At The Dietrich

By
Hildy Morgan

Okay. Get this. I can’t believe this happened to me. Now, you know I never ever once got whiny (“Oh, poor me. Oh, why me. Oh aaarrrggghhhh!”) about having breast cancer. Never. (Okay, so maybe a little….but only sometimes.) But this past week has been too much and I am going to whine.

I wait all year for these films. I planned to see all fourteen. What have I seen? Four. Why? Because I got a tummy bug and have been home sick all week. All week! So totally unfair. And then, it gets really really worse. I don’t touch solid food for an entire week. I’m living on antibiotics and Gator Ade. Wouldn’t you think then, that when I stepped on the scale there might be a substantial loss? (I mean, isn’t this like one of those scientific diets where they glue your jaws shut for a year and you live on good thoughts and whatever you can sift through clenched teeth?) Well, think again, Pally. Two pounds. TWO POUNDS! And the next time I eat a potato I’ll be able to have a tearful reunion with my lost adipose tissue. The really, really irritating part of this is that I have a sister who can skip half her dessert and lose five pounds. Now I’m whining! Unfair! Why me? Double-aaarrrggghhh!!!! Sigh.

So if you’re reading this on the internet then you still have a couple more days to catch these stupendous films. Our attendance is the best it’s ever been for festival and I think that’s partly because of the choices. You have one last chance to catch Jeffrey’s Sidewalk Astronomer, so do try. It’s been deservedly selling out (It will be in the Evans so don’t worry - -there will be lots of room.

Oh, I have to tell you this. I guess a patron became angry and left when he found out that two of the films were on DVD. We tried to explain to him, but to no avail, so I’ll explain to you. The DVD is simply their particular format. You can’t go to the store to buy them in that form right now. Astronomer is only available on DVD because for an indie filmmaker to try to put a film on 35mm would be prohibitively expensive. So they put them on DVD’s which they can afford. And in our theater, the quality is the same as film thanks to Esther’s genius with equipment (with a large tip of the hat to our other resident genius - - Bob Kulow). In fact, Jeffrey told Esther that her projection was better than Tribecca’s! Eventually stories told on 35mm is going to be a thing of the past, probably in the very near future. I’m sad about that because I like the slightly blurrier look of film as opposed to DVD, but time marches on. What’s to do?

Have The Constant Gardener for you this week, easily one of the years finest films. It’s an action adventure for intellectuals and has much to say about the modern world and its ethics or lack thereof. Based on a John LaCarre book, it is a haunting film that will make you think for many days after you’ve left the darkened theater. It’s sort of one last tip of the hat to fine films before we go into a different kind of good film -- the holiday blockbuster!

Oh yeah. Before I forget. This coming Sunday at three o’clock in the afternoon, Jennie’s choir from Our Lady of Snows in Clarks Summit is having their fall concert at St. Benedict’s. If you like a mixture of voices and tunes, go give it a listen. I never miss Jennie’s concerts (well, she’d hurt me if I did…) and I’m always so glad. It’s a relaxing, peaceful, lovely hour or two. Come join us.

So, that’s it for this week. Thanks for making this the best festival ever! It’s a thrilling thing when you work really, really hard on something and it not only works out, but surpasses all expectations. And thanks to you, it did!

See you at the Dietrich!

Live at The Dietrich

By
Erica Rogler

Tomorrow is the final day of the Dietrich’s of the film festival. If you haven’t seen “A Sidewalk Astronomer”, you should definitely check it out tonight at 7:00 pm. I have seen it two times so far and I liked it even better the second time around. This documentary featuring John Dobson, the inventor of the Dobsonian telescope mount, provides insight into astronomy and life in general while he makes you laugh. And I will have to catch “Ladies and Lavender” for a second time tomorrow.

And for families, “Wallace & Gromit: the Curse of the Were-Rabbit” will play for its second weekend at the Dietrich. Make sure you see the Penguins from the movie “Madagascar” in the short before the movie. The claymation in “Wallace…” is phenomenal. This movie has received great reviews. In our summer “Digital Arts Camp” with Rand Whipple of Box of Light Theatre, campers learned the art of claymation. They created their own claymation short movies. It is meticulous work -moving an arm and taking a shot, changing a facial expression and taking a shot, but the final product is amazing.

