FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Livermore Valley Arts
Contact: Ruth Egherman (925) 583-2306
A Hollywood Star and Stars in Space Rounding Out the Bankhead Presents Rae Dorough Speaker Series at The Bankhead
Livermore, CA – (March 4, 2024) – Concluding the first year of the exciting new partnership where Bankhead Presents The Rae Dorough Speaker Series, Livermore Valley Arts is excited to share two thrilling speakers for the Tri-Valley. From an entertainer direct from Hollywood, a needs-no-introduction Evening with Henry Winkler on March 14, to an out-of-this-world speaker with Dr. Aomawa Shields, Ph.D., discussing Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe on May 2, these two final starry speakers in the 2023-2024 RDSS season will truly light up the Tri-Valley; both of these stellar Thursday evening performances will take place right at the beautiful Bankhead Theater in Downtown Livermore.
A star whose name says it all, Bankhead Presents The Rae Dorough Speaker Series, is proud to be bringing to the Tri-Valley the biggest name in the history of RDSS. In this captivating evening in Downtown Livermore, Henry Winkler will share humorous stories and inspirational lessons from his career, craft, and life—from his breakout role as “The Fonz” on Happy Days to his four decades as an Emmy-winning actor, producer, director, and author. Audiences do not want to miss this unforgettable evening at The Bankhead on March 14, with a star of this renown coming right to Livermore. A speaker to remember: this performance is sold out (patrons interested in joining the Wait List should call the Box Office at 925-373-6800).
Dr. Aomawa Shields, Ph.D., is a woman of “contradictions.” An astronomer and astrobiologist, she searches for exoplanets where life might exist by using computer models to calculate the kind of atmosphere they would need to support it. She is also a classically trained actor who — through her organization Rising Stargirls — teaches astronomy to middle school girls of color using theatre, writing, and visual art to spark their imaginations. Audiences are invited to be a
part of this stunning and inspiring talk, inspired by her book Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe, on May 2 at The Bankhead. This evening with Dr. Shields, Ph.D., is sponsored in part by Sandia National Laboratories.
Tickets for all shows in the 2023-2024 Bankhead Presents season are available online, by calling 925-373-6800, or at the box office windows. For a complete list of events, visit livermorearts.org.
The speaker series honors the late Rae Dorough, a respected Livermore resident and strong supporter of cultural events. Members of her family and friends were the initiating sponsors in 2008. The series features provocative, entertaining, and enlightening presentations on a wide variety of topics. Past speakers have included engineers, scientists, fiction and non-fiction writers and historians, entrepreneurs, comedians and entertainers, diplomats, astronauts, journalists, and even a former secretary of defense. Sponsored in part by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, Sandia National Laboratories, the Alameda County Arts Commission, Towne Center Books, and ImageSetters, the Rae Dorough series also partners with the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District and Las Positas College to provide free or reduced-price tickets to students and educators. Additionally, individual and corporate supporters help sponsor specific presentations. www.RaeDoroughSpeakerSeries.org
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Livermore Valley Arts is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit offering wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center are home to eight resident performing arts companies, over 40 studio artists, and cultural arts instructors. LivermoreArts.org
Show: An Evening with Henry Winkler
Date/Time: Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 7:30pm
Tickets: SOLD OUT Call the Box Office at 925-373-6800 to join the Wait List
Show: Dr. Aomawa Shields, Life on Other Planets
Date/Time: Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 7:30pm
Tickets: $25—$60 ($25 student/military personnel)
Dates, times, and ticket prices for other events available at www.LivermoreArts.org
