Elizabeth Berg to Launch Raue Center's 2016-17 'Artful Women' Series

Raue Center For The Arts is excited to announce the 2016/2017 Season of Artful Women.

Artful Women is an artist series that celebrates women in the arts. The series is dedicated to exploring current issues in a format that will enrich, inspire, educate and entertain the community.

This season kicks off on August 28, 2016 and features inspiring speakers including best-selling author Elizabeth Berg, author and life coach Alicia Marcos Birong, award-winning radio and television news anchor/reporter Andrea Darlas, stand-up comedian and radio host Patti Vasquez, as well as Emmy-nominated poet and songwriter Susanna Rich.

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Aug 28 @ 3pm - Elizabeth Berg, author

The Story Behind the Stories: Finding Inspiration

Celebrated author Elizabeth Berg shares personal stories that served as inspiration for her award-winning novels. She will read select passages from her works and take questions afterward. Berg is the New York Times best-selling author of many novels, including "We Are All Welcome Here," "The Art of Mending," "Say When," "True to Form," "Never Change," and "Open House," which was an Oprah's Book Club selection in 2000. "Durable Goods" and "Joy School" were selected as ALA Best Books of the Year and "Talk Before Sleep" was short-listed for the ABBY Award in 1996. The winner of the 1997 New England Booksellers Award for her body of work, Berg is also the author of a non-fiction work, "Escaping into the Open: The Art of Writing True."

Tickets: $15

Nov 13 @ 3pm - Alicia Marcos Birong, author and life coach

Raising Strong Daughters: An Interactive Tea Party

Alicia Marcos Birong, author of "Changing the Chatter: Help Your Daughter Look Beyond the Mirror for Self-Esteem," discusses raising the importance of raising a daughter with strong self-esteem. The building blocks of a woman's confidence are cemented before they are 14 years old! Join Alicia for an open discussion and activities that will encourage improved self-esteem for you and your daughter as well as more open communication between you both.

Tickets: $25 (per pair)
($5 for each additional child, $15 for each additional adult)

Please RSVP by November 10

Minimum Age: 8 years

Feb 19 @ 3pm - Andrea Darlas & Patti Vasquez

Women in Broadcasting and Comedy

Andrea Darlas, award-winning radio and television news anchor/reporter at WGN Radio and WGN-TV and Patti Vasquez, stand-up comedian, co-creator of the upcoming series "Patti Happens" and host of "The Patti Vasquez Show" on WGN Radio, sit down with Artful Women to talk about women in the fields of broadcasting and comedy. During her 18-year tenure at WGN, Darlas has won awards from the Associated Press, five Silver Dome Awards from the Illinois Broadcasters Association and two prestigious Peter Lisagor Awards for her work in television and radio. An internationally performing comedian, Vasquez was recently honored by the National Museum of Mexican Art and the University of Illinois for her contributions to art and advocacy work.

Tickets: $15

June 11 @ 3pm - Susanna Rich, poet and songwriter

Shakespeare's *itches: The Women Talk Back

Emmy-nominated poet and troubadour Susanna Rich presents a poetry musical from the point of view of Shakespeare's female characters and their contemporary counterparts. Highlights of the show include: The Dark Lady of the Sonnets teasing Will; Desdemona in a duet with Nicole Brown Simpson; Kate, the shrew, as a contemporary bartender singing a drinking song; Gertrude taunting Ophelia; and Cordelia rapping on the Mountebank William Show. In turns rollicking, moving, bawdy and philosophical, "Shakespeare's *itches" gives voice to often victimized characters and restores their power through poetry and song.

Tickets: $15

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Tickets for Artful Women are $15. Raue Center offers special seating arrangements and hearing devices for patrons with disabilities. Please call the box office at 815.356.9212 to make arrangements prior to the performance.

Raue Center's Artful Women series was founded in 2013 by Rebecca Heisler at the suggestion of Raue Center executive director Richard Kuranda. Regina Belt-Daniels serves as committee chair. Committee Members include women of all ages and walks of life with a passion for the arts. Artful Women is dedicated to exploring current issues in a format that will enrich, inspire, educate and entertain the community. Artful Women is proudly sponsored by the Northwest Herald.

Raue Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 15 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, 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.

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