Artscene With Erika Funke

Joanne Arduino, Artistic Director of Ballet Theatre ofScranton, speaking about the 50th anniversary ofthe ensemble's presentations of The Nutcracker Balletby Tchaikovsky. There will be 6 performances:November 28, 29 and 30, 2025, at Noon and5:30 each day--at the Theater at North,1539 N. Main Avenue in Scranton.As always, admission is free, but it will be necessaryto visit the box office two hours before the performanceto secure tickets. www.balletscranton.org/

Dr. Joshua Harper, Artistic Director & Conductor of the Choral Society ofNortheast PA, and Assistant Professor at Wilkes University, speaking aboutthe opening concert of the 2025-2026 season, featuring the Requiem ofMaurice Durufle. The performance will include a full orchestra, guestsoloists, & organist Mark Laubach, with the Choral Society of NEPA andthe Wilkes University Chorus under Dr. Harper's direction.The concert will feature the premiere of a work commissioned by theChoral Society in memory of Francis McMullen: "O Lord support us"by Katherine Webb. The performance will take place on Sunday,November 23, 2025 at 3:00 pm at St. Stephen's EpiscopalPro-Cathedral, 35 S. Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre.Admission is free. www.choralsociety.net/

Thomas Speicher, award-winning writer and video producerin Public Relations and Marketing at Pennsylvania Collegeof Technology in Williamsport, speaking about his seriesof three children's books: "A Week with Waffles,""A Day with Waffles and Alexis" and the most recent,"Waffles Goes to the Beach." There are illustrationsby Marina Saumell, and the books are available onlineand at the Otto Bookstore in Williamsport.For more information: www.pct.edu/

Pianist Jason Sherwin speaking about a program titled,"Echoes Along the Delaware," weaving stories from theAmerican Revolution and D & H Canal with chamber musicfrom across the Atlantic from the same eras. There will bestories told by John Conway, Sullivan County Historian,with music of Handel and Schubert performed bymezzo-soprano Ava Pressman and pianist Jason Sherwin.The program will be held at Krause Hall of the DelawareValley Arts Alliance in Narrowsburg, NY, on Saturday,November 22, 2025, at 3:00. The concert is free, butdonations will be gladly accepted.www.delawarevalleyartsalliance.org/

Caleb Hopkins, Music Director & Conductor of the Williamsport Civic Chorus, speakingabout a concert program titled, "Sacred Voices: Divine Harmony from Martines to Mozart," to be presented on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at 3:00 pmat St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 142 Market Street in Williamsport.For more information: www.williamsportcivicchorus.org/

Director Dave Reynolds, Chair of the Theatre Department & Production Managerat King's College, and actor Noah McGinnis, who has the role of Caliban, speaking about the current production of Shakespeare's The Tempest that is running November 13through 21, 2025, at the George Maffei II Theatre, 133 N. River Street in Wilkes-Barre. Shows November 13, 14 & 15--and 20 & 21 at 7:30 pm with a Sundaymatinee November 16 at 2:00.For more information: www.kings.edu/

Brenda Grunza, Co-President, & Ann Manganiello, Music Director & Conductor of the Catholic Choral Society of Scranton, speaking about the22nd Annual "The Generations Sing" concert on Sunday, November 16, 2025, at 3:00 pm,at Holy Rosary Church, 316 William Street in Scranton. There will be special guestchoirs from regional schools and an organ performance by Michael Sowa.Admission is free and a free will offering will be taken. www.catholicchoralsociety.org/

Melisse Brunet, Music Director & Conductor of the NEPA Philharmonic,speaking about the recent candlelit performances of Mozart'sRequiem in Wilkes-Barre & Scranton and the rest of the 2025-26season. The orchestra has just announced that Melisse Brunet hasextended her contract through June 2029.The next concert of the season—(Candle)LIT Brass—will take place on November 21st at 7 pm at the Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre, featuring the NEPAPhilharmonic Brass Quintet. For information about the entire season,www.nepaphil.org/

Award-winning playwright Stephen Karam, a native of Scranton, PA, speaking about his work and his ties to his hometown, in anticipation of his return to NEPAas the guest for the 2025 Visiting Writer Series at King's College in Wilkes-Barre.There will be a free public presentation on Wednesday, November 19th, at7:00 pm in Burke Auditorium in the McGowan School of Business, 131North River Street. The program will include a talk, a Q & A session and a book signing.For information: www.kings.edu/

Organist Christopher Johnson speaking about a program titled, "Phantom of the Pipes,"that he will present at the University of Scranton on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 7:30 pm.The concert will feature music by Bach, Messiaen and others, and admission is free.Th performance will be held in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street & JeffersonAvenue, on the campus in downtown Scranton. www.scranton.edu/music

