About Us

Inside the Hakansson-Berg Theater at Raue Center For The Arts

History of Raue Center

The El Tovar (now known as Raue Center) opened in 1929 as a movie and vaudeville theatre to showcase the “talkies,” and the troupers who wheeled into town on tour.

The El Tovar embraced the golden age of movie musicals, film noir, love stories, comedies, cartoon festivals and adventure serials on Saturday afternoons. Yet, as times changed, and movies moved to suburban malls and multiplexes, the El Tovar languished.

Theatre groups continued to use the building for musicals and plays between film showings during the 1960s. The El Tovar eventually became The Lake before it drifted into a spinsterish old age as a shabby art house with a sprinkling of viewers.

Yet, the building survived.

Then, the genteel old girl experienced an unexpected renaissance. Lucile Raue, who had lived her life in Crystal Lake, left a generous gift for the improvement of the downtown area.

Now named for its shy benefactor, Raue Center underwent a full renovation. In August of 2001, painted, polished and suited in nearly 800 newly upholstered seats dressed in a rich russet color, the grand dame re-emerged as a first-class venue for the visual and the performing arts.

Raue Center is a not-for-profit theatre dedicated to instilling the performing and visual arts for the artistic, educational and charitable benefit of the community, including the city of Crystal Lake, the entire metropolitan Chicagoland region and the Midwest.