Artscene 2023

David Parmelee, General Manager of Little Theatre, Walter Mitchell Jr., Artistic Director & Asst. Director, & Director Mark Finkelstein, speaking about  "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. This will be the first US production of a new adaptation by Justin Haigh, a Toronto-based playwright.
The show runs from December 8 through 17, 2023--Fridays and 
Saturdays at 8 pm & Sundays at 3 pm at The Little Theatre of
Wilkes-Barre, 537 N. Main Street.
www.ltwb.org/

David Parmelee; Walter Mitchell, Jr.; Mark Finkelstein; December 1 2023

Gerardo Edelstein, Music Director & Conductor of the
Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, speaking with 
WVIA's Fiona Powell about the annual Holiday
Concert on Friday, December 8, 2023, featuring
a Broadway theme, with special guest soloists.
The performance will take place at the Community 
Arts Center, 220 W. 4th Street in downtown
Williamsport at 7:30 pm,.
www.williamsportsymphony.org/

Gerardo Edelstein; December 4 2023

Dr. Olapeju Simoyan, a member of the founding faculty
of the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in
Scranton, speaking about the second edition of her book
"Scranton, A Place to Call Home."
Dr. Simoyan will take part in The Local History
Emporium presented by the Lackawanna Historical Society
on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Catlin House,
232 Monroe Avenue in Scranton from 11 am to 2 pm.
www.lackawannahistory.org/  and www.thedoctorwriter.com/

Olapeju Simoyan; December 5 2023

Christopher Jackson: December 6 2023

Dr. Christopher Jackson, Artistic Director & Conductor of the 
Bach Choir of Bethlehem & the Bach Festival Orchestra,
speaking about the 2023 Christmas Concerts on Saturday,
December 9th at the First Presbyterian Church, Allentown, 
and Sunday, December 10th at the First Presbyterian Church,
Bethlehem, at 4:00 each afternoon.  The Sunday performance
will feature a Live Stream option.  www.bach.org/

Christopher Jackson; December 6 2023

Greg Zelek, Principal Organist of the Madison Symphony Orchestra in Wisconsin & Curator of the Overture Concert Organ, speaking about pipe organs and their capabilities in a recording from October 2022. He will return to St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 35 William Street in Pittston, PA, to present a Christmas Celebration featuring a sing-a-long of
sacred carols and organ selections by Bach, Purvis and Bedard.  The Nativity story will be read and children will take part. The concert will be held on Sunday, December 10, 2023, at 3:00 and for more information: www.stjohnspittston.com/   and   www.gregzelek.com/

Greg Zelek; December 7 2023

Billie Aken-Tyers, playwright with the Scranton
Shakespeare Festival, speaking with WVIA's
Fiona Powell about "Jack and the Beanstalk," an
original Fairy Tale Pantomime for Scranton in the 
2023 Holiday Season.
There will be performances for two weekends at the 
Shakes Space at the Marketplace at Steamtown in
downtown Scranton.
December 8th through the 17th: 12/8 & 12/9 at 6 pm;
Sunday 12/10 at 2 pm.   Again 12/15 at 6 pm; 12/16 at 2 & 6 pm,
& 12/17 at 2.  www.scrantonshakes.com.

Billie Aken-Tyers, December 8 2023

Matt Vashlishian, jazz musician and composer, speaking about the annual holiday concert presented by the Water Gap Jazz Orchestra at East Stroudsburg University featuring 
Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite and The Grinch Suite by Matt Vashlishian.
The ESU performance will take place on Saturday, December 16, 2023, at 7 pm.
The program will be repeated on Sunday, December 17th at 3:00 at the Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ.
For more information: www.wgjo.org/

Matt Vashlishian; December 11 2023

Dr. Lalaine Little, Director of the Pauly Friedman Art Gallery at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA, and Dr. Mateusz Wosik, Paleontologist & Assistant Professor of Biology at Misericordia, speaking about an exhibition of photographs
and artifacts titled "Lost Worlds" on the campus in 2022.  They will be guests on the Keystone Edition Arts TV program, "Getting Creative with the Past: Dinosaurs!" that will be
recorded at the WVIA studios in Pittston on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at 7:00 pm.  The public is invited to be part of the studio audience. There is no admission charge.  To make reservations and learn more: wvia.org/events.