Speaking of Rand Whipple, he will be back at the Dietrich later this fall for a “Pantomime Workshop” for students ages 8 to adult. Starting November 1st, Rand will teach students how to tell a story without words. Participants will learn a series mime techniques as well as moonwalking and making invisible walls. The class will culminate with a Christmas in Our Hometown performance of “Weird, Wild, and Wonderful - A Look at the Holiday Season” with Box of Light Theatre. Admission to the class is $60.00. Call the Dietrich at 570-996-1500 for more information and to register.

For your younger children, the Dietrich is proud to bring back singer/storyteller Mary Baker for our October series, “Fun for Tots”. Starting this Thursday through November 3rd, Mary Baker will provide mornings of music, stories, and fun for you and your little ones each Thursday from 10:30 am - 11:30 am. Mary has the great talent of bringing stories to life. We have done this series with Mary for a few seasons now and I am always thrilled to see how many kids come back to hear and sing along to songs they love. This event is geared toward families with children who are five and younger and admission is free. “Fun for Tots” has been sponsored by the Tunkhannock Junior Women’s Club.

And next Wednesday, Dr. Sheldon Spear will be at the theater for his presentation “Northeastern Pennsylvania Children in the Age of Anthracite” at 7:00 pm. Dr. Spear’s talk will focus on the lives of children during the heyday of anthracite in northeastern PA. He will deal with topics such as health problems, child labor, education, recreation, and delinquency, with emphasis on what is traditionally called the working class. Admission is free. Call 570-996-1500 for details.

And there are still a few spaces available in our art classes that have started this week. So if you are interested in “Pottery & Sculpture” or “Open Studio for Painting, Drawing, and Pottery”, try out one of our classes under the instruction of Steve Colley, M.F.A. He is a very gifted artist and teacher. Steve and his wife, Amy, who also has her M.F.A., teach art classes for kids including “Discovering Great Artists” for children ages 5-12, “Mommy & Me Mixed Media” for three and four year olds, “Young at Art: Preschool Art” for ages four and five. Call the Dietrich at 570-996-1500 to sign up!

More than the Movies at the Dietrich Theater

Decorative Painting for Adults, age 13 and up, Day Sessions

Learn the skills and techniques of decorative painting as you create decorative pieces for your home or to give as gifts. All levels of experience welcome. Call 570-996-1500 to register.

Wednesdays, October 12 - November 16, November 30 - December 14 from noon - 3:00 pm

Cost: $15 per lesson + cost of painting surface

Instructor: Eileen Balboa

Discovering Great Artists, ages 5-8

Mixed media for children ages 5-8. The art activities in each four-week session are designed to expand the creative experience and awareness of young artists in all aspects of the visual arts through drawing, painting, printing, and sculpture.

Fridays from 4:00-5:30 pm. Session 2 - October 14, 21, 28, Nov. 4. Session 3 - November 11, 18, Dec. 2, 9.

Admission is $30 per session.

Instructors: Amy and Steve Colley, M.F.A., B.F.A.

Discovering Great Artists, ages 9-12

Mixed Media for children. The art activities in each four week session are designed to expand the creative experience and awareness of young artists in all aspects of the visual arts through drawing, painting, printing, and sculpture.

Thursdays from 4:00-5:30 pm. Session 2 - October 13, 20, 27, Nov. 3. Session 3 - November 10, 17, Dec. 1, 8.

Admission is $30 per session.

Instructors: Steve and Amy Colley, B.F.A., M.F.A.

Everhart Modern Art Experiments, grades 4-6.

Got Art? The Everhart returns to the Dietrich this fall to let you get your creative juices flowing as we play with paints, pastels, and colors and learn about modern art!

Tuesdays, October 4 -October 25 from 3:45 - 5:00 pm.

Admission is free.

Instructors: Everhart Museum Staff

Golden Days of Radio Players Group

Come back with us to those thrilling days of radio drama and comedy. Join us as we prepare a radio play production. Together we will explore the magic of "The Theater of the Mind". Call 570-996-1500 for more information.

Tuesdays, October 11 - December 6 from 7:00-8:30 pm

Admission is free.

Instructor: Valerie Paulus

Holiday Camp, ages 6 and up

Young artists will become familiar with pottery, drawing, and painting as well as famous artists in those fields in this holiday camp. Enjoy one day of camp or explore the arts in all three days. Call 570-996-1500 to register.

December 27 from 9:30 -11:00 am - Pottery. December 28 from 9:30 - 11:00 am - Drawing. December 29 from 9:30 - 11:00 am - Painting.

Admission is $15 per class or $30 for all three classes.

Instructors: Steve and Amy Colley, M.F.A., B.F.A.

Intergenerational Quilting, for all ages.

