Raue Center Announces New Resident Music Director James Mablin

Raue Center and its School For The Arts (RCSA) has announced the arrival of new resident music director James Mablin. Mablin's first projects will be RCSA's January class, Fundamentals of Performance, and the youth production of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical” running April 18 - 20, 2024 at Raue Center For The Arts. 

“Jamie is a brilliant professional and we are thrilled to welcome him to the team,” says Raue Center CEO Richard Kuranda. “ I think the School has the best curriculum and teachers in the entire Chicago region. Our students deserve the best! He has a busy year ahead with “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”., “Mean Girls” and WSREP's production of “Bandstand.” 

James Mablin hails from London, England. He has musically directed and/or played Keyboards in over a hundred shows. Favorites include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat (UK Tour), Whistle Down the Wind (UK Tour), High School Musical (World Premiere - Stagedoor Manor, NY), Caroline or Change (Cyrano's Theatre Company, AK), Little Shop of Horrors (Thin Air Theatre Company, CO), The Toxic Avenger (Thin Air Theatre Company, CO) and Into the Woods (Slow Burn Theatre Company, FL).

As an educator, James ran the musical theatre program at a large college in London, was a professor & musical theatre specialist at The Yale School of Drama, and most recently on the Musical Theatre faculty at Auburn University as their resident Music Director. James is also the associate artistic director and head of the music department at Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center, named one of the top summer theatre programs in the world.

James has written the vocal arrangements and musically directed opening and closing numbers for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade including the Emmy award-winning song “Join Our Parade”. In January of 2024, James is thrilled to be stepping into the role of Resident Music Director for the Raue Center for the Arts.

“I cannot express how thrilled I am having James joining the team of RCSA and WSRep,” explains RCSA's director of education, Rob Scharlow.  “I've known Jamie for 17 years and he has a passion unlike any other when it comes to music direction. His experience and resume speak for themselves, and I cannot wait for our students and cast members to have the opportunity to share in his love of the arts. He'll provide guidance and an educational experience that brings the professionalism of the process to a new level.”

As resident music director Mablin will be responsible for all the musical elements of RCSA productions, working closely with the Director of Education, Rob Scharlow, to develop and create strong music, vocal, and group class lesson plans and class offerings for RCSA.  He will also serve as music director for WSRep, Raue Center's resident professional theatre company, working closely and collaborating with creative teams and actors to perfect music for live theatre productions, create original music, and develop new works.

"I am so excited to be joining the Raue Center as resident music director. Having worked extensively around the world as a freelance music director and educator, it is a pleasure to be joining this vibrant community and I am very much looking forward to creating with them. I'll be jumping in with both feet from January working with Rob Scharlow at the RCSA. The Education department is in excellent hands with Rob at the helm. Rob and I have been friends and colleagues for 17 years now, and I am thrilled we get to continue collaborating at the Raue. I am also very much looking forward to starting work on Bandstand later in the year with the WSRep, where I'll get to have a band AND an orchestra."

Raue Center School for the Arts (RCSA) aims to offer our community, students, and those seeking new skills, a program that caters to both those continuing their artistic exploration and those who have never considered the benefits of the arts. With a foundational belief in the arts and its ability to help build confidence, explore creativity and problem-solving, develop social skills, foster collaboration and team building, and nurture social awareness and empathy, RCSA believes that fine arts education is essential in building a well-rounded individual. 

RCSA offers a 6-week trimester approach that focuses on delivering a collegiate format, very similar to a prerequisite system, to promote a pre-professional experience and training, ensuring that every student, regardless of their prior training or background experience, receives equal attention to foster a collaborative atmosphere, facilitated by our expert teaching staff.

Raue Center School for the Arts and the Raue Center, we want to extend a warm welcome to all community members. Our brand is built on the principles of diversity and inclusion, and we are committed to fostering an environment where everyone is treated equally, regardless of their identity. It's not what you're capable of – it's what you're capable of becoming.

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.

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