Rich Howells

NEPA SCENE PODCAST: Telling the real ‘Polka King’ story with documentary filmmaker John Mikulak

NEPA SCENE PODCAST: Telling the real ‘Polka King’ story with documentary filmmaker John Mikulak

Recorded and produced every week by Internet marketing company Coal Creative in their production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, the award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast presents honest, uncensored interviews and in-depth discussions about local arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. The live, multi-camera show streams in high definition on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page […]

 Rich Howells

VIDEOS: NEPA musicians perform with ‘Polka King’ Jack Black on ‘Colbert’ and ‘Today’ show

VIDEOS: NEPA musicians perform with ‘Polka King’ Jack Black on ‘Colbert’ and ‘Today’ show

While the NEPA Scene Podcast recorded a show with John Mikulak, whose local documentary inspired the new Netflix movie “The Polka King,” several Northeastern Pennsylvania musicians were in New York City yesterday performing polka music with its star, Jack Black, on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” which aired later that night on CBS. Black […]

 Rich Howells

VIDEO: Netflix releases first trailer for ‘The Polka King’ starring Jack Black as Hazleton con man

As NEPA Scene reported yesterday, Netflix has finally settled on an official release date for its new comedic drama, “The Polka King,” so today the streaming service dropped the first trailer for the anticipated film, which stars comedian, actor, and musician Jack Black as real-life Hazleton polka legend Jan “Lewan” Lewandowski. No area has anticipated […]

 Rich Howells

‘The Polka King’ starring Jack Black as Hazleton con man premieres on Netflix on Jan. 12

‘The Polka King’ starring Jack Black as Hazleton con man premieres on Netflix on Jan. 12

Since its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 22, moviegoers in Northeastern Pennsylvania have been anxiously waiting for a release date for the new comedic drama “The Polka King,” which is forgoing a traditional theatrical release by becoming a Netflix exclusive. The reason so many locals are looking forward to the movie […]

 Rich Howells

VIDEO: Hazleton ‘Polka King’ Jan Lewan joins Jack Black on stage for ‘Rappin’ Polka’ at Sundance premiere Q&A

VIDEO: Hazleton ‘Polka King’ Jan Lewan joins Jack Black on stage for ‘Rappin’ Polka’ at Sundance premiere Q&A

While we still don’t have a trailer for the anticipated comedic drama “The Polka King,” which stars comedian, actor, and musician Jack Black as real-life Hazleton polka legend (and convicted con man) Jan “Lewan” Lewandowski, coverage of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday, Jan. 22 has given us many more details […]

 Rich Howells

Jack Black comedy ‘The Polka King,’ based on Hazleton polka con man, premieres at Sundance in January

Jack Black comedy ‘The Polka King,’ based on Hazleton polka con man, premieres at Sundance in January

Back in March, we reported that comedian, actor, and musician Jack Black was cast as Pennsylvania polka legend Jan “Lewan” Lewandowski in an upcoming film based on the locally produced documentary “The Man Who Would Be Polka King.” Now the Sundance Institute has announced that “The Polka King,” which Black is also producing, will have […]

 NEPA Scene Staff

‘Scars and Stripes’ examines Waverly’s history as a fugitive slave community

From a press release: The Lackawanna Historical Society and the Waverly Community House will present “Scars & Stripes: The Remarkable Story of Waverly’s Black Civil War Soldiers” on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. at the Waverly Community House (1115 N. Abington Road, Waverly). This multimedia presentation will be led by author and Waverly native […]