PHOTOS: NEPA Scene Mid-Winter Talent Showcase in Wilkes-Barre, 02/27/15
When we were still in the early planning stages of the NEPA Scene Mid-Winter Talent Showcase, we were told by several people that it would never work. An audience, it was said, would never pay $10-$15 to see up-and-coming local performers without an out-of-town headliner to draw them in. They would never want to see a show that mixed comedians, poets, musicians, magicians, and performance artists together, especially if they didn’t recognize some or all of their names. Yet on Friday, Feb. 27, they came, they saw, and they loved it.
The ballroom at The Woodlands Inn in Wilkes-Barre was packed for a show unlike any other in Northeastern Pennsylvania, featuring performers from all across the area in a professional production presented by Dawe Consulting, LLC. Dan Hoppel served as emcee and kept everyone laughing along with fellow comedians Zack Hammond, Elliott Elliott, John Walton, and Sergio Marzitelli. Magician Tony Klusmeyer surprised and amazed with a card trick that involved Russian roulette played with cans of Silly String; The Carlton read honest, unapologetic poetry; Kyle Rebar performed a hilarious epic poem about “The Quacken” and taught everyone about dinosaurs, complete with guitar loops and demonstrations from fellow performers; and young musicians Skip Monday, C-Rock, and Fiddy Shades (joined by Your Pal Frank) rocked original acoustic songs throughout the evening. NEPA Scene founder and editor Rich Howells also shared some satirical and heartfelt poems.
NEPA Scene photographer Robb Malloy was there to capture every moment of the fun, and as Howells promised, there is plenty more to come.
All the acts in the showcase were chosen by audiences who attended NEPA Scene’s former weekly open mic nights at The Woodlands, which have now grown into the NEPA Scene’s Got Talent weekly open mic and talent contest to be held at Thirst T’s Bar & Grill in Olyphant every Tuesday, starting March 24. For more information on that event, which is sure to involve some of these same performers and a slew of new faces, click here.
