Events happening this week in downtown Wilkes-Barre: March 17-23
Every Tuesday, the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Association and Diamond City Partnership release a list of events happening in downtown Wilkes-Barre. Subscribe here to receive this list via e-mail or just check NEPA Scene each week.
Downtown events
Tuesday, March 17
Event: Wyoming Valley Art League Artists Social
Time: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: Wyoming Valley Art League (130 S. Franklin St., REAR)
The Wyoming Valley Art League presents Tuesday Art Social! Come and go as you please. Bring your own art and materials and work while enjoying the company and inspiration of other artists! Members only – but anyone can come and purchase their membership the same day.
More information: wyomingvalleyartleague.org or 570-288-1020
Tuesday, March 17
Event: United Nations Lecture Series: UNICEF’s Emily Pasnak-Lapchick on Child Trafficking
Time: 4 p.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Wilkes University Henry Student Center Ballroom (84 W. South St.)
Human trafficking affects more than 5.5 million children annually. Emily Pasnak-Lapchick, End Trafficking Officer at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, sheds light on this human rights issue when she answers the question “How Can You Take Action Against Human Trafficking?” in her March 17 lecture. In her role at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Ms. Pasnak-Lapchick leads a national awareness and advocacy campaign about child trafficking; she was recently named one of “40 under 40” by the Young Nonprofit Network.
More information: wilkes.edu or 1-800-WILKES-U
Wednesday, March 18
Event: 2015 Lenten Recital Series at St. Stephen’s
Time: 11:20, organ recital; noon, service
Location: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral (35 S. Franklin St.)
Since the 1920s, St. Stephen’s has presented free musical recitals prior to a Community Lenten Service. Organist Thomas Clark-Jones, of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois is the featured artist at his week’s recital. The liturgist at the noon service will be Reverend William S. Marshall, Jr. of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral and the preacher will be Reverend Diane Sickler of Unity of NEPA. There will be additional special musical accompaniment. Free and open to the public; lunch is available immediately following the services in the auditorium for $4. The Lenten Recital Series is presented by the Downtown Ministerium of Wilkes-Barre.
More information: ststephenswb.org or 570-825-6653
Wednesday, March 18
Event: Teen Night at the Osterhout
Time: 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Location: Osterhout Free Library (71 S. Franklin St.)
It’s Teen Night at the Osterhout! Make your own flower pen to celebrate the first day of spring, together with “The Hunger Games” arrow pencils. Free and open to the public.
More information: osterhout.info or 570-821-1959
Thursday, March 19
Event: Wilkes University Gardner Educational Forum
Time: 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m.
Location: Wilkes University Marts Athletic Center, Room 214 (274 S. Franklin St.)
Presenter Dr. Beth Rogowsky, Assistant Professor of Education at Bloomsburg University, will speak on the topic “Does Learning Style Really Matter?” Free and open to the public; Pennsylvania certified teachers can earn Act 48 credit for their attendance and participation in Gardner Educational Forum sessions.
More information: wilkes.edu or 570-408-4686
Thursday, March 19
Event: Franklin Street Sleuths: The Red House Mystery
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Osterhout Free Library (71 S. Franklin St.)
Join our lively book discussion of “The Red House Mystery” by A.A. Milne. Light refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public
More information: osterhout.info or 570-821-1959
Thursday, March 19
Event: Penn State Wilkes-Barre “Stories of International Inspiration” Film & Discussion Series: The First Grader
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: R/C Wilkes-Barre Movies 14 (24 E. Northampton St.)
Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s Spring 2015 Film & Discussion Series, cosponsored by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber, moves beyond the boundaries of Hollywood with five films from around the world. These artistic achievements cover the human condition in Africa, China, India, Saudi Arabia, and France. This week’s film is “The First Grader” (2010, PG-13, 103 minutes), the true story of an old 84-year old Kenyan villager who fights for his right to go to school for the first time in order to get the education he could never before afford. Cost for the series is $40 per person; discounts may apply. Participants earn continuing education credit upon series completion. Register now online.
More information: wb.psu.edu/CE or 570-675-9253
Thursday, March 19
Event: The Kirby Center presents George Thorogood & The Destroyers in Concert
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: F. M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts (71 Public Square)
George Thorogood & The Destroyers are badder than ever: after more than four decades, over 8,000 live shows, and some 15 million albums sold worldwide, the Destroyers are still making electrifying music, still thrilling audiences, and still the most “bad-to-the-bone” performers in rock! Now, the legendary rockers bring their 40th Anniversary Tour to the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on March 19. Tickets start at $38.
More information: kirbycenter.org or 570-826-1100
Thursday, March 19
Event: “Gas Pipelines In Northeastern Pennsylvania: Challenges and Solutions” Panel Discussion
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Wilkes University Stark Learning Center, Room 101 (150 S. River St.)
