Artscene With Erika Funke

Rob Padden, Creative Director, & Karen Padden, Assistant Director, speaking about the 25th anniversary of Gravestone Manor, a TheatricalHaunted House, at 1095 HWY 315 inside the Trion warehouse.Shows run weekends from September 26 through October 26, 2025.Fridays & Saturdays from 7:00 to 10:00pm and Sundays from 7:00 to9:30 pm. www.gravestonemanor.com/ All proceeds benefit theUnited Way of Wyoming Valley.

Ryan Keberle, trombonist, composer, band leader & educator,speaking about his passion for the music of Brazil in anticipationof his performance with his band mates in Collectiv do Brasilat The Cooperage Project, 1030 Main Street in Honesdale, PAon Friday, September 26, 2025 at 7 pm. They will present musicfrom their new album, "Choro das Aguas."www.thecooperageproject.org/ www.ryankeberle.com/

Conor Kelly O'Brien, Co-founder/Executive Director of the Scranton Fringe Festival,speaking about the history of the event and a number of the original productionsscheduled as part of this year's Festival, running from September 25th throughOctober 5th. There will be live theater, visual arts displays, live music, comedy, film and more, in many different venues. The Festival will kick off on Thursday (9/25) at Marywood University from 6 to 9 pm and will feature a 3D projection light show.For more information and a complete schedule: www.scrantonfringe.org/

Ronnie Harvey, General Theater Manager & Film Booker at theDietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga Street in Tunkhannock,speaking about Fall Fest 2025 when 20 films will be screenedin 21 days--September 19th through October 9th.For listings and times: www.dietrichtheater.com

Actors Joe Hudak and Lauren Hudak, speaking about theNEPA premiere of the jukebox musical "Disaster," writtenby Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick, at the Little Theatreof Wilkes-Barre, 537 N. Main Street. The show runsfrom September 12 through September 21, 2025,with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at8:00 pm and Sundays at 3:00.For information and tickets: www.ltwb.org/570-823-1875

David Hicks, author of the novel-in-storiesWhite Plains and The Magic Ticket for children,speaking about his new novel, The GospelAccording to Danny, issued by Vine Leaves Press.Dr. Hicks is Director of the Maslow Family GraduateProgram in Creative Writing at Wilkes University,where he is on the faculty, and he will offer a programat the 2025 Milford Readers and Writers Festivalin Pike County, on Sunday, September 14th at12:30, in conversation with Matthew Hinton ofMisericordia University. www.milfordreadersandwriters.com/ Hicks will alsotake part in book events in October & Novemberin Binghamton, Bethlehem, Scranton & Wilkes-Barre. For more information: www.david-hicks.com/

Jeff Boam, filmmaker & playwright from NEPA,speaking about his award-winning drama,The Judas Sheep, to be presented byDiva Productions at the Olde Brick Theater,126 W. Market Street, in Scranton, runningSeptember 12 through September 21, 2025, withshows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pmand Sunday matinees at 2:00. PaigeBalitski directs.For more information: Facebook.com/DivaTheaterScranton

Dr. George Aulisio, Dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library andDirector of the Schemel Forum at the University of Scranton,speaking about the Fall 2025 offerings that include eveningcourses, the World Affairs Luncheon Seminars;collaborative programs and University for a Day.For information and to register:www.scranton.edu/schemelforum/570-941-4740

Historian & Author Dayne Rugh, speaking about his new study, "John Durkee: The Forgotten Story of Connecticut's Bold Man From Bean Hill," in anticipation of his presentation at theLuzerne County Historical Society's President's Dinner on Thursday, September 18th at6:00 pm, in the Grand Hall at the Westmoreland Club, 59 South Franklin Street indowntown Wilkes-Barre. Rugh will be dressed as a Colonel in the RevolutionaryArmy, and he will talk about Durkee's impact on Wilkes-Barre. Attendees willalso be able to view original artifacts from the Battle of Wyoming and the AmericanRevolutionary War era from the LCHS collection.For more information: www.luzernehistory.org/and for the book: www.keystohistory.com/

Chason Goldschmitz, Executive Director of the NEPA Philharmonic, speaking about theSensory-Friendly performance by the Philharmonic Wind Quartet at the Pittston MemorialLibrary, on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 10 am and again at 1 pm. There will be arts activities and many resources for families about autism. For reservations call (570)654-9565 and for more information; www.nepaphil.org/The library is located at 47 Broad Street in Pittston.

