Dietrich Theater
Upcoming Events!

Dietrich Radio Players Performance
At the Dietrich Theater in downtown Tunkhannock
Tuesday, December 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Presented by: the Dietrich Theater Radio Players
Admission: Free
Go back to those golden days of radio during this live performance of radio plays presented by the Dietrich Theater Radio Players. During the show, you will experience the "theatre of the mind" including live sound effects and music. All are welcome to attend. A casual reception will follow the show. Call the Dietrich at 570-996-1500 for details or reservations.
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
At the Dietrich Theater in downtown Tunkhannock
Friday, December 7 and Saturday December 8 at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
For all ages
Admission: Free
Presented in part by: The Jim Henson Legacy Foundation
Sponsored by: Ace-Robbins Inc.
Gather up your family and friends and go to the Dietrich Theater to enjoy this favorite Jim Henson Christmas movie about a poor otter family that risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas. Tickets are first come, first served. Call the Dietrich at 570-996-1500 for details.
Holiday Workshop
At the Dietrich Theater in downtown Tunkhannock
Saturday, December 8 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
For all ages
Admission: Free
Sponsored by: Ace-Robbins Inc.
Get into the holiday spirit! A morning of cookie decorating, holiday crafts, singing and creations by the balloon lady. Great for the entire family! Call the Dietrich at 570-996-1500 for details.

At The Dietrich

by
Hildy Morgan

Well. Here it is. The Thanksgiving holiday. Why is it they always seem to rush at us headlong when we’ve actually had an entire year to prepare? How could I have gone to the grocery store yesterday and forgotten stuffing cubes? Since I’m now theoretically retired, why am I not now completely prepared for this holiday? Ah, yes. These are the eternal questions. The ones we actually never find a satisfactory answer for. Sigh.
 
      So this is the first Thanksgiving since my brother-in-law retired. For nearly forty years he was a Children and Youth caseworker, one of the best. He did a job hardly anyone ever wants to do. Never talked about it much, because he knew he’d make Jennie and me too sad, too afraid for all the children we didn’t know and afraid for him. C&Y caseworkers are part of that silent group of government workers that spend their days trying to protect children in a world where there is little thought given to that sort of thing. We’re not so far away from the days when people could beat their little ones and get away with it, because there was a belief that a “man’s home was his castle” and he could abuse his wife and/or his children as he saw fit.
     Thankfully, that all changed in the seventies, when society looked at the problem of little ones who couldn’t defend themselves needing lawful protection. And after the laws were passed, and the agencies created, not much more thought was given to the men and women who would make it their life’s work to follow through on both the letter and the spirit of the law and make sure, to the very best of their ability, that children were kept safe.
     Not all wee ones are tucked in bed at night, read a story to, cuddled and told how much Mommy and Daddy love them, and snuggle under their quilts while, as the old poem goes, “visions of sugarplums dance in their heads.” For some children there is perpetual uncertainty, fear, hunger and sorrow. Those tiny hands are never held in the protective and loving way a doting mom holds on. Their tummies are never filled with good, healthy food served with a side of love. In the chaos that is the life of an abused child there is only that small army of the dedicated caseworker who stands between them and disaster.
     My brother-in-law was one of the best in the business. Forty years!  Forty years of taking that tiny hand and saying – “It’ll be all right, buddy. I promise,” and trying his damndest to make sure it was. Forty years of the heaviest of all responsibilities – the well-being of a child. I don’t know how he did it. I don’t know how his friend and fellow caseworker, Howie does it. They are underpaid, under appreciated, and for the most part ignored.
     But the children know. And they are grateful.  So often, if you go someplace with Jerry, a child, or a teen, or a grown man or woman, will call out – “Hi Jerry!” And he goes over to shake their hands, ask how they’re doing, give them a pat on the back. If one really can collect stars in a heavenly crown, Jerry Pitkus has hundreds and hundreds of them, and each bears the name of a child whose life he made better, whose life he saved. Surely that makes him an angel on this earth. Bless you, dear heart, and may you thoroughly enjoy your retirement. You deserve this time to rest. You have earned it!
     And now on to things of the Dietrich. Don’t forget the cookie walk coming up. And Emmet Otter. And the Radio Players taking us back to a simpler time, rife with corny jokes and fun memories. And of course, we’re only a few weeks from It’s a Wonderful Life! Wow! The holidays really are here! I hope you had a lovely, lovely Thanksgiving day with all your dear ones gathered around you. The living and the dead sit at all our holiday tables, they interact with the talk and the family stories and the traditional foods we eat. It’s such a lovely day of remembrance. God bless us one and all!
     See you at the Dietrich.

