Artscene With Erika Funke

Zach Sprowls, musician and composer, speaking about his new album, "All Beginnings Are Hard," in advance of the launch concert/event on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 7 pm at The Shakes Space at the Marketplace at Steamtown, 300 Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton. There will be music, visual arts and live performance. For information: ZachSprowls.com/shows

Professor David A. Miller, director, speaking about the Bloomsburg University Players and their production of the new play "Anti-Hero: Revenge of the Sw*fties" by Derick Edgren Otero, running November 7 through 10, 2024, at the Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center Street in downtown Bloomsburg. Shows Thursday, Friday, & Saturday 7:30 pm; Sunday at 3:00 pm. www.buplayers.org/

Dr. Joshua Harper. Artistic Director of the Choral Society of Northeast PA, speaking about the fall concert titled, "My Song in the Night," to be presented on Saturday evening, November 9, 2024, at 7:00, at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 35 S. Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre. The program will include pieces by Ola Gjeilo, Gabriel Faure, India Arie and others. Organist Mark Laubach, pianist Ron Stabinsky, and a string quartet led by John Vaida, will join the Choral Society. A reception will follow, and there is no admission charge. For information: www.choralsociety.net/

Brandy Schillace, Ph.D, author, historian, and medical humanities scholar, speaking about her writing in anticipation of receiving the 2024 Royden B. Davis, S.J., Distinguished Author Award to be presented by the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library at the University of Scranton on Saturday, November 16th. There will be a book signing and meet-the-author event at 4:00 pm; a Distinguished Author Reception at 5:00 pm, and the Keynote Address will take place at 6:30 pm in the DeNaples Center on the campus. For information: www.scranton.edu/author www.brandyschillace.com/

Violinist John Vaida and Violist Amy Iwazumi, co-founders of the Northeastern PA Chamber Music Society, speaking about the concert program, "Joy & Retrospection," featuring string quintets by Mozart, Britten & Brahms, Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 7 pm at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 35 South Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre, and again on Sunday, November 3rd at 3 pm at St. Paul's Church, 276 Church Street in Montrose. Special guests will complete the ensemble. For more information: www.nepacms.org/

Jared Mondell, Asst. Executive Director & Marketing Director of the Uptown Music Collective, speaking about the school and the upcoming performance season. The opening concert program is titled, "Midnight Train to Memphis: The Music of Modern Country" and will be presented November 8th & 9th at 7:30 pm at the Community Arts Center, 220 W. Fourth Street in Williamsport. For tickets: www.CACLive.com/ & for information: www.uptownmusic.org/

Jason Smeltzer, producer, director, reader & musician, and Doug Smith, bassist, speaking about the Lewis Carroll Evening to be presented by Old Stories on November 10, 2024 at the Olde Brick Theatre, 126 W. Market Street in the Providence section of Scranton--home of Diva Theater. On the program readings of "The Jabberwocky" and "Phantasmagoria," with musical accompaniment. Information is available by checking Diva Theater Scranton on Facebook .

Adam Randis, Director, & Joshua Plesce, Actor & Set/Lighting Designer, speaking about the production of the musical "Little Shop of Horrors" at the PA Theatre of Performing Arts, 212 W. Broad Street in Hazleton, running from November 1 through Nov 10, 2024. Shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. www.ptpashows.org/

Composer Paul Miller of Schuylkill County, speaking about his music and the work he has written for the Gabriel Chamber Ensemble to celebrate the group's 35th anniversary season. There will be a concert on Sunday, November 3, 2024, at 3:00 at Jerusalem Lutheran Church, 252 Dock Street in Schuylkill Haven. Also featured will be music by Claude Bolling. Also, artist Mike McCord speaking here about the way he will paint live-in-the-moment during the concert. www.gabrielensemble.org/

Mona Pande, Rostered Folk Artist with the PA Council on the Arts, speaking about the 5th anniversary of PA's Asian Indian Community Magazine, which she founded and edits, and also about her work in connection with the exhibit "Glimpses of Asian Indian Culture: Paintings by Mona Pande" at the Everhart Museum, Nay Aug Park in Scranton through Sunday, October 27, 2024. There will be a special community event on Saturday, October 26th from 2 - 4 pm with lectures, demonstrations, music, dance and food. For more information: www.everhart-museum.org/ and Art by Mona on Facebook

Bill O'Boyle, Times Leader Media Group's news columnist/staff writer, and co-founder with Joe Nardone, musician, bandleader & music promoter, of the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame, speaking about the ceremony to honor the 2nd class of inductees on Friday, November 8, 2024, at the F.M.Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Public Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre.  There will be a reception from 5:00 to 6:00, and the event will follow.  For more information on Facebook: Luzerne County Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame.  Also www.kirbycenter.org/