John Weiss, Co-Chair of the series, and Rev Bill Carter, Pastor of the FP Church CS &jazz pianist, composer & band leader, speaking about the 2025-2026 Arts atFirst Presbyterian season. The opening performance will featurethe Bloom/Funkhouser Duo in a Salute to Duke Ellington on Sunday, September 14that 4:00 at the church, 300 School Street in Clarks Summit. The Duo will also performon Friday, September 12th at 7 pm in Carver Hall at the Commonwealth University atBloomsburg. The concerts are free and open to the public. For the completeseason: www.fpccs.org/

Vaughn Faison and JE McKissic, 2 members of Kings Return, speaking about their a cappella singing and their music and mission, in anticipation of the group's performance at the Weis Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA, on Thursday, September 11th at 7:30 pm to open the 2025-26 season. www.bucknell.edu/weiscenter

Musician James Barrett, singer-songwriter & event producer, speaking about the 2025Good Things Are Happening Fest, taking place on Saturday, September 6th at theScranton Iron Furnaces. Doors open at Noon & the music begins at 12:30.This year's headlining band is The Menzingers. For information: goodthingsfestpa.com and all social media platforms.

Jaclyn Maria Fowler, English Department Chair at American Public University,speaking about her recent novel/memoir, "Jack: The Almost True Story of theMolly Maguires." For more information: www.jaclynmariafowler.com/www.europebooks.co.uk/

Craig Czury, award-winning poet, teacher and workshop leader, speaking abouthis collection, "And If You Saw Me: New & Selected Prose Poems & Poems"just released by Moonstone Press. In anticipation of Labor Day, Czury read"Imagine there are people." For information: www.craigczury.com/www.moonstoneartscenter.org/ This is the first part of a two-partseries.

Dr. Paul Salerni, award-winning composer and NEH Distinguished Chair in the Humanities& Professor of Music at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, speaking about the upcomingconcert by the Grammy-winning Attacca Quartet on Sunday, September 14, 2025,at 3:00 at the Zoellner Arts Center on the Lehigh campus, in a program titled, "La Grande Bellezza". The performance is co-sponsored by Chamber Music Lehigh Valley.On September 19th, Navona Records will release the new recording "Haunted & Other Works by Paul Salerni & Dana Gioia." For tickets & information: www.lehigh.edu/www.paulsalerni.com/ or www.navonarecords.com/

Carol McManus and Brian Carso, Co-Chairs of the 2025 Milford Readers & Writers Festival, speaking about the event taking place in Milford, PA, from September 12 throughthe 14th. There will be workshops, author conversations, signings & more, with ticketedevents at the Milford Theater and others throughout the town. Also on the schedule arethree programs for young people. For tickets and information:www.milfordreadersandwriters.com/

Michele Bannon, Mayor of Carbondale, PA, Gus Fahey, President of Valley in Motion, &Todd Pousley, Director of Community Development at NeighborWorks Northeastern PA,speaking about PA Heart & Soul, a community development initiative, its impact on thecity & its relationship with PA Humanities, in anticipation of a mural unveiling and touron September 4, 2025, starting at the former Rite Aid site on North Main Street, at 5:30 pm. There will be a short program, refreshments, meet-and-greet with artists, a mural tour and music by John Stevens Doubleshot Trio. There will be an excursion train from Steamtown NHS in Scranton at 3:30 to transport people to the event in Carbondale.www.carbondalepa.org Facebook.com/carbondaleheartandsoul/ www.pahumanities.org/

Cheryl Boga, Conductor & Artistic Director, and Janelle Decker, Conductor & ExecutiveDirector, speaking about Performance Music at the University of Scranton and theopening concert of the Fall 2025 season. Relic Ensemble, an 11-piece period instrumentchamber orchestra, will present a program titled, Spheres, on Friday, September 12,at 7:30 pm, in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street at Jefferson Avenue.Admission is free, and for more information: www.scranton.edu/music

Mark Ciocca, artist & educator from NEPA, speaking about his work titled, "Engine #6039"that will be on exhibit at Steamtown National Historic Site in downtown Scranton as part of Arts in the Parks weekend—August 23 & 24, 2025. On Sunday, August 24th, at 3:00,Ciocca will present the program, "Creating Engine #6039," a conversation with the artist.There will programs by other speakers each day as well. Admission is free.For more information: www.nps.gov/steamtown; www.markciocca.com/