The debate about constructing gas pipelines in Pennsylvania – a heated issue regionally and nationally – receives a balanced treatment in a panel discussion bringing together representatives from government, utility companies, higher education, and environmental groups. Legislative and research issues needed to protect the state’s citizens and the environment while still allowing for infrastructure development will be explored. Panelists will respond to questions about the issue; time for questions from the audience will be included. The event is free and open to the public.
More information: wilkes.edu or 570-408-4758
Friday, March 20
Event: Osterhout Free Movie Friday: “Hang ’Em High”
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Osterhout Free Library (71 S. Franklin St.)
Free movie matinee every Friday. This week, the Osterhout presents “Hang ‘Em High,” a 1968 western starring Clint Eastwood as an innocent man who, after barely surviving a lynching, returns as a lawman determined to bring the vigilantes to justice. Free and open to the public.
More information: osterhout.info or 570-821-1959
Friday, March 20
Event: The Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: F. M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts (71 Public Square)
Close your eyes and imagine the unique sound of Johnny Cash just as it was, live and for the first time, in the early 1960’s. Now, open your eyes and experience this great singer/songwriter recreated on stage in the hit musical tribute “The Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash.” “The Man in Black,” starring Shawn Barker, offers the retro look, sound, and feel of American icon Johnny Cash. Presented by the F.M. Kirby Center and Joe Nardone’s Gallery of Sound. Tickets start at $27.
More information: kirbycenter.org or 570-826-1100
Friday, March 20
Event: Arts Seen Gallery on the Square Third Friday Spoken Word
Time: 5 p.m.-10 p.m.
Location: Arts Seen Gallery on the Square (21 Public Square)
Arts Seen Gallery on the Square will be celebrating the March Third Friday with a 10 percent off special sale on all artwork beginning at 5 p.m. At 8 p.m., our Third Friday “Spoken Word” Open Mic event resumes with a Post St. Patrick’s Day Celebration with light refreshments, hosted by poet Chelsea Louise. Anyone with any talent in the artistic spectrum is welcome to perform: poets, musicians, comedians, puppeteers, etc. Free and open to the public; donations encouraged. Be sure to stop by and browse our gallery featuring a diverse display of unique artwork by over 30 local artists from Northeastern Pennsylvania.
More information: 570-507-0210
Friday, March 20
Event: Meet-the-Artist Reception: Jeremy Petrachonis ‘ABSTRACTION!’
Time: 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Location: Widmann Art Gallery, King’s College Sheehy-Farmer Student Center (W. Jackson St.)
Abstract artist Jeremy Petrachonis, currently a senior majoring in drawing and painting at Penn State University, will discuss his work during a Meet-the-Artists reception on Friday, March 20 in King’s College’s Widmann Gallery.
More information: kings.edu or 570-208-5900, ext. 5328
Saturday, March 21
Event: One More Row Knit & Crochet Group
Time: 10:30 a.m.-noon
Location: Osterhout Free Library (71 S. Franklin St.)
Learn, share, and knit or crochet! All ages and beginners welcome. Free and open to the public.
More information: osterhout.info or 570-821-1959
Saturday, March 21
Event: Saturday Clay Days: Textured Wall Tiles
Time: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Location: Wyoming Valley Art League (130 S. Franklin St.)
Instructor Ellen Jamiolkowski teaches the basics of hand building with clay: pinch, slab, and coiling. The kiln-fired pieces will be decorated with wax crayons, stains, and acrylic paint washes. With clay, the first day is the actual hand building and the second day is the decorating of the pieces that have been fired in the kiln. Participants are welcome to bring clay tools if they have them. Minimum of five students, maximum 12. Please reserve space. Ages 8-adult. $40 per session; supplies will be included.
More information: wyomingvalleyartleague.org or 570-288-1020
Saturday, March 21
Event: Introduction to Watercolor
Time: 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Location: Wyoming Valley Art League (130 S. Franklin St.)
Instructor Elaine D. Walton teaches the basics of watercolor in a fun, supportive, and creative environment. This class will show you how to create unique works of art using techniques like wet-on-wet, dry brush, masking, lifting, and color layering. Every skill level is welcome. Bring your own brushes, paper, and watercolors. Sample paper for experimentation will be provided. $15 per class or $50 for four classes.
More information: wyomingvalleyartleague.org or 570-288-1020
Saturday, March 21
Event: How to Decorate Easter Eggs, Pysanky Style
Time: 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Wyoming Valley Art League (130 S. Franklin St.)
Instructor Marianne Lurie teaches you to decorate Easter eggs pysanky style, using the “drop-pull” method, which is applying beeswax to real eggs. All materials will be provided, and each participant will finish four eggs to take home, just in time for Easter! Eggs, dyes, wax, and the drop-pull tool are provided. Class is limited to 15. Cost for WVAL members is $30, plus $5 materials fee; non-members are $40, plus $5 materials fee. Registration ends on March 17.
More information: wyomingvalleyartleague.org or 570-288-1020
Saturday, March 21
Event: Mixed Media Madness
Time: 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Location: Wyoming Valley Art League (130 S. Franklin St.)
