Maribeth Ling
Front of House Manager
Chris Tumblin
Raue Center Director of Production
Ryan Meadow
Raue Center Production Manager
Robin Hughes
Executive Producer / Production Manager
James Mablin
Resident Music Director
Box Office Staff
Dan Cosgray
Naomi Unverzagt
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 follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or visit rauecenter.org.