A Study in Color - Following a series of simple exercises, students will explore color in a new way. A sampler will be created by studying 6" blocks. You will rethink how you use color in your next quilt after taking this class. For beginners and advanced quilters.

Wednesdays through December 14 from 6:00-7:30 pm.

Admission is $6.00 per class. All materials will be provided.

Instructors: Ingrid Rogler, Peggy Lane, Terri Keller.

Jewelry Making - Bead Crocheting

Here is your opportunity to learn crochet with seed beads. In this class, you will be shown how to bead crochet a key fob. With this skill, you then can make bracelets and necklaces.

Wednesday, November 2 from 7:00-9:00 pm.

Admission is $35.00. All materials will be provided.

Instructor: Jeanne Browning

Mommy & Me Mixed Media, ages 3 and 4

Young artists and their Moms, Dads, or grandparents have the opportunity to engage in projects that encourage critical thinking and problem solving skills as they explore drawing, painting, paper, and sculpture.

Mondays, noon -12:45 pm. Session 2 - October 10, 17, 24, 31. November 7, 14, 21, Dec. 5.

Admission is $25 per session.

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

Open Studio for Painting, Drawing and 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. Session 2 - October 11, 18, 25, Nov. 1. Session 3 - November 8, 15, 22, 29.

Admission is $30 per child and $45 per adult.

Instructor: Steve Colley, M.F.A.

Painting on Glass for Adults, ages 13 and up

Learn the basics of painting on glass. Design your own wine glass set for your home or to give as a gift. Register by calling 570-996-1500.

Wednesday, November 16 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.

Admission is $15.00 plus the cost of your painting surface.

Instructor: Sharon McArdle

Pantomime, ages 8 to adult

Learn how to tell a story without words. Rand will teach students ages 8 and up a series of mime techniques, as well as moonwalking and invisible walls. In pantomime you will learn how to focus your coordination and concentration to communicate without words. This class will culminate with a Christmas in Our Hometown performance of "Weird, Wild and Wonderful - A Look at the Holiday Season" with Box of Light Theatre.

November 1,7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, Dec. 6, 7, 8, 9. Afternoon Session - 4:30 -6:00 pm. Evening Session - 7:00 -8:30 pm.

Admission is $60.00

Instructor: Rand Whipple, Box of Light Theatre

Pottery & Sculpture

This class is designed for students of all levels of experience. Students will work on pottery wheels and learn hand building and sculpture techniques. Call the Dietrich at 570-996-1500 to register

Mondays, 7:00-8:30 pm. Session 2 - October 10, 17, 24, 31. Session 3 - November 7, 14, 21, 28.

$45 for four classes

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

Quilting for Kids, ages 6 and up

Maple Medley - Create a Maple Leaf quilt sampler. The more you sew, the move leaves you collect. Let nature teach us about color and learn about the beautiful maple trees that grow here.

Wednesdays, through December 14 from 3:30-5:00 pm

Admission is $6.00 per class. All materials are provided.

Instructors: Ingrid Rogler, Peggy Lane, Gloria Eastwood, Mary Louise Dodge, and Terri Keller.

Tile Making

Steve Colley of Colley Tile Works will lead students through the process of creating their own handmade tiles from design, the mold making process, printing, firing, and glazing.

Thursdays, through November 3 from 7:00-8:30 pm.

Admission is $200. All materials are provided.

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

Writers Group

Love to write? The group celebrates all different types of writing styles and formats. Join at any time. Admission is free.

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.

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

Cost: $10 per lesson. Children are free.

Instructor: Melissa Russo: Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor

Yoga for You at Night!

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 through October from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

$10 per class

Instructor: Mary Frances Giodano, certified Hatha yoga instructor

Yoga for You -Saturdays

This class will teach or reinforce the basic yoga poses (asanas) which gently stretch and strengthen the body. Special attention will be given to proper breathing and alignment in the postures. Please bring a yoga mat or beach towel. Call 570-996-1500 to register.

Saturdays through December from 10:00 am -11:00 am

Admission is $10 per class.

Instructor: Mary Frances Giordano, certified Hatha yoga instructor

Young at Art - Preschool Art, ages 4 and 5

Preschoolers will have the opportunity to engage in projects that encourage critical thinking and problem solving skills as they explore drawing, painting, paper & sculpture.

Thursdays, noon - 12:45 pm. Session 2 - October 13, 20, 27, November 3. Session 3 - November 10, 17, Dec. 1, 8.

Admission is $25 per session.

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