NEPA Artist Diane Grant Czajkowski, speaking about her work and the exhibitions where her pieces will be shown in November 2025. Cider Painters International Exhibition at the Main Street Gallery, Pierce Street in Kingston, through December 20th. "Focused,"a photography exhibit at Luzerne County Community College, Nov 14 through Dec 17;November 15th at the Wyoming Valley Mall Craft Show; The Wyoming Valley Art League Fall Juried Show from November 21 through January 8, 2026, at the Circle Centre for theArts in downtown Wilkes-Barre; and the Miniature Painters Sculptors Gravers Society ofWashington, DC, the Mansion at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland, from November 22 toJanuary 10, 2026. For more information: www.dianegrantart.com/

Dr. Lalaine Bangilan Little, Director of the Pauly Friedman Gallery,and Dr. Allan Austin, Professor of History at MisericordiaUniversity in Dallas, PA, speaking about the exhibition,"Resilience--A Sansei Sense of Legacy,"running now through December 15, 2025, featuring work by 8 artists whosepieces reflect on the effects of FDR's Executive Order 9066 as ithas resonated from generation to generation. There will be a gallery talkby Dr. Austin on November 17th beginning at 6:00 pm.For more information: www.misericordia.edu/art

Paige Balitski and Bob Balitski, co-founders of Diva Theater,speaking about the upcoming production of "Incorruptible,"a dark comedy by Michael Hoillinger. Paige directs and Bobplays the abbot. There are shows Fridays & Saturdays,November 7, 8, 14, 15, 2025 at 7:30 pm, and SundaysNovember 9 & 16 at 2:00 pm, at the Olde Brick Theater,126 W. Market Street in Scranton.For reservations: 570-209-7766and for information, Facebook.com/divatheaterscranton

Rick Markham and Bill Jeffrey, playwrights andboard members of the Legion Theatre Groupin White Haven, speaking about a program of4 plays under the title, "Nightfall BeforeChristmas: Haunting Holiday Plays byWilliam Jeffrey and Rick Markham" tobenefit the Legion Theatre Group.Shows will be Saturday, November 8, 2025,at 8 pm and Sunday, November 9 at 2 pm,at the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre,537 North Main Street.www.legiontheatregroup.org/

Chason Goldschmitz, Executive Director of the NEPA Philharmonic,speaking about the upcoming concerts in 2025 by the orchestra:Thursday, November 6 at 7:00 there will be a Candle (LIT)concert with the NEPA Philharmonic String Quartet at theLace Village 1315 Meylert Street in Scranton. The programwill feature contemporary pop tunes arranged for stringquartet--Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars andmore. There will be premium table seating with smallbites and signature drinks and an open bar.For more information about that performance andthe other concerts before the end of the calendar year:www.nepaphil.org/

Violinist John Vaida, Executive Director and Co-founder of NEPACMS withviolist Amy Iwazumi, Chief of Operations, speaking about a pair of concertstitled, "Echoes & Interludes" on Friday, November 7, 2025, at 7 pm atSt. Stephen's Episcopal Pro-Cathedral, 35 South Franklin Street indowntown Wilkes-Barre. The second performance will take place onNovember 8th at 7 pm at Lycoming College's Trachte Music Center in theMary Lindsay Welch Honors Hall in Williamsport. The program features BrahmsPiano Quartet No. 2, Phantasy for Piano Quartet by Frank Bridge, andthe Intermezzo for String Trio by Zoltan Kodaly.For more information: www.nepacms.org/

Joell Yarmel, Executive Director, and NeilPrisco, Director of Marketing, at the F. MKirby Center for the Performing Arts indowntown Wilkes-Barre, speaking abouta recent economic impact survey andsharing some of the performancesscheduled at the Kirby in the upcoming months.For more information: www.kirbycenter.org/

Sara Male, Executive Director, and Dana Allaband, Artistic Director of the Gabriel Chamber Ensemble, speaking about the second concert in the 2025-2026 season atJerusalem Lutheran Church, 252 Dock Street in Schuylkill Haven at 3:00 pm on November 2nd. The program is titled, "Evolution - From Past to Plague" and will feature the oratorio"The Plague" by Andrew Lipke, as well as music by Bach and Puccini.The GCE will be joined by members of the Schuylkill Choral Society and Eastern PA Choral Society directed by Mark Thomas. Composer Andrew Lipke will join the performance.A reception will follow. For information: www.gabrielensemble.org/Agnes Maurer will be recognized for her remarkable leadership of 35 years.

Richard Stanislaus, artist, collector and guest curator for the Hope Horn Gallery exhibit; Chester Kulesa, retired Historic SiteAdministrator of the PA Historical & Museum CommissionAnthracite Heritage Museum & Scranton Iron Furnaces &guest essayist for the catalogue of the show, & Dr. DarleneMiller-Lanning, Director of the Hope Horn Gallery at theUniversity of Scranton, speaking about the currentexhibition titled, "The Anthracite Coal Industry ofNortheastern Pennsylvania: Selected Paintings,Sculptures & Works on Paper from Public & PrivateCollections: 1829 - 1959."The show will run at the Hope Horn Galleryfrom October 20 through December 12, 2025,with a talk on post office muralsNovember 7th at 5:00 with a reception at 6:00.www.scranton.edu/academics/hope-horn-gallery/index.shtml/ This is the second of a two-part interview.