Lalaine Little; Mateusz Wosik; December 12 2023

Al Jacobsen, Executive Director of the Allentown Symphony Association, and Amanda Haag, Program Manager & Choral Director of El Sistema Lehigh Valley,
speaking about ESLV in anticipation of their annual holiday concert, "Songs of Peace, Hope & Cheer" on Thursday,
December 14, 2023, at 6:00 at Roosevelt Elementary School in Allentown. 
The Allentown Pops will present a holiday concert at Miller Symphony Hall on Saturday, December 16 at 2:00 and again at 7:00 pm under the direction of Diane Wittry.  www.millersymphonyhall.org/

Al Jacobsen; Amanda Haag; December 13 2023

Amy Casimir; December 14 2023

Amy Carter Casimir, founder and director of Strictly Ballet in Lewisburg, PA, speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell about the 6th Annual Lewisburg Victorian Nutcracker, a co-production with RiverStage Community Theatre, on Saturday, December 16, 2023, at 2:00 and 7:00 pm, at the Greenspace Center, 815 Market Street in Lewisburg.
For more information: www.riverstagetheatre.org/

12142023AmyCasimir

Christopher Gallo, Artistic Director of the Lyric Consort,
speaking about the ensemble and its annual holiday
concert, "A Lyric Consort Christmas," on Saturday, 
December 16, 2023, at 8:00 pm, at St. Luke's Episcopal
Church, Wyoming Avenue, in Scranton.
www.lyricconsort.org/

Christopher Gallo; December 15 2023

Diane Grant Czajkowski, award-winning artist, speaking about her work in connection with two current exhibitions: The Cider Painters of America International Show at the Main Street Galleries on Pierce St. in Kingston, PA, through December 28, 2023, and the 90th Anniversary exhibit of the
Miniature Painters Sculptors Gravers Society, Washington D.C. Group, at the Strathmore Mansion in Bethesda, MD, through January 13, 2024.
www.dianeshorses.com/     dianesart@verizon.net/
www.mpsgs.org/

Diane Grant Czajkowski; December 19 2023

Mark Stavish of northeastern PA, authority on Western spiritual traditions, speaking about winter & welcoming the new year. He is author of 26 books including "The Path of Alchemy," "Kabbalah for Health & Wellness" and "Egregores".
For more information: Facebook.com/mark.stavish.5
The interview was recorded in December 2022.

Mark Stavish; December 20 2023

April Genevieve Tucholke, author of "Merry & Hark,"
and Thomas Speicher, author of "A Day with Waffles 
& Alexis," speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell about
their recent children's books.  For more information:
www.apriltucholke.com/  and www.pct.edu/public-
relations-marketing/staff.

April Genevieve Tucholke; Thomas Speicher; December 21 2023

Trebbe Johnson, writer, speaker, founder of Radical Joy for Hard Times, talking about her recent book, 
"Fierce Consciousness: Surviving the Sorrows of Earth and Self," issued by Calliope Books in January 2023. 
For more information: www.trebbejohnson.com/
The conversation was first broadcast on 8/10/23

Trebbe Johnson; December 26 2023

Howard Grossman, Vice-Chair of the recently-formed Luzerne County Arts Advisory Board, speaking about the board and its vision as the members prepare for a Concert Event on April 14, 2024 and look ahead to the next quarterly meeting, to which the public is invited.  For more information:  luzernecounty.org/1393/arts-advisory-board.

Howard Grossman; December 27 2023

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/
Gagosian is presenting the exhibition, "A Foreigner Called Picasso," curated by Annie Cohen-Solal and Verane Tasseau at 522 West 21st Street in New York through February 10, 2024.
www.gagosian.com/

Annie Cohen-Solal; December 28 2023

Bobby Kelchner, Director of Operations at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Public Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre, speaking about the special New Year's Eve celebration featuring Cabinet, in a return performance. Mike Miz and the Northeast Extension will open at 8:30 pm on Sunday, December 31, 2023, and Cabinet will pick up about 45 minutes later and continue playing to welcome 2024.  www.kirbycenter.org/     The box office: 570-826-1100.

Artscene 2023

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