Artscene With Erika Funke

Artist Charley Rude of Lackawanna County speaking about herwork in connection with an exhibition titled, "Streets of NEPA"that will open with a reception on Friday, April 24, 2026 andrun through June 12th at the Circle Centre for the Arts,130 Rear South Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre.The reception will be held from 5pm to 8pm, and the publicis invited to attend. www.wyomingvalleyartleague.org/Charley Rude will open a new gallery--Strange Birds-- onCapouse Avenue in Scranton on May 8th with a showtitled, "Strange Birds Take Flight." For more informationcheck Strange Birds NEPA on Instagram & Facebook.

Melisse Brunet, Music Director & Conductor of the NEPA Philharmonic, and Chason Goldschmitz, the Orchestra's Executive Director, speakingabout a concert titled, "Planets, Moons & Star Wars" to be held at the ScrantonCultural Center on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 7:00 pm. The program will featureThe Planets by Gustav Holst; music by John Williams for the Star Wars films,and the premiere of the Moons Choral Suite by Amanda Lee Falkenberg, whowill be on hand. The Choral Society of NEPA will be conducted by JoshuaHarper, & the Marywood University Concert Choir will be under the directionRick Hoffenberg. Also featured will be NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott.Specially designed projections will accompany the music.On Thursday, April 30th, there will be a panel discussion at the EverhartMuseum in Scranton at 5:30 with all of the special guests who will bediscussing the concert program & the Everhart Museum's currentexhibit, "Hubble Space Telescope: New Views of the Universe."On Saturday, May 2nd, at 10 am, th

Dr. Brandon M. Terry, John L. Loeb Associate Professor of Social Sciences & Co-director of the Institute on Policing, Incarceration & Public Safety at theHutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. Dr. Terry is the Sondra & Morey Myers 2026 DistinguishedFellow in the Humanities & Civic Engagement at the University of Scranton, and he will deliver a lecture titled, "Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope" on Thursday, April 23rdat 5:30 in Brennan Hall. The public is invited to attend, and a reception will follow.Dr. Terry's critically-acclaimed study recently issued by Harvard University Press is titled,Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope: A Tragic Vision of the Civil Rights Movement.For information: www.scranton.edu/ and https://aaas.fas.harvard.edu/people/brandon-terry

Tom Alexander, a native of NEPA & an award-winning composer & musician, andVasilis Kostas from Greece who is a Grammy-nominated master player of the laouto,speaking about their duo Syntixi and their original music. Syntixi will perform at theLittle Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, 537 N. Main Street, on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 8 PM.For more information: www.ltwb.org/ tomalexandermusic.com/ andvasiliskostasmusic.com/ Vasilis Kostas has a new album titled Lena with his own bandthat has just been released on all platforms on April 17th.

Thomas Putnam, Artistic Director of Hamilton-Gibson Productions inWellsboro, PA, speaking about "Leading Ladies," a comedy by KenLudwig that he directs. The show will run from April 17 throughApril 26, 2026, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 with Sundaymatinees at 2:30, at the Warehouse Theatre, 3 Central Avenuein Wellsboro.For more information: www.hamiltongibson.org

Award-winning writer Marjorie Maddox from Williamsport, Professor Emeritaof English & Creative Writing at the Lock Haven campus of CommonwealthUniversity, speaking with us about,and reading from, her new middle-grade biography, A Man Named Branch: The True Story of Baseball's Great Experiment, recently released bySunbury Press (sunburypress.com).Marjorie Maddox is available for readings & workshops. For moreinformation about her work: www.marjoriemaddox.org/

Carl Ruck, Minister of Music at the Church of Christ Unitingin Kingston, PA, and Dr. Alan Hack,Director of Music Ministry at St. Matthew Lutheran Churchin Bloomsburg, speaking about their concert of keyboard duetson Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 2 pm. The program will featuremusic by Saint-Saens, Mascagni, Widor, as well as arrangementsof The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Simple Gifts, and a number ofhymns, with audience participation.Carl Ruck will perform at the organ, and Dr. Hack at the piano,at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 123 Market Street in Bloomsburg.For more information: www.stmatthewbloomsburg.org/

Rev. Joseph Williams, last remaining member of the legendary gospel group The Dixie Hummingbirds, speaking about his life in music with the ensemble, in connection with arecent memoir written by Dr. Lynn Peterson titled, "Flying With the Birds: The Last Original Member of the Iconic Dixie Hummingbirds." For more information about theDixie Hummingbirds and Rev. Joe Williams, check the website of the National Museum ofAfrican American Music in Nashville: www.nmaam.org/

Violinist & Conductor Scott Yoo, Host & Executive Producer of the PBS series,"Now Hear This," presented by Great Performances,speaking about Season 7 that premieres on Friday, April 10, 2026 at9:00 pm on WVIA-TV with an episode titled, "Brahms: FreeBut Alone." The second episode, "Everyone Loves Joplin" will airon Friday, April 17th and feature Rick Benjamin, founder &music director of the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra based inLewisburg, PA. Episode 3 on April 24th is titled, "The Call ofIstanbul" & Episode 4 on Friday, May 1st will be "The IcelandSound." All of the shows will be aired Friday nights at9:00 on WVIA-TV. For more information wvia.org/www.pbs.org/

Mandy Pennington, Scranton Fringe board member & assistant director for the opening production of the 2026 season, and actor Werner Christensen,who has the role of Tom, speaking about the Scranton Fringe productionof "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams, running Thursday,Friday & Saturday (4/9-4/11)at 7:30 each evening, at The Sanctuary Theater, 1735 North Main Avenuein Scranton, the new home of Scranton Fringe.www.scrantonfringe.org/