Join instructor Elaine D. Walton in exploring artistic tools, techniques, and materials in a fun, supportive, and creative environment! Students will be encouraged to try new things, explore new mediums, and learn from each other to create unique works of art. At the conclusion of each class, we will have a voluntary critique and art celebration. Limited supplies of glue, newspaper, typing paper, and tape will be provided. Bring anything else that strikes your fancy. Paint, collage, glue, sew, paint, draw, stamp – anything goes in this class! Every skill level is welcome. $15 per class or $50 for four classes.
More information: wyomingvalleyartleague.org or 570-288-1020
Monday, March 23
“Harold & the Purple Crayon”
TIME: 10:00 AM
PLACE: F. M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, 71 Public Square
Enchantment Theatre Company’s stage production brings to life “Harold & The Purple Crayon,” Crockett Johnson’s delightful picture book, which follows the zany adventures of an inventive young boy. Resourceful and brave, Harold creates the world he wants to explore, using nothing more than a big purple crayon and his sky’s-the-limit imagination. The “Harold” books have captivated families for more than 50 years, celebrating the imagination of children and the unique way they see the world. Combining life-size puppets, masks, magic, and music, this production will delight and amaze anyone whose heart is young and adventurous. Pre-K to 3rd Grade. Tickets are $8; members of school groups are $6.
More information: kirbycenter.org or 570-826-1100
Downtown exhibits
Luzerne County Historical Society Museum
(69 S. Franklin St.)
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, noon-2 p.m.; Saturday, noon-4 p.m.
Exhibit: World War II: Luzerne County Answers the Call
Dates: March 6-Aug. 29
The Luzerne County Historical Society’s new exhibit, “World War II: Luzerne County Answers the Call,” explores the role played by the residents of Luzerne County in World War II, both on the home front and the war front. The exhibit features photographs, memorabilia, uniforms, and accouterments from the Society’s collection, as well as items loaned by members of the community. The exhibit will open with a reception on Friday, March 6 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Exhibit: Native Americans of Wyoming Valley
Dates: Permanent exhibition
The permanent exhibit on the Native American inhabitants of the area includes local artifacts ranging from stone implements of the Archaic period to the archeological evidence of European influence.
More information: luzernehistory.org or 570-823-6244
King’s College Widmann Art Gallery
(Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center, between N. Main and N. Franklin Sts.)
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Exhibit: Jeremy Petrachonis: “Abstraction”
Dates: March 9-April 17
Abstract artist Jeremy Petrachonis will display a variety of art works, including pastels, charcoal, and oil paintings, and sculptures during a free, public exhibition titled “Abstraction” in King’s College’s Widmann Gallery. Petrachonis is currently a senior majoring in drawing and painting at Penn State University. The artist will discuss his artwork during a Meet-the-Artists reception from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on Friday, March 20 in the Widmann Gallery.
More information: kings.edu or 570-208-5900, ext. 5328
The Sordoni Art Gallery at Wilkes University
(Stark Learning Center, 150 S. River St.)
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m.
Exhibit: 2014–2015 Dr. Roy E. Morgan Exhibition, Dale Threlkeld: End of Illusion
Dates: Jan. 27-May 17
The work of contemporary American artist Dale Threlkeld is the subject of this retrospective exhibition, organized in conjunction with the Castellani Art Museum at Niagara University. Threlkeld’s “breakthrough moment” occurred in the early 1990s, leading to the signature painting style he is known for today.
More information: wilkes.edu/arts/Sordoni-Art-Gallery or 570-408-4325
Wyoming Valley Art League’s Circle Center for the Arts
(130 S. Franklin St.)
Hours: Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; Third Friday Art Walk, 5 p.m.–8 p.m.
Exhibit: Images of Awakening: The Art of Tibetan Buddhism
Dates: Feb. 20 through March 14
The Sandra Dyczewski Maffei Gallery hosts an exhibition of paintings by Andrea Nerozzi, together with traditional Tibetan spiritual art and artifacts from the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center in upstate New York.
Exhibit: Members’ Show
Dates: ongoing
Artwork from the WVAL’s Members’ Juried Show is currently on view in the second floor gallery.
More information: wyomingvalleyartleague.org or facebook.com/wvartleague
Walk Wilkes-Barre
This week’s historic building is:
Verizon Communications (Bell Telephone Company) Building
222 S. Main St. (1928)
What is now the Verizon building was built to the designs of Philadelphia architect John T. Windrim, who authored Bell Telephone Company buildings throughout Pennsylvania. The massive six-story building – constructed to house the operators and electronic switchgear enabling local and long-distance telephone communication – dominates the skyline of the southern portion of downtown. The buff brick and limestone façade is one of the Wyoming Valley’s finest examples of Art Deco style, with fluted pilasters rising to friezes ornamented with chevrons and zigzag motifs. A modern three-story addition was constructed in the 1960s. 222 South Main Street continues to serve as Verizon’s central switching facility for the Wyoming Valley.
