Noelle Casella Grand, Assistant Principal Cellist with the NEPA Philharmonic,speaking about her life in music and the upcoming chamber concert titled,"Cello Starry Night," presented by the Philharmonic at 7 pm on Friday, January 16, 2026at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 232 Wyoming Avenue in Scranton. The featured guest pianist will be Sebastian Grand, and the program will include pieces by Bach, Beethoven,Debussy and more. www.nepaphil.org/ 570-270-4444

Jared Whitford, co-producer, director and designer ofSTOA: A New Musical Journey, with actors Sara Sneed,Bebe Tabickman, Samantha Lee Mason; and LydiaBrookhart, speaking about the original children'smusical with book and score by Alivia Tagliaferri andadditional music by Sarah Keely Decker.The show will have its premiere on Friday, January9, 2026, at Clark Chapel at Lycoming College inWilliamsport at 7:30 pm. Also shows 1/10 at 7 pm,1/11 at 2 pm, 1/16 at 7 pm, 1/17 at 2:00-a sensory-friendly performance,Also 1/17 at 7 pm, and 1/18 at 2 pm.www.stoabear.com/

Russell Redding, PA Secretary of Agriculture, speaking withWVIA's Fiona Powell before her retirement, in anticipationof the 2021 PA Farm Show. They talked about the importanceof agriculture in PA, about the Farm Show and about "AllCreatures Great and Small" by James Herriot.The 2026 PA Farm show will run from January 10ththrough the 17th at the PA Farm Show Complex &Expo Center in Harrisburg. www.farmshow.pa.gov/A new season of the PBS series "All Creatures Great & Small"will have its premiere on Sunday, January 11th at 9:00 pmon WVIA TV.There will be a special sneak preview of the first episodeon Thursday, January 8th at 7:00 pm at the WVIA PublicMedia Center, 100 WVIA Way in Pittston. There is noadmission fee and the public is invited to attend.Laura Ducceschi is the special guest.Those who attend are asked to bring a donation ofpet food or supplies to be distributed to local animalshelters. www.wvia.org/eventsThe WVIA News Team will broadcast live from the2026 PA Farm Show on Thursday, January 15th from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

Bonnie Culver (co-founder with Mike Lennon); Robert Mooney;Kaylie Jones; Christine Gelineau; and David Hicks (director ofthe program)--all faculty members of the Maslow Family GraduateProgram in Creative Writing at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre,speaking in June 2025 on the occasion of the 20th anniversaryof the program. January 4 to January 9, 2026 marks the firstof two residency weeks for the new year. There will bereadings each evening that are free and open to the public.www.wilkes.edu/creativewriting

Steve Wallace, Tom Concannon and George Mehalchick speakingabout the Socrates Cafe movement and thegatherings that are held in NEPA.---The 2nd Thursday of the month at the Osterhout Free Library,71 S. Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre at 5:30 pm---The 3rd Wednesday of the Month at the Albright Memorial Library,500 Vine Street in Scranton at 6:00 pm---The 4th Wednesday of the month at the Marian Sutherland KirbyLibrary in Mountain Top at 6:00--hosted by Steve Wallace.Everyone is welcome and there is no admission fee.

Canon Mark Laubach speaking in 2022 about Cesar Franck at the time of the200th anniversary of the composer's birth.Friday, January 2, 2026 is the 40thanniversary of Laubach's tenure asorganist and choirmaster at St. Stephen'sEpiscopal Church in Wilkes-Barre.There will be a special service to celebratethe occasion on Sunday, January 4th at9:30 am at St. Stephen's, 35 South FranklinStreet in downtown Wilkes-Barre.For more information:www.ststephenswb.org/

Bathsheba Monk, novelist, playwright, editor, publisher,& illustrator, speaking about her writing life and her recentgraphic novel, "Memories of the Year 2000," issued byBlue Heron Book Works, a small independent press in theLehigh Valley founded by Monk. For more information:www.bathshebamonk.com/ or www.blueheronbookworks.com/

John Cardoni; General Manager of the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple,speaking about the history of the building, its layout and the recent major restoration project that was funded by the Commonwealth of PA's Department of General Services.Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern PA has recently merged with the SCC, and the2025-2026 season of touring shows will continue in February with Kinky Boots; Chicago in March; Clue in April and The Music Man in June.For more information: www.scrantoculturalcenter.org/

Bob Eckstein, NY Times best-selling author; illustrator; cartoonist,speaking about "The Illustrated History of the Snowman"issued by Globe Pequot in 2018.For more information: www.bobeckstein.com/The interview first aired on WVIA on October 8, 2018.