Now Showing

www.dietrichtheater.com/movie
or (570)836-1022 for times

Rise of the Guardians 3D
November 21, 2012 -
December 5, 2012

TWILIGHT SAGA BREAKING DAWN: Part 2
November 21, 2012 -
December 6, 2012

WRECK-IT-RALPH
November 2, 2012 -
November 29, 2012

SKYFALL
November 9, 2012 -
November 29, 2012


Coming Soon

www.dietrichtheater.com/preview
or (570)836-1022 for times


Events

www.dietrichtheater.com/event
or (570)996-1500 to reserve

Dietrich Radio Players Performance
December 4, 2012

Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas
December 7, 2012 - December 8, 2012

Holiday Workshop
December 8, 2012

It's a Wonderful Life
December 18, 2012 - December 18, 2012


Classes

www.dietrichtheater.com/class
or (570)996-1500 to enroll

Holiday Camp
December 27, 2012 - December 28, 2012

Mask Making, ages 5 - 8
November 9, 2012 - December 7, 2012

Mask Making, ages 9 to 12
November 8, 2012 - December 6, 2012

Movement & Storytelling for Preschoolers
September 26, 2012 - November 28, 2012

Preschool Mask Making
November 8, 2012 - December 6, 2012

Quilting for Kids
September 12, 2012 - December 12, 2012

Quilting for Everyone
August 24, 2012 - December 12, 2012

Decorative Painting
August 21, 2012 - November 28, 2012

Golden Days of Radio Players
October 2, 2012 - December 4, 2012

Introduction to Sculpture
September 11, 2012 - November 27, 2012

Kundalini Yoga
September 8, 2012 - December 1, 2012

Painting From Life
September 10, 2012 - November 26, 2012

Tips and Tricks for Making Jewelry
November 26, 2012

Writers' Group
July 26, 2012 - December 13, 2012

Yoga for You
September 5, 2012 - November 28, 2012

Live at The Dietrich

by
Erica Rogler

 Live at the Dietrich for November 21, 2012

We could hardly believe the crowd we got last Wednesday night for our local history presentation with Dr. Sheldon Spear. Over 55 folks came out from all over the region to hear Dr. Spear lecture on Northeastern Pennsylvania in American History. Not only did anthracite and the growth of the labor movement in our area really have an impact on the nation, but so did some notable authors including Jason Miller. We look forward to bringing Dr. Spear back next year for another talk on local history.
Speaking of history, the Dietrich’s Radio Players will be taking us back to those golden days of radio with a live performance on Tuesday, December 4 at 7 p.m. Join us that evening for three short, light-hearted radio comedies all geared for the holidays. They include "Irma Wants Money for Christmas", "Fibber Paints the Christmas Tree White" and some holiday antics from that great comedic duo Abbot and Costello. The Radio Players led by Hoyt Keiser and Esther Harmatz have been preparing for this upcoming show for over two months. They have developed some old time sound effects for the radio plays and will be incorporating live music into the show. Admission is free and tickets can be reserved by calling 570-996-1500. Following the show there will be a casual reception for the cast and all who attend. The Dietrich Radio Players are sponsored by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
The weekend after the Radio Players performance is Tunkhannock’s Christmas In Our Hometown on December 7 and 8. I just love this town-wide event. Tunkhannock is beautifully decked out for the holidays, our unique shops have a wonderful selection of goods that are perfect for gift giving and there are so many activities for both children and adults to enjoy. From wagon rides to the ice sculptor to carolers, there is something for everyone. 
At the Dietrich, we will be celebrating Christmas In Our Hometown with free showings of the Henson holiday classic movie Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas on Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8 at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. These showing are sponsored by Ace-Robbins Heating Oil and Propane and are brought to you in part by the Jim Henson Legacy Foundation. Tickets will be first come, first served. 
We also will be hosting our annual Holiday Workshop on Saturday, December 8 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This event for all ages will help you and yours get into the holiday spirit. We invite you to join us for a morning of cookie decorating, holiday crafts, singing and balloon creations by Silly Sally. Admission is free - thanks again to Ace-Robbins Heating Oil and Propane. 
The Dietrich will also have a Homemade Cookie Walk at the theater that weekend to help raise funds for our children’s programming. Sounds delicious! Right? If there is anyone who would like to bake 2 or more dozen Christmas cookies for the Dietrich Theater's Christmas in our Hometown fundraiser please bring the cookies and the recipe for them to the Dietrich Theater on Thursday, Dec. 6th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. or Friday Dec. 7th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.