Jimmy Sturr, Grammy Award-Winning Musician & Bandleader,speaking about his life in music in anticipation of PennsylvaniaPolkafest 2026 on Saturday, April 11th from 4:00 to 8:00 pm atMohegan Pennsylvania on Highway 315 in Wilkes-Barre in theKeystone Grand Ballroom. The performers include: Jimmy Sturr &His Orchestra; Joe Stanky & The Cadets, & The Polka Family Band.There will be a tribute to the late John Stanky and a celebration ofAmerica 250. www.pennsylvaniapolkafest.com/www.ticketsalesnow.com/ or 570-550-6410

Chason Goldschmitz, Executive Director, & Melisse Brunet, Music Director& Conductor of the NEPA Philharmonic, speaking about "Jurassic Parkin Concert" on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 7:00 pm, at the F.M. Kirby Centerin downtown Wilkes-Barre. The film will be projected on the big screenwhile the NEPA Philharmonic performs the entire score live, exactlysynchronized with the action.For information and tickets: www.nepaphil.org/ or the Box Office at570-270-4444

David Minnich, Les Brown's cousin, founding committee member & patron of the annualfestival, and Joel Guldin, prominent music educator & band director in the WilliamsValley School District, organizer & committee chair, for the annual event to honorLes Brown & his legacy, speaking about Les Brown's family ties to Schuylkill Countyand the 18th Annual Les Brown Big Band Weekend to be held April 9, 10 & 11, 2026.The 5th Les Brown Film Fest will be held Thursday, April 9th at 7:00pm at theHistoric Pine Grove Theater, 213 S. Tulpehocken Street in Pine Grove.Admission is free.The Les Brown USO Dance will take place on Friday, April 10th, at 7:00 pmat the Wiconisco Fire Hall, 110 Arch Street in Wiconisco, featuring the"Unforgettable Big Band" of York.The Les Brown Big Band Festival Concert will be held on Saturday,April 11th beginning at 5:00 pm at Williams Valley High School,10300 Rt. 209 in Tower City. 6 bands will be featured andtwo musicians who played in Brown's band will be honored: On hand,

Sarah Elizabeth Yorke, BTE Creative Producer & director of the next show in the 48thBTE season, speaking about the adaptation by Chicago playwright Heather Chrisler of"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott, running from April 9 through April 26, 2026, atthe Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center Street in Bloomsburg.There will be previews April 9th & 10th at 7:30, with the official opening on Saturday,April 11th at 7:30 pm, followed by a talkback with Heather Chrisler, Sarah E. Yorke,& actors. There are performances Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 pm,and Sunday matinees at 3:00. On April 11 at 1:00 pm, there will be a special program titled, "On Stage & Screen," centering on practices of adaption of works ofliterature to stage and screen, at the Campus Theatre in Lewisburg. The panel willfeature Heather Chrisler; Sarah Elizabeth Yorke, BTE actors & professors from Bucknell,with a screening of the 1994 film version of "Little Women."For information: www.bte.org/

Dr. Larry Lipkis, Starner Professor of Music and Composer-in-Residenceat Moravian University in Bethlehem, speaking about the 50th anniversaryof the Early Music Program that he founded in 1976 andthe Anniversary Concert to celebrate the occasion on Saturday, April 11,2026, at 4:00 pm in Peter Hall on the Church Street campus.There will be performances by various instrumental and vocalensembles as part of the program and participatory Renaissancedancing. For more information: www.moravian.edu/

Jeffrey Dent, Music Director and Conductor of the historic Repasz Band of Williamsport, speaking about the 2026 Spring Concert titled,"Kaleidoscope," to be presented on Tuesday, April 7 at 7:30 pm atthe Community Arts Center, 220 W. 4th Street in Williamsport.The program will feature the premiere of a newly-commissionedpiece, "Life & Legacy: A Tribute to Al Nacinovich" by JeremyLeidhecker. Admission is free.For information: www.repaszband.org/

Dave Reynolds, Theatre Department Chair & Show Director, & Greta Rogan,who has the role of Catherine, speaking about the King's College presentation of the award-winning drama "Proof" by David Auburn, running from March 26 through March29, 2026, at the George P. Maffei II Theatre, 133 N. River Street in Wilkes-Barre.Performances will take place March 26, 27 & 28 at 7:30 pm, & March 28 & 29 at 2 pm.For information: www.kings.edu and for tickets:www.onthestage.tickets/kings-college-theatre570 208-5828

Gerard Stropnicky and JoAnne Henry, co-directors & writers of "The Really Really RealTraveling Medicine Show," to be presented by Susquehanna Valley Mediation on March 27 & 28, 2026 at 7:00 pm, & March 29 at 3:00 pm, at the Albright Center, 450 Chestnut Street in Sunbury. The interactive production is a blend of theater, music, dance, visual art & storytelling, created from stories shared by community members across the Susquehanna Valley. The event is made possible through a Wingspan grant from PA Humanities. For more information: www.svmediation.org/

Jason Smeltzer, musician, writer, performer & artistic director ofThe Olde Stories, talking about a program titled, "The Surreal & Folkloric:The Music & Poetry of Federico Garcia Lorca & Others" to be presentedSunday, March 22, 2026, at 5:00 pm, at the Rossetti House, 1005 VineStreet in Scranton; also Sunday, March 29th at 3:00 pm, at the CircleCenter for the Arts, 130 S. Franklin Street Rear in downtown Wilkes-Barre.The performance will feature readings and music by the MarywoodGuitar Ensemble under the direction of Diogo Carvalho.Admission is free, but donations are welcome.