Christine Gelineau, award-winning poet/author and faculty memberin the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing at WilkesUniversity in Wilkes-Barre, speaking with us about her recentmemoir/poetic meditation, Almanac: A Murmuration, issued byExcelsior Editions, an imprint of the State Universityof NY Press. She also read from the opening chapter, "January."For more information: www.christinegelineau.com/

Dancers Ava Smith, Klara, & Charlotte Smith, Fritz,with photographer Jamie Smith, their father, speakingabout the 2025 production of The Nutcracker to be presentedby The Ballet Center at the Wilkes University Conservatory atthe Dorothy Dickson Darte Center on the Wilkes campus.Performances Friday, Dec. 19th at 7 pm; Saturday, Dec. 20that 7 pm, & Sunday, Dec. 21st at 2 pm.For information or to reserve tickets:570-408-4426 or email conservatory@wilkes.edu/

Joe McGurl, director/writer, and Kelly Jean Graham, actor/choreographer, speakingabout the 4th annual Panto presented by the Scranton Shakespeare Festival."Sleeping Beauty" will be offered Friday, December 19, 2025, at 6:00 pm;Saturday, December 20th at 6:00 pm; and Sunday, December 21st at 2:00 pm,at the Shakes Space at the Marketplace at Steamtown in downtown Scranton.The production is family-friendly. www.scrantonshakes.com/

Chason Goldschmitz, Executive Director of the NEPA Philharmonic,speaking about the continuing success of the 2025-26 seasonand "The Snowman in Concert" program on Saturday, December 20that 7 pm at the FM Kirby Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre.Two animated short films--The Snowman & The Snowman and theSnowdog--will be shown on the big screen while the NEPA Philharmonicperforms the score under the direction of Melisse Brunet.There will be guest soloists from Marywood University and dancersfrom the Scranton Civic Ballet. www.nepaphil.org/ or 570-270-4444

Ali Basalyga, Manager of Social Media atNAC Entertainment, speaking about the 2025-2026 Broadway in Scranton season that willcontinue December 19 through the 21 with"The Book of Mormon"--shows 12/19 @ 7:30 pm;12/20 @ 2:00 & 7:30 pm; 12/21 @ 1:00 & 6:30 pm.Other shows in the series include: "Kinky Boots";"Chicago"; "Clue"; and "The Music Man". Performances are held at the Scranton CulturalCenter. Tickets are available at the SCC Box Officeand at www.NACentertainment.com/

Christopher Gallo, Musical Director of the Lyric Consort, speaking about the ensemble's2025 holiday concert, "A Lyric Consort Christmas," to be presented Saturday, December 13th at 7:30 pm, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 232 Wyoming Avenue in downtown Scranton. A free will donation will be accepted. For more information:www.lyricconsort.org/

Dr. Alan Hack, Founder, Music Director & Conductor of the Jubilate Choir & Orchestra,and Dr. David Hamilton, President of the Board, speaking about the 20th Anniversary Christmas Concert, "Christmas Through the Years," on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 7:00 pm, and Sunday, December 14 at 3:00 pm, at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 123 Market Street in Bloomsburg. Admission is free, and for more information: www.stmatthewbloomsburg.org/ or 570-784-4515.

.Jason Alfano, director; Dane Bower, actor, speaking about the 2025 Gaslight Theatre Holiday production of "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some) that will runfrom December 11th through December 14th at the Maffei Theatre at King's College in Wilkes-Barre. Shows the 11th, 12th & 13th at 7:30 pm; with at Sunday matinee. For more information: www.gaslight-theatre.org/

Amy Casimir, Founder & Artistic Director of StrictlyBallet, and Trey Casimir, Producer, speaking about"A Lewisburg Victorian Nutcracker" in its 8th seasonas a co-production of Strictly Ballet and RiverstageCommunity Theatre. There will be performanceson Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 2:00 & 7:00 pm,at the Greenspace Center, 815 Market Street in Lewisburg.For more information and tickets, www.riverstagetheatre.org/

Claire Joelle, Director, speaking about the 2025 holiday production of "A Christmas Carol"adapted by Romulus Linney, to be presented by the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre fromDecember 12th through 21st. Showtimes Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 pm,Sundays at 3:00 pm. The Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre is located at 537 N. Main Street.www.ltwb.org/ 570-823-1875

Maureen McGuigan, Director of Arts & Culture forLackawanna County, and Chris McClatchy, Scranton Recycling &Safety Coordinator, speaking about the Repurposed FashionShow on Friday, December 12, 2025, at the Everhart Museum inScranton, from 6 to 9 pm. The event is a benefit for Swap Scranton& Friends of the Poor & Catherine McAuley Center. Artist LizTilley will take part in the fashion show, and she described heroriginal creation, "Earth Angel." There will also be a visualarts exhibition featuring works created from cardboard andother recycled materials by local artists. That exhibit willrun through the end of December in the Main Gallery atthe Everhart, 1901 Mulberry Street at Nay Aug Park inScranton. www.everhart-musuem.org/