“Standing Room Only” Plans for First Reunion Event

Posted on October 4, 2017 by The Dunmorean

Members of ‘Standing Room Only’ Community Theater ensemble will gather for their first reunion at La Buona Vita in Dunmore on Saturday, Oct. 28. A cash Bar will open at 5:30 followed by a fabulous buffet dinner. The cost is $30.00 per person.

This popular group performed major musicals, dinner theater and children’s theater from 1979-1995 at various venues in Scranton.

SRO was truly a community theater effort with mostly all volunteers.

Some of the major shows were Fiddler on The Roof, Bye Bye Birdie, Hello Dolly, Mame, West Side Story, George M, and The Pajama Game, to name just a few. The troupe presented five Valentine’s Day dinner theater productions through the years.

“Hello, Dolly!” (1982)

SRO was also known for their original musicals and exceptional children’s theater presentations.

People from Dunmore and all areas of our community were a part of the troupe, from youngsters to senior. SRO was the true meaning of the term ‘community theater’.

The large musicals would drawn hundreds to each of the six performances. Both the Dinner theater and children’s theater productions were “sell outs.”

Former members are sending out the call to anyone who worked with SRO over the years. This includes performers, technicians, stage crews, musicians, costumers, props, lighting, sound personnel, carpenters, reservations and all other jobs associated with this successful theater group.

If you are reading this story and know of any SRO friends, please share the information.

A mailing list for invitations is being developed. Please send all information to fplfjazz@gmail.com or call 570-585-6991 for information.

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Committee members planning the first ever reunion of members of the Standing Room Only Players are shown above.

Seated from left: Debbie Jennings, Lisa Benedict and Gina Michaels.

Middle row, same order: Cindy Vettorel, Cathy Struch, Bunny Adams, Cindy Gowell, Theresa Kaplan, Pat Foresman, co-chairman; Joe Caputo and Matt Moyer.

Back row: Brad Morgan, Tom Adams, Mary Alice Fenwick and Chris Yevitz.

Not pictured is Tony Nicosia, co-chairman.

Dearly Departed Players to Host 20th Anniversary Tour

Posted on September 6, 2017 by The Dunmorean

Members of the Dearly Departed Players prepare for their annual Dunmore Cemetery Tour to be held on Oct. 1 and 8. Shown from left are: Wendy Belaski, Silas Robert Powell, Christine McGeachie, Nelson Wood, Julie Esty and Megan Esty.

Julie Esty has announced that the 20th anniversary Dunmore Cemetery Tour will be held this year on Oct. 1 and 8. It’s always a bit funky with publicity when we have that October 1 tour day.

The tour this year is the “Guest Appearance” tour.

Julie was the recipient of a Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Grant, so she opened up the cemetery — this year it is “Death’s Playhouse” and the Dearly Departed Players are welcoming people from the past from different area cemeteries.

Two people on the tour are buried a bit further but played significant roles here in the valley. This year’s program will include are Forest Hills, Cathedral, St. Mary’s German Catholic in South Side, the cemeteries of Minooka, Cathedral, Pittston Avenue, and St. Catherine’s in Moscow.

“For more than 20 years I have accumulated a significant amount of information on people from the past buried in the cemeteries around here and it’s nice to be able to

Shown at Dunmore Cemetery are Dearly Departed Players including, from left: Christine McGeachie, Wendy Belaski, Nelson Wood, Megan Esty, Tom Fritz, Laura Micelli, Jennifer Ochman, Julie Esty and James Patterson.

address those people,” Julie explains. “I also get asked a lot to be in other cemeteries and do tours, especially Forest Hills and Cathedral, but it’s not possible to take this sizable audience on the road. This was the easiest way to incorporate people from other places.”

For the third year, Kuhn’s Classic Memories of Williamsport will participate with their team of horses and Victorian hearse. They will appear for both tours, weather permitting. Their driver,Lance Ohnmeiss, is the conductor of the Northern Appalachin Wind Symphony and is also an award-winning bagpiper. He is going to lend his musical talents to the tour this year.

Also participating will be Scranton Reads, who book selection of Gilead works very well with a cemetery theme. Sons of Union Veterans/GAR Memorial Association will be on hand, as well as the Friends of the Forgotten Northeast Wing will be out there.

One of the people presented on the tour, a firefighter who died almost 100 years ago, did something amazing for his fellow man. Because of what he did — because of his kind works — the tour is also partnering with Feed-a-Friend in his memory. People attending are asked bring a nonperishable to the cemetery gates on tour days only. That firefighter will also be receiving a proclamation from the Mayor of the Scranton.

Traditionally, the tour draws at least 1,500 people over the two weekends, including people from all over the East Coast. This year, upgrades to the sound system are planned. This year’s tour will be performed in memory of Dunmorean Karl Wegforth, president of the Dunmore Historical Society, who recently passed away.

The tours, which last two hours, begin at 2 p.m. at the Dunmore Cemetery gates at Warren and Church Street. Arrive early to see exhibits. Comfortable walking shoes are suggested. Admission is free. No reservations are required. For more information, please call 570-344-3819 or visit Dunmore Cemetery Tour on Facebook.

Scranton Jazz Festival Set for First Weekend of August

Posted on August 2, 2017 by The Dunmorean

Scranton Jazz Festival - Stanley Clark Two world renowned artists, jazz icon Stanley Clarke and “The Stanley Clarke Band” and Jazz guitarists/vocalist John Pizzarelli will be the headline acts for the 13th annual Jazz Festival scheduled for Aug. 4, 5, and 6 at the historic Radisson Hotel in downtown Scranton.

Headlining Sunday, Aug. 6, will be The Stanley Clarke Band which won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Album of 2011. Stanley Clarke is known worldwide for his innovative work as a jazz player and for his film scores that include “Boyz in the Hood”, “Passenger 57”, as well as collaborative videos with Michael Jackson. He has played with Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones, Chick Corea, Jeff Beck, and Jean-Luc Ponty to name a few.

Award winning John Pizzarelli will be the guest artist on Saturday, Aug. 5, and will lead the Scranton Jazz Festival 17-piece Big Band. Pizzarelli has appeared with Boston Pops John Pizzarelli jazz festival pic Orchestra, numerous Broadway engagements, and played extensively with Sir Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra, James Taylor, and Natalie Cole. He has recorded over 40 albums.