Only two days until the Spring 2010 Film Festival begins! I can hardly wait. Gala night is bound to be terrific. With an amazing combination of hors d’oeuvres compliments of Epicurean Delight, Twigs Restaurant and Seasons Restaurant, wine by Nimble Hill, sumptuous desserts prepared by Epicurean Delight, and of course two acclaimed films, how can an evening get much better? Plus, the Dietrich’s dear friend Dr. Philip Mosley will be on hand to introduce the evening’s films. If you are interested in attending gala night, please give us a call at 570-996-1500. We might have a few tickets remaining.

If you are not able to make gala night, there will still be a couple of opportunities to catch that evening’s movies – The Last Station and An Education. Additionally, Hildy and Jeffrey have arranged for us to see 14 other top foreign, independent and art films during this two week festival. For more information about festival movies and showtimes, visit our website www.dietrichtheater.com. 

In addition to taking in a few festival films this month, I would like to encourage you to visit the Everhart Museum to check out their temporary exhibit The Art of the Brick® Sculptures by Nathan Sawaya. It will only be at the museum through May 2. Last week, we took students from the Dietrich’s If You Build It Class and their families to see the exhibit, which inspired their class. While at the museum, educators gave us a great tour of the exhibit and then we were able to go to the classroom in the museum to make paper sculptures of our own. I was amazed by the sculptures that Nathan Sawaya created out of simple LEGO blocks. Of the twenty-nine LEGO sculptures that were part of the exhibit, my favorites were the 20-foot dinosaur, the heart, and the tiger-giraffe. When you go, choose your favorite LEGO sculptures as you view this exhibit geared for the young and young at heart.

After the film festival is over, the Dietrich also has a few exciting events coming up at the end of April. On Saturday, April 24 join us in Tunkhannock as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm that day, there will be a host of events to check out including litter clean ups, displays, live music by Don Shapelle, children’s activities and workshops for adults, speakers and more. As part of the day’s events, the Dietrich will host a special concert at 11 am with local reggae and rock inspired artist George Wesley. Music lovers of all ages are invited to come out and spend the morning jammin’ with George. Everyone is encouraged to bring his or her own instruments. Admission to all Earth Day events including the concert with George Wesley is free. Visit www.EMNConline.org for a schedule of the day’s activities.

Then on Sunday, April 25, the Dietrich will once again be filled with music, but we will be shifting gears from reggae and rock to classical guitar. That’s right! At 3:00 pm, the Pennswood Guitar Quartet will perform beautiful, diverse and challenging compositions from around the world and through the ages. The quartet will feature the music of Boccherini, Brouwer, Torroba, Machado, Duarte and Sor. If you were at the Dietrich’s last guitar concert, you might have been mesmerized by the beautiful artistry of Jay Steveskey and Paul Sweeney. After that concert, Jay suggested we bring in the Pennswood Guitar Quartet, which is a new chamber music ensemble in northeastern Pennsylvania that he is a part of, and experience, the wonder of four guitars. As Jay likes to say, "8 Hands x 24 Strings = Be There!". Tickets are $10 each and can be reserved by calling 570-996-1500.

And for all of those foodies out there, on Wednesday, April 28 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm, you will have an opportunity to learn how to cook a delightful East Meets West menu as you dine. Taught by instructor Dave Dunster at the Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center Food Management, Production and Services Department, you will learn how to prepare the following five courses: fried plantains with roasted garlic mayo, famous Cuban black bean soup topped with sweet Mayan onions and cumin crème fraiche, peanut lo mein - tossed sesame peanut sauce and topped with diced tropical fruit and vegetables, grilled Jamaican jerk chicken with a mango pepper sauce, and for dessert, key lime pie with a pecan coconut crust. Admission for the evening is $50 and proceeds support the Wyoming County Cultural Center at the Dietrich Theater. Call 570-996-1500 to make your reservations. Seating is limited.