‘DaPooch’ show
Saturday, June 17, 2017 by The Press in Focus
TOUCHSTONE:
Touchstone Theatre presents a sensory-friendly performance of “DaPooch, or The Story of Poochie’s Three Hundred and Seventy-Second Birthday and How the Hunga Munga Munga Saved His Life,” 11 a.m. June 20, Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem.
“DaPooch” is performed by master storyteller and Touchstone co-founder Bill George, who conceived of the fictional world of Poochie as a story for his children.
For this performance, “DaPooch” is adapted to be...
Going to the Go Trio
Saturday, June 17, 2017 by GEORGE VANDOREN in Focus
As part of its “Steam Heat Tour,” Viktorija Gecyteė and the Go Trio returns to Miller Symphony Hall for two sets at 7:30 p.m. June 16 in the Rodale Community Room in the “Jazz Upstairs” series.
The concert marks the fourth consecutive year the group has performed at Miller Symphony Hall and the ninth year of collaboration for the artists. Concert-goers can expect to hear jazz standards and tunes from the American Songbook.
Viktorija Gecyteėhas been singing since her childhood...
Allentown Fair entry booklets available for contests, exhibits
Saturday, June 17, 2017 by The Press in Focus
The Great Allentown Fair’s Premium List booklets detailing the procedures and categories for entering the Fair’s Blue-Ribbon competitions are now available at the Allentown Fairground’s main and box offices. PDF versions are available for downloading at allentownfairpa.org.
Placement ribbons and cash prizes are awarded in each of the exhibitor categories judged just prior and throughout Fair week, Aug. 29 - Sept. 4. There are contests for youth entrants in addition to the all-age...
‘Wonder Woman’
Saturday, June 17, 2017 by PAUL WILLISTEIN in Focus
“Wonder Woman” has typically-overblown Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) fights, explosions and over-the-top special effects (too much “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” flying “Wonder Woman” for me), which bloat the film to a butt-numbing approximate 2-1/2 hours. The plot sticks to the DC Comics storyline whereby a World War I (originally, the setting was World War II) airplane pilot crash-lands on a Greek island of Amazons, among them, Diana, aka Wonder Woman.
The saving grace of “...
Keystone Press Awards presented to The Press
Saturday, June 17, 2017 by The Press in Focus
Representatives of The Press newspapers attended the annual Pennsylvania Media Association Keystone Press Awards Banquet in the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, Lancaster.
Lehigh Valley Press received 20 Professional Keystone Press Awards in the 2017 contest for work published in 2016.
Of the 20 awards received by The Press newspapers, the Bethlehem Press and its contributors received 17 Keystones. The Bethlehem Press received the Sweepstakes Award in its division for the...
Theater Review: ‘12ness’ a fascinating, compelling world premiere
Friday, June 16, 2017 by PAUL WILLISTEIN in Focus
“12ness” tells the story of the apparently little-known and unlikely friendship between American songwriter George Gershwin and avant-garde composer Arnold Schoenberg.
The Crowded Kitchen Players production of the comedy-drama, written by Charlie Barnett and directed by George B. Miller, with assistant director Kate Scuffle, continues in its world premiere through June 18 as part of the “IceHouse Tonight Series” at the Charles A. Brown IceHouse, Bethlehem.
Barnett, a musician-...
Theater Review: This ‘Buddy’s for you
Friday, June 16, 2017 by PAUL WILLISTEIN in Focus
The songs of Buddy Holly are so timeless, creative and fun that you can hear them again and again.
Much the same can be said of “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” through June 17, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, and June 28 (previews start June 24) through July 9, Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia.
“Buddy” is more than a jukebox musical. The show, with its storyline beginning in Lubbock Texas, in January 1956, has heart, more than a modicum of dialogue, and, of...
Theater Review: Pines puts on a delicious ‘Ritz’
Friday, June 16, 2017 by ED COURRIER in Focus
Reel life comes to the stage with “Puttin’ On the Ritz: A Salute to the Golden Age of the Silver Screen,” through July 2, The Pines Dinner Theatre, Allentown.
The well-paced musical revue of movie themes and show tunes from the days of silent films through World War II is brought to the cozy stage by the cast of Monica Handwerk, Dante Hill, Taylor Hopkins and Katherine Tabisz.
Hopkins channels Charlie Chaplin in a clever skit that begins in a small café, then combines real with...
Theater Review: ‘Blood Brothers’ shocks, entertains at Pa. Playhouse
Friday, June 16, 2017 by MAKENNA MASENHEIMER in Focus
“Tell me it’s not true. Say it’s just a story.”
Willy Russell’s heart-wrenching musical “Blood Brothers” shocks and entertains through June 18 at The Pennsylvania Playhouse, Bethlehem.
The tragic story of the Johnstone twins separated at birth, one raised in prosperity and the other in poverty, is told through lovely music and an engaging narrative. The cast, directed by Bill Mutimer, gives emotional and vocally-strong performances. The musical’s book, lyrics and music were...
Theater Review: A heart-warming ‘Ice Princess’ at PSF
Friday, June 16, 2017 by ELLEN WILSON in Focus
Princess Gemma and her brother Prince Kylan, played by Stephanie Hodge and Dane Lavery, respectively, are playing in the woods one day when they find a scarf laying on the forest floor.
The princess picks it up and puts it around her neck, only to find out just a short time later that it has given her the ability to throw snow and ice from her fingertips. They run through the forest together freezing everything from the pond to the waterfall.
All is well until the two siblings...
