Imagine getting to see and hear the likes of Jane Goodall, David McCullough and Alan Alda. Most people can only imagine spending an evening with some of the most interesting minds of our timeÑunless they hold tickets to the St. Louis Speakers Series.
Now in its 11th season, the stimulating program of live presentations, accompanied by questions from the audience, has given Saint Louisans the opportunity to participate in a give and take exchange about current issues directly with the biggest newsmakers of
our day.
Each season, which runs from October through April, seven speakers come to town to address Series subscribers at Powell Hall. Speakers run the gamut from politicians to cultural icons to authors, but each is renowned and fascinating. A lucky group of supporters is invited to dine at the Ritz with the speaker prior to the Powell Hall event, and a less formal meet-and-greet afterward enables dozens of audience members to hobnob with the guest of honor.
The 2008-2009 season offers another stellar lineup, beams Tom Eschen, who recently joined presenting sponsor Maryville University as Vice President of Advancement. Eschen feels the collaboration was a match made in heaven from the start. “The Speakers Series fits very well with our mission to educate and serve the community,” he notes. “The people who come in are remarkable, and it is the
best marketing tool the University has.
After all, other than the 20,000 Maryville alums in town, the Speaker Series is
Maryville University!”
In the coming months, subscribers will hear Alan Alda (Oct. 7), Paul Rusesabagina (Nov. 4), Arianna Huffington (Nov. 25), George Mitchell (Jan. 20), David Brooks (Feb. 17), Jane Goodall (March 24) and David McCullough (April 23). Tickets are for the entire series only and cost $285 per subscriber for open seating, $335 and $420 for reserved seats. Sometimes friends share subscriptions, Eschen says. “If you look at other series, this one is still very reasonably priced,” he says. “It’s amazing to see the series sell out season after season!”
Beloved screen icon Alan Alda will kick off the new season at 8 p.m. Oct. 7. Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1994, his long list of credits include 32 Emmy nominations, three Director’s Guild Awards, six Golden Globes, seven People’s Choice Awards and, of course, Hawkeye Pierce in the long-running cult series, M*A*S*H.
On Nov. 4, the real-life hero depicted in the movie “Hotel Rwanda,” Paul Rusesabagina, graces the Powell stage with his firsthand account of the harrowing genocide between Hutu and Tutsi countrymen. He saved more than 1,200 people during that time, and has authored a book, “An Ordinary Man,” about the experience. An international hero, Rusesabagina has received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award and the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award.
Arianna Huffington, nationally syndicated columnist, will appear Nov. 25. A graduate of Cambridge University, Huffington is the author of 11 books and the founder of The Huffington Post, a popular news and blog site. She is also co-host of Left, Right & Center, a political roundtable program on NPR. In 2006, she was named on Time magazineÕs list of the world’s 100 most influential people.
Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell will speak Jan. 20. Known for his bipartisan insight during 14 years in the Senate, Mitchell entered that legislative body in 1980, when Sen. Edmund Muskie of Maine resigned to become Secretary of State. Mitchell was instrumental in negotiating the Good Friday Peace Accord that ended "the troubles" in Northern Ireland. In recognition, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Philadelphia Liberty Medal, the Truman Institute Peace Prize and the United Nations Peace Prize.
On Feb. 17, political commentator David Brooks will be the presenting speaker. As a bi-weekly op-ed columnist for the New York Times and a regular analyst on both “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” and NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Brooks entertains millions with his humor and insight. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller “Bobos in Paradise” and “On Paradise Drive.”
The legendary Jane Goodall comes to Powell Hall March 24. As the pioneer in chimpanzee sociological study redefined the relationship between humans and animals, starting in 1960 when she arrived at Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. During her life among the apes, Goodall discovered a social system—family bonds, organized warfare and distinct personalities—that astounded the scientific community. Today Goodall
travels around the world, sharing her message of hope for the future and urging audiences to effect change through positive
stewardship of the earth’s many creatures
and resources.
The final speaker of the season will be author and historian extraordinaire David McCullough, acclaimed as “master of the art of narrative history.” Twice winner of the National Book Award, McCullough received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. His “1776” was the No. 1 bestseller in both hardcover and paperback and “John Adams” remains one of the most widely read American biographies of all time, presently in its
63rd printing!
As a long-time valued sponsor of the
St. Louis Speakers Series presented by Maryville University, RCGA members are entitled to a “10% off” discount. In order to obtain this discount, please be sure to mention your association with the RCGA when subscribing.
Although we have reached a sold-out status in recent seasons, subscriptions to the upcoming ‘08-’09 season are still available. For more information about the St. Louis Speakers Series, call (314) 533-7888 or visit www.stlouisspeakersseries.org.
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