RCLA Town Hall Announces 2024 Lineup

April 5, 2023 – Sarasota

The 43^nd season of bringing influencers from the world stage to our stage in Sarasota returns in January 2024.   

For our January program, TOWN HALL will welcomeCongresswoman Liz Cheney. Congresswoman Cheney served as the U.S. Representative for Wyoming’s at-large congressional district from 2017 to 2023. She chaired the House Republican Conference, the third-highest position in the House Republican leadership, from 2019-2021, and served as the Vice Chair of the Select Committee investigating the January 6^th insurrection.

Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch will be joining the series in February. Marie Yovanovitch served three times as U.S. Ambassador, most recently in Kyiv as the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. Born into a family that survived both Soviet and Nazi terror before emigrating to the U.S., Yovanovitch rose to the top of her profession in the crucible of the former USSR. Ambassador Yovanovitch earned the Senior Foreign Service Performance Award eight times and the State Department’s Superior Honor Award on nine occasions. In early 2022, Marie Yovanovitch’s memoir, Lessons from The Edge, was an instant New York Times bestseller.  

Stanley Tucci will take the stage in late February. Stanley Tucci is an Academy Award nominated actor known for his versatility as an actor, writer, director, and producer. He has appeared in over 90 films, countless television shows, and more than a dozen plays, on and off Broadway. Tucci reached his widest audience yet in the role of Caesar Flickerman in The Hunger Games franchise. Big Night, Stanley Tucci’s first pursuit as co-director, co-screenwriter, and actor on the same film, earned him numerous honors. Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy is Tucci’s latest endeavor, which was greeted with excitement and success from both its fans and critics.

In March, best-selling author Nir Eyal joins us to share key insights from the field of behavioral design. Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by the M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. Indistractable received critical acclaim, winning the Outstanding Works of Literature Award as well as being named one of the Best Business and Leadership Books of the Year by Amazon and one of the Best Personal Development Books of the Year by Audible. 

In mid-April 2024, ballet legend Misty Copeland closes out our TOWN HALL season. Born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in San Pedro, California, Misty Copeland began her ballet studies at the late age of thirteen. At fifteen, she won first place in the Music Center Spotlight Awards. Misty joined American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company in September 2000, joined ABT as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2001, and in August 2007 became the company’s second African American female Soloist and the first in two decades. In June 2015, Misty was promoted to principal dancer, making her the first African American woman to ever be promoted to the position in the company’s 75-year history.

“Next season will include three women who are absolute powerhouses in their respective fields”,” says Executive Director Lauren Kurnov.  “Our two male speakers are equally exceptional. Our 2024 season promises to be thought provoking, entertaining, and inspiring.”

Since its beginning in 1981 TOWN HALL has been bringing influencers from the world stage to our stage in Sarasota, with a goal to expand horizons, stimulate conversation and inspire the community. Past TOWN HALL speakers include two U.S. Presidents: George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton; author Michael Lewis; ambassador Caroline Kennedy; travel personality, Rick Steves; Olympian Michael Phelps; activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali; humanitarian Jose Andres, Prime Minister Tony Blair; and historians, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham.  The full list of alumni speakers is available online.

The Ringling College Library Association produces the TOWN HALL lecture series.  All proceeds from the series benefit Ringling College’s Alfred R. Goldstein Library, as well as essential funding of student scholarships. Since the series began, RCLA has committed more than $11 million to Ringling College of Art + Design.    

All five lectures will be presented at Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, 777 North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Morning lectures begin at 10:30 a.m. and evening talks begin at 7:30 p.m.  The series is sold by subscription. 

Subscriptions sales will open for members in early May and will open to non-members in mid-June. Anyone interested in learning more about becoming a member or subscribing to the series, should visit www.rclassociation.org.