Artscene With Erika Funke

Dr. Rick Hoffenberg, Associate Professor & Co-Chair of the Department of Music, Theatre & Dance at Marywood University in Scranton, speaking about the German Requiem of Johannes Brahms before 2 performances by the Marywood University Concert Choir & the Wyoming Seminary Civic Orchestra. The 1st will take place on April 29, 2023, at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Wilkes-Barre at 7:30 pm; the 2nd on April 30 at 2:00 pm in the Sette LaVerghetta Center on the Marywood campus. There is no admission fee. www.marywood/edu

David Minnich, musician & cousin of Les Brown, Joel Guldin, retired music teacher from the Williams Valley Elementary School in Tower City, PA, speaking about the 2023 Les Brown Big Band Festival taking place April 28-30. Their 3rd annual film festival will feature a free screening of "The Nutty Professor" at the Pine Grove Theatre at 7 pm 4/28; The Les Brown Festival Dance will be talk place from 6 to 8 pm on 4/29 at Tower City American Legion Post 468; & A Celebration of Music will be held at 3 pm on 4/30 at St. Peter's United Church of Christ in Tower City. www.lesbrownfest.org/

Ronnie Harvey, General Theater Manager & Film Booker for the Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga Street in Tunkhannock, PA, speaking about the 2023 Spring Film Festival running from April 21 through May 11, with 21 films in 21 days. www.dietrichtheater.org/ 570-836-1022

Kelly Spitler and Peter Williams of the Pajama Factory in Williamsport, speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell about "Pajama Factory Unbuttoned," on April 22, 2023 from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. There will be tours, open studios, live music and more. The Pajama Factory is located at 1307 Park Avenue in Williamsport. For more information: www.pajamafactory.net/

Writer Lilace Mellin Guignard, director, and Dr. Linda Kennedy, producer, speaking about the presntation by the Women's Project of Hamilton-Gibson Productions of "The Moons of Jupiter" by playwright Jessica Litwak on Friday and Saturday, April 21 & 22, 2023, at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, April 23 at 2:30 at The Warehouse Theatre, 3 Central Avenue in Wellsboro. On Saturday, April 15, the Women's Project will host a special fundraiser titled, "Exploring Uncharted Terroir: A Wine Talk and Tasting with Suzanne Hunt & Lilace Guignard" from 5:00 to 6:30 at the Warehouse Theatre, with the set of the play as the backdrop. www.hamiltongibson.org/

Dr. Alan Baker, Music Director/Conductor of the Choral Society of NEPA and the Bloomsburg University Choirs, speaking about the upcoming performances of the regional premiere of "Considering Matthew Shepard", an oratorio by Craig Hella Johnson, to be presented 4/15 at 7:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit & 4/16 at 4:00 pm at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 35 S. Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre. There is no admission fee. www.choralsociety.net/

Matthew Rupcich, Music Director & Conductor of the Arcadia Chorale, and Gary Bernstein, Executive Director of the Friedman Jewish Community Center in Kingston, speaking about the Holocaust Remembrance Concert on Tuesday, April 18, at 7:30 pm. The concert will feature "The Holocaust Cantata: Songs from the Camps," by David McCullough, at the Center, 613 S J Strauss Lane in Kingston, PA. Admission is free thanks to the sponsoring organizations. Registration is requested: 570-824-4646. www.arcadiachorale.org/

Saxophonist Matt Vashlishan, composer, arranger, bandleader and coordinator of the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection at ESU, speaking about a concert with the Water Gap Jazz Orchestra titled, "Basie Straight Ahead LIVE!" on Sunday, April 23 at 6:00 pm at the Cecilia S. Cohen Recital Hall of the Fine & Performing Arts Center on the campus of East Stroudsburg University. For more information: www.esu.edu/jazz_at_esu/

Annie Cohen-Solal, writer and social historian, Distinguished Professor at Bocconi University in Milan. She spoke at the University of Scranton on March 28, 2023, about her recent study, "Picasso the Foreigner: An Artist in France, 1900-1973," issued by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. www.fsgbooks.com/ www.anniecohensolal.com/

