Artscene With Erika Funke

Jill Carletti, Creative Director of Harmony in the Woods in Hawley, PA, speaking about Harmony Presents and its history, in anticipation of a partnership between the Foundation for Harmony Presents and the Milford Theater to offer a program titled, "Songs of New York" created by the award-winning tenor Blake Friedman, with a narrative thread rooted in his autobiography and featuring opera arias and tunes from musical theatre that he will perform on May 7, 2022, at the Milford Theater, 114 E. Catharine Street in Milford, PA. www.themilfordtheater.com/ www.harmonyinthewoods.org/ www.blakefriedmantenor.com/

Dr. Alicia Nordstrom, Psychology Professor/Department Chair, & creator/director of The Voices Project; Dr. Lalaine Little, art historian & director of the Pauly Friedman Art Gallery at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA, speaking about "80 Minutes Around the World: Immigration Stories" created by award-winning storyteller Nestor Gomez of Chicago, a collaboration with The Voices Project. There will be 4 performances: April 28, 2022 at 7:30 pm & April 29 at 12:30 pm at Misericordia in Lemmond Theatre; April 29 at 7:30 pm at the FM Kirby Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre; and April 30 at 7:30 pm at the Scranton Cultural Center. Admission is free. www.misericordia.edu/voicesproject

Paige Balitski of Diva Theater, director; Margo Azzarelli & Marnie Azzarelli, coauthors of "Dawn of Lackawanna", an original historical play set in Scranton in the late 1800s. The premiere is presented by Diva Theater at the Olde Brick Theatre, 126 West Market Street in Scranton, April 29 through May 8, 2022, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 pm with Sunday matinees at 2:00. 570-209-7766 https://www.facebook.com/DivaTheaterScranton

Della Hutchison, president, and Sara Kelley, board member, of the Lewisburg Arts Council, speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell about the annual Celebration of the Arts, April 30 through May 14, 2022, presented by the Lewisburg Arts Council in downtown Lewisburg, PA. For information: www.lewisburgartscouncil.com/

Kevin Harger-Blizzard, participant in the annual Leadership Northeast program and member of "Team Beezy," speaking about their bee-themed project dedicated to bringing children & the arts together & also encouraging people to come to downtown Wilkes-Barre. There will be a special event on April 23, 2022 from 1:00 to 3:00 in Midtown Village with a ribbon-cutting to dedicate the sculpture & many activities for children. www.leadershipnortheast.org/

Dr. Rick Hoffenberg, Associate Professor of Choral Conducting & Director of Choral Activities, at Marywood University in Scranton, speaking about the Spring Choral Concerts on campus. The Marywood Chamber Choir will perform on April 23, 2022, at 7:30 at the Marian Chapel with pieces by Barber, Beach and others; The Concert Choir will perform April 29 & 30 at 7:30 each evening in the Rotunda of the Liberal Arts Center with the Mass in g minor by Vaughan Williams and more. Admission is free. www.marywood.edu/

Cody Mead, choral director & organist at Wesley United Methodist Church in Bloomsburg, and founder of The Bloomsburg Singers, speaking about his life in music and the special weekend featuring a screening of the silent film, "Metropolis" with live improvised accompaniment by internationally-known organist Peter Krasinski at Wesley Church on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 8:00 pm. There will be a pop-up art installation that evening by the Exchange Arts of Bloomsburg. Facebook.com/TheBloomsburgSingers

Margaret Atwood, award-winning author of over 50 volumes of fiction, nonfiction, poetry & more, including "The Handmaid's Tale," speaking by Zoom in anticipation of her visit to Wilkes University as the featured writer of the Allan Hamilton Dickson Fund Spring Writers Series. There will be "A Conversation with Margaret Atwood" hosted by the Wilkes English Department on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at 7 pm, at the FM Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, 71 Public Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre. To register: www.wilkes.edu/lectureseries

Jeremy Dennis, fine art photographer of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, in an interview from November 2019 in connection with a show at the Linder Gallery at Keystone College in La Plume, PA. The feature was rebroadcast to coincide with an exhibition of his work at the Hope Horn Gallery at the University of Scranton titled, "Mapping Shinnecock: Sites & Portraits--Photographs by Jeremy Dennis" running until April 29, 2022. The show is part of the larger initiative at the U of S funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: "Scranton's Story; The Nation's Story". www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory/

