At The Dietrich

By
Hildy Morgan

The excitement over the release next week of the new Superman movie reminds me of the films of the thirties. Those were, like now, troubled times. The economy had fallen into a dark hole and few could see the light at the end of the tunnel. People were hungry, discouraged, frightened. My mother would tell me about working in New York City during the Depression (she was a native of the Big Apple). She had a good job, but she sent over half her pay home to help her parents. So for her breakfast she had a cup of coffee. She skipped lunch. For supper she’d go to Horn and Hardart and have a sandwich for a dime and that’s how she ate for years, because she lived in a rented room with no cooking facilities. She was strong of body and will so she did fine. I bring this up because one of the things my mother would splurge on was the movies. She loved ‘em! She’d rather go to a movie than eat. She loved them all, dramas (her favorite), comedies, musicals. But, like all of America, she was awed by the films of Busby Berkeley. She loved the lavishness, the glitter, the upbeat songs, the world where no one was hungry. Heck, in a Busby Berkeley film, there was more than enough to eat. It was a land of plenty where people sang and danced the day away. Even when people could barely afford their next meal, they went to see those movies, and they went to see them because they could escape the world they were in and, for a little while, be in a far, far better place.

And that’s why I think Superman Returns will have such huge appeal. He is the man of steel, the pure of heart, the human with superhuman powers, and he has come to save us from the Lex Luther’s of a world grown dark and dangerous. We long for him. We long for the security of a strength beyond possibility, of a goodness that cannot be questioned, of absolute rightness. We want our problems solved simply, forcefully. We don’t want to have to meander down complex streets where we can get lost because the map is less clear than we’d thought. We want our answers in short sound bites, and if they are illogical, so what? Television has taught us that there is no such thing as complex, that most things can be solved in an hour, some it may take two. Most political shows have one side or the other saying insulting things, communicating on parallel planes, hearing nothing.

So Superman Returns, superb in its production values, with fine actors and a marvelous script, will do for us right now what Busby Berkeley did for my parents generation. That’s not a bad thing. You can come out of fantasy refreshed, happy, ready to go back to real life with a new zeal. It’s a grand movie, for all ages. It is thrilling and heroic and fills us with longing.

Maybe this all comes to mind this morning because as I write the television is talking about finding the bodies of the two missing soldiers in Iraq. They were so young. They never got a chance to experience the grace that comes with a life well lived, the joys of growing old. They spent their last moments on earth with fanatics who hated them and took pleasure in their pain. Such sadness in this world, such horror. Those families lives are forever divided into “before” and “after”, Only God and time can help them now.

The nation will move on. Lives will be lived. But in grim times, the human spirit needs to be lifted, encouraged, inspired. As generations of Americans have known, a good place to find that lightness of spirit is at the movies, where it always works out at the end. Come indulge yourself in a wondrous fantasy next week. It starts next Tuesday night at 10:00. It’s everything we invented the movies for.

See you at the Dietrich.

Live at The Dietrich

By
Erica Rogler

Child’s Pose, Reclined Fish, Half Warrior, and Balancing Table - what do all of these terms have in common? They are all yoga poses! The summer is the perfect time to relax and reenergize by taking a yoga class. At the Dietrich, we offer yoga on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10:00 - 11:00 am. The tradition of yoga has always been passed on from teacher to student through oral teaching and demonstrations. There are many different types of yoga, the Dietrich offers hatha yoga by certified instructors Melissa Russo and Mary Frances Giordano. Hatha yoga is the type of yoga that most people associate with yoga practice. It involves physical movement, postures and breathing techniques. The practice of yoga offers a variety of benefits including increased flexibility and strength, improved bone health, relief from stress and more. One of our regular yoga students who had back pain has not had to take pain medication since starting yoga classes. Yoga students are asked to bring a towel or mat to class and admission is $10 per class. If you would like to learn more about yoga at the Dietrich, call 996-1500.

Beside offering yoga this summer, the Dietrich Theater has partnered with Luzerne and Wyoming County Mental Health/ Mental Retardation Program and the Luzerne County Department of Parks & Recreation in order to provide Ballroom Dancing Lessons for mentally challenged individuals age 16 and up in Wyoming and Luzerne Counties. The class started last week under the instruction of Eleanor Grant of the Luzerne County Department of Parks & Recreation. For the first class, students were introduced to ballroom dancing by learning the basic box step. There is still time to register for this class. If you are interested, please phone Luzerne County Recreation at 570-331-7046. I’ll have to keep you updated as to their progress.

In July, the Dietrich will bring back Preschool Art with instructor Amy Colley. In this series of four classes, four and five year olds will produce masterpieces with a variety of media including collage, clay, tempera, watercolor and more. Besides serving as an introduction to the arts, this class series promotes socialization skills, positive self-esteem and independent creativity and thought. Class dates are Thursdays, July 6, 13, 20, 27 from 10:30 - 11:15 am. Admission is $25 for the class series. Call the theater at 996-1500 to sign up.

I also wanted to remind you of our summer dance workshops, they would be great for a child who has always wanted to try dance. The workshops will be held on Wednesday, July 5th through Friday, July 7th. Judy Weist of Stage Door Dance Studio will teach boys and girls between the ages of two and twelve. In “Introduction to Dance” from 9:00 - 10:00 am, two through four year olds will explore dance through movement and rhythm. During “Beginner Dance” workshops for students ages 5 -7 and 8 -12, students will be introduced to and experience various types of dance including ballet, hip-hop and jazz. The five to seven year old age group will meet from 10:30 - 11:30 am and eight to twelve year olds will dance from noon to 1:00 pm. Space is limited in these workshops, so register now by calling 996-1500.

