Community Calendar

On his visit to Iowa in 1893, Czech composer Antonin Dvorak said that in the African American melodies “I discover all that is needed for a great and noble school of music.” This program, American Voices, will explore music in the Americas since that time.

$21 In Advance / $25 At the Door / $6 Student

Thanks to the remarkable talent of nationally acclaimed actress Leslie Goddard, the legacy of Lucille Ball is coming to the Rockford Theatre, 317 Park Ave, Rockford, at 7:30pm on May 2nd!

In the 1950s, Lucille and her husband Desi Arnaz captured the hearts of television audiences across the nation with their ground-breaking “I Love Lucy” collaboration. But what does it mean when a TV star’s on-screen legend clashes with her off-screen reality? Goddard’s historical portrayal pays tribute to both the comic legend and the real woman behind the myth.

In the “I Love Lucy” program, Desi played himself as a Cuban bandleader with the pseudonym “Ricky Ricardo,” and directly after Leslie’s performance, the night of gala entertainment will shift to a “Tropicana” nightclub setting with the Trinadora Rocks band playing Latin favorites from 8:30pm to 11:00pm.

Leslie Goddard is a nationally celebrated Chicago actress and scholar who has been portraying famous women and presenting history lectures for more than ten years. She holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University specializing in U.S. history and American Studies as well as master's degrees in both theater and museum studies.

Doors open at 6:30pm. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.tix.com, at (815) 965-4233, or at the door. Questions: Nancy Whitlock- 815-494-6922

Forever Young: A Tribute to Rod Stewart
FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2025 | 8:00 PM

TICKETS*
Tickets: $40 / $45 / $49*
RaueNOW: $28 / $31.50 / $34.30*

Touring the globe and sharing the stage with rock legends such as Tina Turner, Rush, Bob Seger, Meatloaf, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer and Roy Orbison, life-long Canadian musician, songwriter and recording artist, Doug Varty, has made it his mission to give people what they’re looking for in live entertainment.

DOUG VARTY

“When my band and I used to play Rod Stewart covers in pubs, people would often ask me if I was lip-syncing to a track because of the striking similarity between myself and Mr. Stewart’s voices,” says Doug. “When I assured them that it was really me, they’d insist that me doing a Rod tribute show would be a big hit. Though a little reluctant at first to wear the wig and the shiny suits, I started out in the tribute biz about twenty years ago and quickly learned to embrace the opportunity to become someone else, just for a while.”

Recommended: 12+

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Don’t forget to become a RaueNOW Member to save 30%!

*Prices vary according to zone. Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

Processing Fee – A $4 per ticket charge to support the ticketing software.

Facility Fee – A $8 per order charge that helps operate and invest back in our historic venue.

Premium Seat Fee – $6 Premium seat fee is based on location/additional leg room and indicated with a light blue color on the seating chart.

Patron Code of Conduct: Be courteous. Inform staff if you feel or observe any harassment. We reserve the right to remove any guest at any time. For more information, please visit rauecenter.org.

Questions? Contact our Box Office at 815-356-9212; boxoffice@rauecenter.org
Raue Center For The Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts.

Join award-winning, Gold Record artist Dave Rudolf for a trip down memory lane (maybe even Penny Lane)! You’ll hear music from the British Invasion that influenced a whole new world of music, fashion, and style.

This concert will include music from The Beatles, The Kinks, The Who, Peter and Gordon, and others, with a few stories about the groups and the times from the rather warped mind of Dave.

Dave is a long-time performer and a multi-award winning singer/songwriter who just released his 42nd album. He's a Gold Record, Grammy-nominated artist, 15-time nominee for Entertainer of the Year awards from NACA (The National Association for Campus Activities). In the last 6 years, Dave has 4 albums in the NPR Indiana and Illinois regional Top Ten. He is an award-winning children's author with 3 children's books, wrote for Disney, did a TV pilot for the All-New Captain Kangaroo several years back, and much more.

Dave has shared the stage with The Beach Boys, The Everly Brothers, The Mamma and Pappas, Steve Goodman, John Hartford, The Smother Brothers, Michael Smith, Megon McDonough, The Gatlin Brothers, Sha Na Na, Cheech and Chong, and other notable artists.

