TORONTO, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ - Now entering its thirteenth year, SMART TALK WOMEN'S LECTURE SERIES(TM) is the celebrity-based spoken word series that provides its audience an up-close-and-personal look into the lives of the world's most remarkable women. Since its inception, SMART TALK has garnered a loyal following of subscribers who value the series for its quality speakers, intimate venues and entertaining pre-show fare, such as fashion shows, mini-makeovers and product demonstrations. The moderated question and answer period following each presentation also adds to the unique SMART TALK experience.


The 2005 lineup features 26 women (and one man) appearing in 40 different engagements with SMART TALK in Baltimore MD, Cincinnati OH, Des Moines IA, Milwaukee WI, Minneapolis MN, New Brunswick NJ, Westchester NY and Wilmington DE. Each city plays host to five speakers over five nights between January and October 2005.

"The 2005 SMART TALK season offers the most exciting and diverse line-up of remarkable women in our 13 year history," states Bob Benia. "Each of these women are strong-willed, intelligent and have made real and lasting contributions to the world around us. At a time when we are seeing many international icons fall in scandal and disrepute, the women of SMART TALK are real-life heroes who have overcome adversity, have broken stereotypes and have set new standards for excellence."

This year SMART TALK launches with: comedian and co-host of The View Joy Behar; Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York; singing superstar Patti LaBelle; diametrically opposed couple Mary Matalin & James Carville; Jordan's Queen Noor; financial guru Suze Orman; Mariane Pearl, widow of slain journalist Daniel Pearl; the girl in the Vietnam Napalm photo, Kim Phuc; Hollywood icon Debbie Reynolds; Broadway legend Elaine Stritch; and television journalist Barbara Walters.

The second half of the season will see appearances by the eternal entertainer Julie Andrews; poet and philosopher Maya Angelou; screen legend Lauren Bacall; the inspiring Brooke Ellison; beloved chef Mary Ann Esposito; supermodel Iman; Nobel Prize nominee Heather Mills McCartney; Graceland Enterprises Inc. president Priscilla Presley; Pulitzer Prize winning writer Anna Quindlen; Wife of the late Christopher Reeve, Dana Reeve; ABC news woman Cokie Roberts; the multi-talented Jane Seymour; the irrepressible Cybil Shepherd; 60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl; and funny lady Lily Tomlin.

Robert C. Benia was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. During these years he attended and graduated from The Haverford School on Philadelphia's Main Line. His years of undergraduate study at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service brought him into contact with a variety of influential personalities from the State Department, Capitol Hill and The White House. During his tenure in Washington he worked on many legislative initiatives in the US Senate, in both foreign affairs and national defense. In addition, he served as a campaign strategist for several state and national political campaigns.

Following his Washington experiences, Mr. Benia earned an MBA in Finance from Wisconsin's Marquette University. Prior to coming to Canada in the mid-80s, he worked as a product marketing engineer for Texas Instruments at locations throughout North America and Europe

In 1992, Mr. Benia co-created the inspirational women's lecture series Unique Lives & Experiences. While the series expanded to include numerous cities in both Canada and the United States, more and more high profile women - actors, award-winning writers, politicians, business women - became interested in lending their talents and experiences to the speakers' roster. A few years ago Unique Lives & Experiences was reborn as SMART TALK, a more apt name indeed!

In addition to the highly acclaimed SMART TALK WOMEN'S LECTURE SERIES(TM), Bob Benia Productions' business interests include high-end, Broadway-style productions such as A Conversation with Gregory Peck and An Evening with Carol Burnett. In Canada Bob Benia Productions has toured Eve Ensler's controversial The Vagina Monologues, presented Jackie Mason's hilarious Prune Danish and Marc Salem's astonishing Mind Games. The company has also produced Allen Sherman's hit musical comedy Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!. Most recently, Bob Benia Productions had the privilege of working with Broadway legend Elaine Stritch in presenting her Tony and Emmy-award winning show Elaine Stritch At Liberty at the historic Elgin Theatre in Toronto.

SMART TALK WOMEN'S LECTURE SERIES(TM) is produced by Bob Benia Productions Inc., a Toronto-based company that develops and produces intelligent entertainment. For more information including comprehensive schedules for each city please visit http://www.talk.biz.

(source Yahoo news)