More than the Movies at the Dietrich Theater

All About Drawing Camp, ages 8 -12.

Using the artwork in award winning children's books as examples, students will learn about basic concepts of drawing including Line, Shape, Texture, Value, Color and Space.

Monday - Friday, July 10 - 14 from 10:00 - 11:30 am.

Cost: $50 all materials provided.

Instructors: Amy & Steve Colley

Beginner Dance, ages 5 -12

Experience various types of dance - ballet, hip-hop and jazz. Great for beginners or if you have already danced. Students are asked to wear shorts, T-shorts and socks. Call 996-1500 to register.

Wednesday -Friday, July 5, 6,7. Ages 5 - 7: 10:30 - 11:30 am. Ages 8 -12: noon - 1:00 pm

Admission is free.

Instructor: Judy Weist, The Stage Door Dance Studio

Decorative Painting, ages 13 and up

Learn decorative painting techniques while creating decorative pieces for your home or to give as gifts. Each project will be completed within one to two classes. All levels of experience welcome.

Wednesdays from noon - 3:00 pm through August 31.

Cost: $15 per class plus the cost of the painting surface. Preregistration required.

Instructor: Eileen Balboa

Digital Arts Camp, ages 8 -12

Claymation, Robotics, and Special Effects.

Monday - Friday, June 26 - June 30 from 2:00 - 4:30 pm.

Cost: $50, all materials provided.

Instructor: Rand Whipple, Box of Light Theatre

Everhart Explorations

Students will learn about dinosaurs, birds, and Africa and art over those weeks.

Mondays, July 10, 17, 24, 31. Ages 5 - 8: 10:00 - 11:00 am. Ages 9 - 12: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm.

Admission is free.

Instructor: Everhart Museum Staff

Fantasy, Fairy Tales & Beasts: Theater & Visual Arts Camp

This camp is all about ancient gods, wonderful tales and fantastical beasts. Children enrolled will learn about all sorts of cultures and myths and use that knowledge to create wonderful dramatic and visual works of art! For ages 5 -12.

Monday - Friday, August 7 - 11 from 10:00 am - noon.

Cost: $50, all materials provided.

Instructor: Amy Colley & Michaela Moore

Intergenerational Quilting, for all ages

"Seascape Quilt" - This project is designed to challenge students to construct variations of the classic sailboat pattern and explore fabrics that create special effects.

Wednesdays through July 26 from 6:00 - 7:30 pm.

Cost: $6 per lesson, all materials provided.

Instructors: Ingrid Rogler and Peggy Lane

Introduction to Acting Camp, ages 6 -11

A fun and creative introduction to all that acting is!

Monday - Friday, July 31 - August 4 from 2:00 - 3:30 pm.

Admission is $50, all materials provided.

Instructor: Michaela Moore, All About Theatre.

Introduction to Dance, ages 2 - 4

Join us for an introduction to dance with movement and rhythm. Call 996-1500 to register.

Wednesday - Friday, July 5, 6, 7 from 9:00 - 10:00 am

Admission is free.

Instructor: Judy Weist, The Stage Door Dance Studio

Move Over Mr. Spieberg: Digital Film Making Workshop

Learn how to create your own digital films using a digital camera and a computer. Using everything from clay actors to human ones, the class will shoot, edit, score and output several short films in the course of the week. For ages 13 to adult.

Monday - Friday, June 26 - June 30 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm.

Cost: $50, all materials provided.

Instructor: Rand Whipple, Box of Light Theatre

Open Studio for Painting, Drawing & Pottery

Students of all ages and levels of experience will have the opportunity to work at their own pace and medium of their choice with instructor Steve Colley. A model will be provided for an additional fee if the group chooses.

Tuesdays from 7:00 - 8:30 pm, Series 4 - July 11, 18, 25, August 1. Series 5 - August 8, 15, 22, 29.

Cost: $45 for each series of four classes.

Instructor: Steve Colley, B.F.A., M.F.A.

Pottery & Sculpture, ages 13 to adult

This class is designed for students of all levels of experience. Students will work on pottery wheels and learn hand building and sculpture techniques.

Mondays from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Series 4 - July 10, 17, 24, 31. Series 5 - August 7, 14, 21, 28.

Cost: $45 for each series of four classes.

Instructor: Steve Colley, B.F.A., M.F.A.

Preschool Art - Summer

Preschool students will be introduced to a famous artist each week as they explore a variety of materials such as clay, tempera, watercolors, collage, etc.

Thursdays, July 6, 13, 20, 27 from 10:30 - 11:15 am.

Cost: $25 for each series of 4 classes.

Instructor: Amy Colley, M.F.A.

Quilting for Kids, ages 6 and up

"Sail Away" - Our easy Just for Kids sailboat pattern will ensure a smooth sailing experience for young quilters.

Wednesdays through July 26 from 3:30 - 5:00 pm.

Cost: $6 per lesson, all materials provided.

Instructors: Ingrid Rogler, Gloria Eastwood, Terri Keller, Mary Louise Dodge

Writers' Group

Come and read your work or listen and be inspired. Learn the craft of writing as you write. All genres and levels of writing are welcome.

Thursdays from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Meeting are ongoing.

Admission is free.

group format - no instructor

Yoga for You

Accomodations will be made for beginners, experienced practitioners, and those with special needs. Call 570-996-1500 to confirm dates. Please bring yoga mat or beach towel.

Mondays, Wednesdays & Saturdays, 10:00 am - 11:00 am, Call 570-996-1500 for class dates.

Cost: $10 per lesson. Children are free.

Instructors: Melissa Russo & Mary Frances Giordano: Certified Hatha Yoga Instructors