Diana Collins, Membership Coordinator at WVIA Public Media and founder of The Page Turners Book Club at the station, speaking about the current selection, "Sanditon" by Jane Austen, coinciding with the Masterpiece series "Sanditon," in its second season on PBS & WVIA TV Sundays at 9pm. There will be an online book discussion about "Sanditon" on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at 7:00, and the public is invited to take part without charge. www.wvia.org/pageturners

George Martynuk, founder and director of the artist management agency George M. Martynuk, Inc. of New York, speaking about his life, his career in the opera world and his deep ties to Ukraine, & also sharing stories about great singers like the Metropolitan Opera bass Paul Plishka, who was born in northeastern Pennsylvania. For more information: www.georgemartynuk.com/

Laurie McCants, playwright & director & emeritus member of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble; James Goode, actor & emeritus member of BTE; and Peter Brown, actor & associate member of BTE, speaking about the short play, "Ben and Joe" centering on Ben Franklin's last day in England spent with his friend Joseph Priestley. The scene will have its premiere as part of a virtual event on Thursday, April 14, 2022, at 7pm as part of a WVIA project supported by the PA Humanities Council and the NEH through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Laurie McCants and Dr. Carla Mulford of Penn State University will talk about the two friends and take questions from viewers. There is no admission charge. www.wvia.org/

Rebecca Serle, NY Times best-selling author, speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell about her recent novel, "One Italian Summer," published by Atria Books. For more information: www.rebeccaserle.com/

Rebecca Serle, NY Times Best-Selling author, speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell, about her recent novel, "One Italian Summer," published by Atria Books. For more information: www.rebeccaserle.com/

Ronnie Harvey, general theater manager & film booker at the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock, PA, speaking about the Annual Spring Film Festival running April 8 through April 28, 2022, with 23 films in 21 days. There are special events over the course of the three-week series, as well. www.dietrichtheater.com/ The Dietrich Theater is located at 60 East Tioga Street in Tunkhannock.

Rebecca Serle, NY Times bestselling author, speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell, about her new novel, "One Italian Summer" issued by Atria Books. For more information: www.rebeccaserle.com/

Laurie McCants, playwright, director & emeritus member of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble; James Goode, actor & emeritus member of BTE, and Peter Brown, actor & associate ensemble member of BTE, speaking about the play, "Ben and Joe" by Laurie McCants. The work centers on the friendship between Benjamin Franklin & Joseph Priestley and was written for a project funded by the PA Humanities Council & the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The theater piece was recorded at the WVIA studios and will be screened as part of a live virtual event on Thursday, April 14, 2022, at 7:00 pm, featuring Laurie McCants in conversation with Dr. Carla Mulford of Penn State University, who is a Franklin scholar. The public is invited to take part without charge. For more information: www.wvia.org/

Cheryl Boga, Director of Performance Music at the University of Scranton, speaking about the dedication of the harpsichord donated by Sarah Davies to the school in celebration of the many years of service to the University on the part of Linda Ledford Miller. The concert will feature Kako Miura, baroque violin, and friends in music of Corelli, Bach, Biber and more, and will take place at 7:30 pm at the Houlihan-McLean Center. Admission is free, and high-grade masks are required. www.scranton.edu/music

Eric Wunsch, Actor & Ensemble Member, speaking about the play, "Witch" by Jen Silverman, presented by the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, from March 31 through April 16, 2022, at the Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center Street in downtown Bloomsburg, PA. There will be a special benefit performance for Ukraine relief on April 8. For more information: www.bte.org/

Marjorie Maddox, Professor of English and Creative Writing at Lock Haven University, speaking with WVIA's Mindy Cronk about a collaboration with artist Karen Elias, titled "Heart Speaks, Is Spoken For" published by Shanti Arts, in anticipation of a book signing at Otto Bookstore in Williamsport on Friday, April 1, 2022 at 6:00 pm (ottobookstore.com) and on Sunday, April 3, Maddox will be giving a reading at the Joseph Priestley Chapel in Northumberland, PA at 9:30 am. (priestleychapel.org/events). On Sunday, April 10, there will be a double book launch with Karen Elias at the Gmeiner Arts Center in Wellsboro at 2:00 (gmeinerartculturalcenter.org) For more information: www.marjoriemaddox.com/