“Dave Rudolf Captivates his audience. Anything and everything that happens onstage or offstage during a Rudolf concert becomes fair game for his disarming wit.” - Chicago Sun Times

This concert is free and open to all. No registration is required. It is sponsored by Gretchen and Charles Moore.

For additional information, please contact Samantha at samanthah@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1701.

Stockholm Inn is the home for Trinadora's (Janel Nelson and Ron Holm) potpourri of music from 5pm to 7pm on 1st Saturday and 5:30pm to 7:30pm on 3rd Friday of each month. The musical mixture includes vintage and contemporary pop, folk, country, jazz, blues, Latin, Celtic, and variety music - everything except the proverbial kitchen sink 🙂 Janel and Ron accompany their vocals with keyboard, ocarina, guitar, ukulele, fiddle, harmonica, sax, bass, steel guitar, concertina, and more. The room can fill up, so please phone 815.397.3534 for reservations, and mention that you need seating in the music area.

The Lennon Project
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025 | 7:00 PM

TICKETS*
Tickets: $49/ $59/ $69*
RaueNOW: $34.30/ $41.30/ $48.30*

SoundTracks Of A Generation is proud to present the songs and the life of John Lennon in a chronological soundscape!

Jay Goeppner, arguably one of the best Lennonesque singers on the planet, assumes the role of John Lennon.

This 100-minute retrospective begins in 1966 when the Beatles made the momentous decision to stop touring and concentrate solely on music composed in the studio which led to albums like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Rubber Soul, Revolver, The White Album, Abbey Road, and the rooftop concert for Let It Be, as the Beatles’ final performance.

The second half of the show showcases Lennon’s solo career from The Plastic Ono Band, to his signature album Imagine, to Sometime In New York City, Mind Games, Walls & Bridges, Rock & Roll and concludes with selections from John and Yoko’s final recording, Double Fantasy, released prior to his death on December 8, 1980.

Jay Goeppner and his crack Soundtracks band intertwine these songs with multimedia images to create the monumental musical and emotional impact that John Lennon brought to the world.

NOTE: The membership bar will be closed for a private event during this performance.

This performance is a fundraiser for:

——
Don’t forget to become a RaueNOW Member to save 30%!

*Prices vary according to zone. Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

Processing Fee – A $4 per ticket charge to support the ticketing software.

Facility Fee – A $8 per order charge that helps operate and invest back in our historic venue.

Premium Seat Fee – $6 Premium seat fee is based on location/additional leg room and indicated with a light blue color on the seating chart.

Patron Code of Conduct: Be courteous. Inform staff if you feel or observe any harassment. We reserve the right to remove any guest at any time. For more information, please visit rauecenter.org.

Questions? Contact our Box Office at 815-356-9212; boxoffice@rauecenter.org
Raue Center For The Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts.

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of one of the most beloved ballets of all time as the DSO partners with the Heartland Ballet in a complete staged production of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake! The ballet’s themes of love, betrayal, and redemption resonate with audiences across generations, making “Swan Lake” a perennial favorite in the ballet repertoire.

Hold on tight for a night of unforgettable rock and roll with Heartache Tonight, the fan-favorite Eagles tribute that has been wowing audiences year after year! From the iconic guitar duel in “Hotel California” to the classic harmonies of “Take It Easy” and “Peaceful Easy Feeling”, this high-energy concert experience brings all the timeless hits that made the Eagles one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

With spot-on vocals, flawless instrumentation, and a stage presence that’ll transport you to a packed arena concert, Heartache Tonight is your front-row ticket to reliving the magic of the Eagles. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or just discovering their music, this tribute show is a must-see!

Celebrate the conclusion of our 48th season with a musical journey to France!

This concert will feature Claude Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, Maurice Ravel's Rhapsodie Espagnole, and concludes with Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.

This concert is sponsored in part by JoAnn Smelser.

Featuring the Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra.

This concert featuring student musicians is a great way to spend an afternoon and to introduce younger family members to an orchestral concert experience.

Doors open at 2:30pm.