Raue, Paramount, Metropolis poised to enthrall from Crystal Lake to Aurora

Three area professional theaters dedicated to enriching everyone’s life through the arts have announced their 2024-25 seasons, and I’m excited!

Raue Center For The Arts opened in 1929 in downtown Crystal Lake, as a movie and vaudeville house named El Tovar Theatre. It was known for showcasing touring theater troupes and talkies. In the 1960s, area theater groups used it for musicals and plays between film showings. It became the Lake Theatre and then Showplace Theater. Lucile Raue (who lived and worked most of her life in downtown Crystal Lake) left a generous monetary gift to go toward theater renovations, with ground broken in November 1999, and restoration completed in August 2001.

Right now, the Raue’s in-house professional theater group, Williams Street Repertory, is back with its second production, the satirical comedy “An Act of God,” playing Aug. 2-25. It will be followed by the musical “Avenue Q,” running Sept. 13-Oct. 20.

This summer, the Raue provided Arts on the Green outdoor shows at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Coming up through November, the venue offers comedy including Lucy’s Comedy curated by celebrity John DaCosse, and GreenRoom Improv. In addition, famed country singer-songwriter Phil Vassar will return Nov. 16, and popular musical tribute bands will celebrate Fleetwood Mac on Nov. 2, John Denver on Nov. 3, Frank Sinatra on Nov. 9, Willie Nelson on Nov. 23, and the Eagles on Nov. 30. The Raue holds classes for both adults and children through its Raue Center School For The Arts. And, of course, there are scheduled headliners: David Sedaris on Oct. 23, and Clay Jenkinson on Oct. 25. Visit www.rauecenter.org.

The Metropolis Performing Arts Centre was founded in 2000, and holds 350 seats. The downtown Arlington Heights venue’s season includes “Million Dollar Quartet,” running through Aug. 4; Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” Sept. 26-Oct. 20; “A Christmas Carol,” Nov. 24-Dec. 23; “The Importance of Being Earnest,” Feb. 20-March 16; “Rock of Ages,” May 1-25; and Ken Ludwig’s “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” July 10-Aug. 3.

Tribute shows are planned for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, a young Judy Garland, queens of rock and Nat King Cole. Its Metropolis School of the Performing Arts youth camp will present the high school version of “Mean Girls” from Aug. 15-18. Visit www.metropolisarts.com.

The 1,885-seat Paramount Theatre in Aurora has been in business since 1931, and was restored in 1976-78. It’s grown into the nation’s largest subscription house since launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, drawing more than 37,000 subscribers. The Paramount is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Art Deco-influenced grande dame of theaters has a history of live appearances by such stars as the Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, Jeanette MacDonald and Burns and Allen to mention a few.

This season’s Broadway Series includes “The Full Monty,” Aug. 21-Oct. 6; “Frozen: The Broadway Musical,” Oct. 30-Jan. 19; “Waitress,” Feb. 12-March 30; and “Cats,” April 30-June 15.

By the way, the Paramount has earned 115 Jeff nominations with 29 wins for its productions.

Its second venue, located directly across the street from the Paramount, the 165-seat Copley Theatre, announced its BOLD Series, which Paramount Artistic Director Jim Corti states “offers adventures to edify, entertain and gather us together.”

Season productions include “Peter and the Starcatcher,” now through Sept. 1; “An Act of God,” Oct. 2-Nov. 10; and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” March 12-April 27.

The third Paramount venue, and its newest, is the intimate 98-seat Stolp Island Theatre. Its inaugural show is the jukebox musical “Million Dollar Quartet,” booked through Dec. 29. The popularity of this production promises another extension. Visit paramountaurora.com.

I love the theater. It allows me to forget the outside world for a while. I’m allowed to feed my mind and enjoy and be entertained. These three outstanding theaters have allowed me that switching-off opportunity for a few hours, transporting me to another world. And my best hope is that you, too, will enjoy what these performing arts venues have to offer this season.

• Regina Belt-Daniels is celebrating her 10th year of writing theater reviews for Shaw Local News Network. Involved with the theater since the first grade, she continues to act, direct, teach and be in a theater audience seat somewhere.