HATS! The Musical
Harrah’s Las Vegas(Opens January 12, 2008)
Royal George Theatre, Chicago (April 29 – July 29, 2007)
Harrah’s New Orleans (January 25 – April 22, 2007)
New Denver Civic Theatre, World Premiere (October 11 – December 31, 2006)
Red Hat Society’s very own musical focuses on a woman unhappy about turning the Big 5-0 until she meets several remarkable red-hatted women who teach her fun and friendship after 50 in song, dance and humor. Joining the ranks of the musical are playwrights Marcia and Anthony Dodge, and director Lynne Taylor-Corbett, also an established choreographer, well-known for directing such Broadway productions as Swing, Chess and Titanic. The musical features original music by such popular recording stars as Melissa Manchester, Pam Tillis, Kathie Lee Gifford and many more.
Red Hat Society Documentary
Premiered March 25, 2007(airing on PBS throughout 2007)
The first official Red Hat Society documentary, “The Remarkable Red Hat Society” premiered on March 25, 2007 in the San Francisco bay area on PBS. Produced by award-winning producer Fred Cohen, the 60-minute video includes interviews with Exalted Queen Mother and RHS Founder Sue Ellen Cooper, whose quest to share in “frivolous fun” with her over-50 friends led to this international phenomenon. The documentary features interviews with Red Hatters who feel young at heart and share a keen intelligence and deep emotional connection with each other. The piece is fun, serious, zany and revealing as Red Hatters themselves.
New Red Hat Society Books To Be Published
Thomas Nelson(October 2007, April 2008)
Currently in the works are two books being published by Thomas Nelson, to be released this Fall and next Spring. “The Red Hat Society Travel Guide,” featuring travel trips, favorite hotspots and restaurants submitted by Red Hatters who do a lot of traveling, will be released in April 2008. “The Red Hat Society 10th Anniversary Gift Book,” well illustrated in photographs how we’ve grown in the past decade, will be released also in April 2008.
Red Hat Society Books Published
- "The Red Hat Society Cookbook"
Rutledge Hill Press (September 2006)
The first Red Hat Society community cookbook is selling as fast as hot pancakes! Featuring more than 1,000 recipes from RHS members, the book shares the joys they get out of cooking. The book is filled with members’ funny and touching cooking stories, and contributors are currently appearing at their local bookstores for book signings scheduled around the country. - "The Red Hat Society Dessert Cookbook"
Rutledge Hill Press (September 2007)
Filled with delicious desserts, compiled by red hatters from around the country, this luscious collection ranges from simple to sublime, delightful to decadent. More than 200 recipes, photos included. Happy Cooking!! - "The Red Hat Society Christmas Book"
Rutledge Hill Press (July 2007)
A "Night Before Christmas" tale for the sassiest ladies in your life-those who find friendship and fun in the Red Hat Society. Features color illustrations by Sue Ellen Cooper, Exalted Queen Mother and founder of the RHS. Story written by Red Hatter Connie Goss Japsen. - "Designer Scrapbooks the Red Hat Society Way"
Sterling Publishing (June 2005)
The Red Hat Society’s official mascot and Esteemed Hysterian Ruby RedHat (an animated character who embodies the spirit of Red Hatters) shows how to bring a liberating, rule-breaking sense of adventure to recording the events of one’s life. The 144-page book is filled with sample scrapbook pages and simple projects that capture the heart and soul of the Red Hat Society. Foreword by Exalted Queen Mother Sue Ellen Cooper. - "The Red Hat Society Laugh Lines: Stories of Inspiration and Hattitude"
Warner Books (April 2005)
Founder and Exalted Queen Mother Sue Ellen Cooper, whose first book shot to No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller’s list in 2004, shares more life experiences that have brought so much laughter, joy, and tears to scores of Red Hatters, including a few of her own. This collection of wonderfully funny and incredibly touching stories show that there are more to Red Hatters than purple outfits and red hats. Topics include husbands, children, grandchildren, and shopping. - "The Red Hat Society: Fun and Friendship After Fifty"
Warner Books (March 2004)
This delightfully amusing first book from the founder and exalted queen mother of the Red Hat Society, Sue Ellen Cooper, shot to No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller’s list within three weeks of its release. “The Red Hat Society: Fun and Friendship After Fifty” reveals the humble beginnings of this new “women’s movement” and why the “disorganization” has grown dramatically since its first group of ladies donned red hats and dressed in purple just a few years ago. Cooper shares compelling, telling and downright funny stories of Red Hatters from all over the globe, and offers anecdotal commentary and narratives of her own. A second Red Hat Society book is currently in the works.
Red Hat Society Travel
(Carlson Travel, June 2005)
Red Hat Society Travel provides gals on the go with a one-stop shop for researching, planning and booking their next vacation package, cruise, hotel, car rental or airline tickets. Easy to use, Red Hat Society Travel offers:
- Great rates on cruises and exclusive value added amenities on over 300 sailings.
- Your choice on over 40,000 hotels worldwide.
- Great access to discounted vacation packages.
- 5% off Avis and Budget car rentals.
Red Hat Society® Platinum MasterCard®
HSBC (June 2005)
Full of "hattitude," the Red Hat Society® Platinum MasterCard® offers members a credit card with unique RHS artwork, complete with a royal title. Members collect Direct Rewards® with every net purchase,* which can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, Red Hat Society regalia and much more. The card has a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 9 months.*
*Please see Terms and Conditions for important rate, fee, and other cost information, fulfillment limitations, and Fun Points program details.
Penn State University Research
(2004 - 2005)
Professors from one of the country's top learning institutions, Penn State University, are at the forefront of groundbreaking studies, forging a link between leisure activities and a longer, healthier life. They believe women use play as a context for socializing and coping with other aspects of their lives in ways that may be linked to their overall health, and the Red Hat Society is an integral element in the study. By interviewing RHS members and exploring the effects this social phenomenon has had on the lives of older women, the study is aimed at bringing new knowledge to policymakers and the general public that can impact the health, well being, and quality of life of older women.
University of Cincinnati Dissertation
(Summer 2004)
Doctorate student Rilyn Gibson focused the subject of her dissertation on the Red Hat Society and entitled her study "Gender and the Social Construction of Aging: An Exploratory Case Study of the Red Hat Society."
The 25 Most Influential People List - Sue Ellen Cooper
(July 2004)
Red Hat Society Founder and Exalted Queen Mother Sue Ellen Cooper was named among the city of Fullerton, California's 25 top influential individuals who make dynamic contributions in education, public service, business, entrepreneurship and community service. Cooper's prominent success led to her recognition for entrepreneurship, a distinction earned almost by accident considering the humble beginnings of the Red Hat Society.
Visions & Visionaries Award - Sue Ellen Cooper
(March 2004)
Exalted Queen Mother and Founder Sue Ellen Cooper graduated from Cal State University Fullerton nearly four decades ago with a degree in Humanities and Social Sciences. This year, she was honored by her alma mater with the distinguished alumni Visions & Visionaries award for her accomplishments, which have impacted more than half a million women worldwide. Cooper, one of just a handful of CSUF graduates recognized this year, joins the ranks of some very consummate CEOs, media personalities and authors whose achievements have greatly benefited the community.
Documentary Spotlight
(Spring 2004)
Red Hatters filmed during the 2003 convention in Nashville are part of a Canadian documentary entitled, "A Secret Language of Girls." Josey Vogels, author of a book by the same name and narrator of the documentary, combines real-life stories of women throughout North America. The documentary aired in the spring of 2004, but, says Vogels, "We hope to see it picked up in the United States as well."