Leslie Jenkins, Membership Committee Chair of the Citizen's Climate Lobby/Susquehanna Valley Chapter, speaking about "Joy to the Earth," the second annual Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at East Snyder Park, 875 University Avenue in Selinsgrove, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Admission is free. There will be an arts component featuring works created from recycled materials, with the Lewisburg Children's Museum organizing the exhibit. The deadline to submit a form for participation is Monday, April 10. There will be music and many projects and presentations for young people and adults. For information: susquehannavalley@citizensclimatelobby.org/

Mark Ciocca, artist & teacher, speaking about his work and teaching in connection with an exhibition titled, "Finding Direction" at The Gathering Place" 304 South State Street in Clarks Summit, PA. The show will run through May 10, 2023. www.gatheringplacecs.org/ www.markciocca.com/

John Paul Caponigro, acclaimed photographer, & Heather Sincavage, Director of the Sordoni Art Gallery at Wilkes University, speaking about the two-part exhibition, "Landscapes Within Landscapes/Process" running through May 13, 2023. The gallery is located at 141 South Main Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre. For more information: www.wilkes.edu/sordoniartgallery and www.johnpaulcaponigro.com/

Phoebe Wagner, Assistant Professor of English at Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA, writer and editor, speaking about solarpunk as a literary genre, in anticipation of the release of "When We Hold Each Other Up: A Solarpunk Novella," on April 18, 2023, by Android Press. There will be a reading and book-signing in the HRC in the Academic Center on the Lycoming campus on April 18 at 4:00 pm. The event is free and open to the public. www.lycoming.edu/english www.phoebe-wagner.com/

Pianist Renee Rosnes, founder/leader of the Artemis Jazz Band, speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell about the group & its music in connection with a performance at the Weis Center for the Performing Arts at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA, on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 7:30 pm. There will be a pre-concert talk facilitated by WVIA's George Graham at 6:45 pm. www.bucknell.edu/

Jove Graham, Director, speaking about the RiverStage Community Theatre production of "Tiny Island" by Philadelphia playwright Michael Hollinger at the Greenspace Center, 815 Market Street in Lewisburg. Fridays and Saturdays April 7 & 8, 14 & 15, 2023, at 7:30 each evening; Sunday, April 16 at 2:30. www.riverstagetheatre.org/

Sheri Melcher, Director and Co-founder with Michael Melcher of the Creative and Performing Arts Academy of Northeast PA; and James Olecki, Chief Executive Officer of the Ritz Theater and Performing Arts Center, 222 Wyoming Avenue in Scranton, speaking about CaPAA and its upcoming summer camp program that will run from June 19, 2023 to August 19. For information: www.capaa.org/

Dr. Alan Baker, Music Director/Conductor of the Choral Society of NEPA and the Bloomsburg University Choirs, offering a preview of the upcoming performances of the regional premiere of "Considering Matthew Shepard", an oratorio by Craig Hella Johnson, to be presented 4/1/23 at 7:30 pm in Mitrani Hall at Bloomsburg University; 4/15 at 7:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit & 4/16 at 4:00 pm at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 35 S. Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre. There is no admission fee. www.choralsociety.net/

Michael J. Lewis, Faison-Pierson-Stoddard Professor of Art at Williams College in Williamstown, MA, speaking with Tom Riese of the WVIA News Department, about St. Hedwig's Church in Kingston, PA, and its architect, in connection with a fire in February 2023 that destroyed the structure. www.williams.edu/

Dr. Catherine Richmond-Cullen, Director of AIE/NEPA; Joanne Arduino, Artistic Director of Ballet Theatre of Scranton; & Frank Blasi, Executive Director of Broadway Theatre League of NEPA, speaking about The Lyceum School for Visual & Performing Arts, opening in Scranton in the Summer of 2023 as a year-round institute for students in grades K-12. www.aienepa.org/ or www.broadwaynepa.com/

Brenda Grunza, Co-president, & Ann Maganiello, Music Director & Conductor of the Catholic Choral Society of Scranton, remembering Dr. Thomas Rittenhouse, longtime president of the ensemble, who passed away on March 18, 2023, and also speaking about the annual Lenten Concert to be held on Sunday, March 26th at 4 pm, at Harford Congregational UCC Church, 5016 Creek Road in Harford, PA. A free will offering will be taken. www.catholicchoralsociety.org/