Christopher Gallo, Artistic Director of The Lyric Consort, speaking about the opening concert of the 2024-2025 season titled, "The Lyric Consort Presents Sweet Dissonance." Featured will be works by Britten, Barber, Part, Whitacre and more, and the performance will take place on Saturday, October 26th at 7:30 pm, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 232 Wyoming Avenue in Scranton. A reception will follow. There is no admission charge, but donations will gladly be accepted. For more information: www.lyricconsort.org/

David Parmelee, LTWB General Manager; Actors Tyler Floryan; Stephanie Skiro, & Brad Vile, speaking about the annual production of "The Rocky Horror Show" at the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, 537 N. Main Street, October 25 & 26, 2024, at 8:00 Friday night and on Saturday at 7:00 pm and again at midnight. For more information: www.ltwb.org/

Fiona Powell, folklorist & professional storyteller, recently retired as WVIA's Susquehanna Valley producer & host, speaking in anticipation of her appearance at the Settlers Inn, 4 Main Avenue in Hawley, PA, October 25 & 26, 2024, for a storytelling evening and farm-to-table dinner event from 6 to 10 pm. Reservations are required. 570-226-2993 www.thesettlersinn.com/ Ms. Powell will present a new season of storytelling at The Gallery at Water Street in Lewisburg---for various age groups-- beginning on November 2nd and running through December 14th. She will offer a series of 3 storytelling workshops beginning on November 16th. All of the events are free & reservations are required for the workshop sessions. www.lewisburgartscouncil.com/ fionafolklore@gmail.com

Jeff Tylutki, Director of Bands and Performance Music at Keystone College in La Plume, PA, speaking about the fall concert titled, "The Year's Last, Loveliest Smile," to be presented on Sunday, October 20, 2024, in the Theatre at Brooks at 7:00 pm. There is no admission charge, and there will be a chance to meet representatives of the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute. Featured will be the KC Symphonic Band, the Vocal Ensembles and Jazz Ensemble, with music for everyone. www.keystone.edu/music 570-945-8599

Brothers Ken McCaleb and Glenn McCaleb, NEPA wildlife & landscape photographers, speaking about their life and photographic work in connection with the current exhibition at The Waterwheel, 150 Water Street in Milford, PA, running through October 27, 2024. Their next show will open on Saturday, November 2nd in the Green Room Gallery at the Stabin Museum, West Broadway in Jim Thorpe. The exhibit will continue through March 1st, 2025. For more information: www.electrickennyland.com/

Allison Maslow, WVAL Board Member &  Gallery Director, & Mark Webber, Artist & Educator, speaking about the exhibition, "Mark Webber: Interior Process," opening October 18, 2024 at the Circle Centre for the Arts, 130 Rear S. Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre, with a reception from 5:00 to 8:00. The show will run through December 6th. The Wyoming Valley Art League will also host Fine Art, Fine Taste on October 24th at the Circle Centre, beginning at 6:00. www.wyomingvalleyartleague.org/

Michael Cavalieri, award-winning filmmaker, speaking about his recent documentary, "Il Porta Dell'Inferno" (The Door To Hell), about sulfur miners in central Sicily in the late 1800s and early 1900s, in anticipation of a screening at the Art Haus, 301 Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton. There will be a reception at 6:00 and the screening at 7:00. After the film is shown, Michael Cavalieri will take part in a Q & A session. For more information: www.unicoscranton.org. You can find Michael Cavalieri on Facebook.

Gerardo Edelstein, Music Director & Conductor of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, speaking about the opening concert of the 2024-25 season titled, "Fate and Destiny," Tuesday, October 22 at 7:30 pm at the Community Arts Center, 220 W. 4th Street in downtown Williamsport. The concert will feature music by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Kevin Puts. www.williamsportsymphony.org/ www.CAClive.com/

Vince Giordano, award-winning multi-instrumentalist and band leader, speaking about his life in music in anticipation of his visit to the University of Scranton on Friday, October 18, 2024. He will present a talk titled, "There's a Future in the Past: Leading a Repertory Orchestra/Band in the 21st Century" as part of the World Affairs Luncheon Seminars of the Schemel Forum in Brennan Hall at 11:30 am. There is a fee to attend. www.scranton.edu/SchemelForum He and The Nighthawks will offer a free concert Friday evening at 7:30 at the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street & Jefferson Ave. www.scranton.edu/music