Valentine’s Day Bluegrass at the Weis Center

Valentine’s Day Bluegrass at the Weis Center

The Weis Center will welcome bluegrass ensemble Henhouse Prowlers on Friday, February 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weis Center Concert Hall.

The performance is sponsored, in part, by The News Item.

Founded two decades ago, this Chicago-bred quartet finds itself at the intersection of performance, diplomacy and education. Onstage, the group’s performances give audiences a sense of how much they love what they do. In recordings — including 2023’s Lead and Iron — the band explores their collective life experiences through songwriting and intricate instrumentation.

While bluegrass is the undeniable foundation of the Henhouse Prowlers’ music, the band bends and squeezes the traditional form into a keenly developed sound all its own.

All four members possessing a knack for storytelling, compelling songwriting and intricate instrumentation, each offers the utmost artistic prowess, building on one another’s magic night after night.

Working with the U.S. State Department and under their own nonprofit, Bluegrass Ambassadors, the Prowlers have toured more than 29 countries on 5 continents. The group’s experiences with people and musicians in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East have shaped the band’s worldview and broadened the group’s direction towards bridging cultural gaps with music, educational programs and workshops. Using traditional American music as a foundation and connecting folk music, customs and history the world over, the Prowlers incorporate international elements into their already robust repertoire of unique traditional American music.

Whether playing live or presenting seminars, the Henhouse Prowlers find and spread the commonality we share as human beings through the universal language of music.

The group’s experiences with people and musicians across the globe have shaped their worldview and bolstered the bridges they establish between cultures. For this troupe, the work doesn’t end at making music – they are actively striving toward a kinder world.

Jon Goldfine: Bass
Jon’s drive and love shows through his commitment to the business at the bands’ inception and his powerful voice and songwriting. Before the Prowlers, Jon’s bass playing was all over the spectrum of rock and world music. He’s kind, measured and loves dogs more than pretty much anyone you’ve ever met.

Chris Dollar: Guitar
Chris comes from the heart of Bill Monroe country (Central Indiana) and it shows immediately on stage through his fierce guitar picking and ridiculous vocal chops. He cut his teeth with the excellent New Old Cavalry and Flatland Harmony Experiment and has become a foundational presence in the Prowlers. In his spare time, Chris works on both cars and guitars alike.

Jake Howard: Mandolin
Originally from the Akron, OH region, Jake picked up the mandolin at 15 and never put it down. His early years consisted of performing with friends & family and the Prowlers actually had a discussion with him early on about trying out for the band. Serendipity intervened and Jake was accepted into the world famous Berklee College of Music where he honed his skills, landing on stage with the Prowlers in 2020 with an undeniable presence & unmatched musicality. Jake’s propensity for teaching & video editing have helped the band level-up considerably.

Ben Wright: Banjo
Ben is a founding member of the Prowlers, having started his bluegrass journey in Chicago after seeing a banjo in the window of the Old Town School of Folk Music in mid-October of 1999. That $200 impulse buy turned itself slowly into a career spanning thousands of notes, friends and miles. When not playing the banjo, Ben not-so-quietly obsesses over shipwrecks and Nintendo.

TICKETS
Tickets are $30 for adults, $24 for seniors 62+ and subscribers, $20 for youth 18 and under, $20 for Bucknell employees and retirees (limit 2), free for Bucknell students (limit 1) and $20 for non-Bucknell students (limit 2).

Tickets can be reserved by calling 570-577-1000 or online at Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice.

Tickets are also available in person from several locations including the Weis Center lobby (weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and the CAP Center Box Office, located on the ground floor of the Elaine Langone Center (weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

For more information about this event, contact Lisa Leighton, marketing and outreach director, at 570-577-3727 or by e-mail at [email protected].

For more information about the Weis Center for the Performing Arts, go to Bucknell.edu/WeisCenter or search for the Weis Center on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.

NO DAY BUT TODAY: COMMUNITY THEATRE LEAGUE PRESENTS RENT IN A SPECIAL THREE-WEEKEND RUN

NO DAY BUT TODAY: COMMUNITY THEATRE LEAGUE PRESENTS RENT IN A SPECIAL THREE-WEEKEND RUN

[Williamsport, PA] – The Community Theatre League proudly presents RENT, Jonathan Larson’s groundbreaking rock musical that redefined a generation. This electrifying production will run for three weekends, February 7-9, 13-16, and 20-23, 2025, at CTL’s downtown theatre.

What would you do if you had only one year to live? RENT invites audiences to experience the raw emotion and exhilarating energy of Jonathan Larson’s iconic rock musical that forever changed Broadway.

A story of love, loss, and the pursuit of artistic dreams, RENT follows a group of struggling young artists navigating life in New York’s East Village during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. This Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical continues to inspire audiences with its timeless message of resilience, found family, and living for today. Thirty years after its premiere, RENT’s themes of love, loss, and fighting for survival remain as relevant as ever. With a cast of powerhouse performers and a score that pulses with life, this production is not just a show—it’s an experience.

“RENT is more than just a musical; it’s a movement. It’s about fighting for what matters, embracing love in all its forms, and refusing to let fear define us,” said Seth Sponhouse, CTL’s Executive Artistic Director and Director of RENT. “We are honored to bring this powerful show to our stage and share its urgent, unforgettable message with our community.”

A DYNAMIC CAST BRINGS RENT TO LIFE
Leading the cast are Timothy Hippensteel as Roger Davis, Seth Confer as Mark Cohen, Camden Hare as Tom Collins, Maxwell Theiss as Benjamin Coffin III, Marisa Sponhouse as Joanne Jefferson, Malachi Watson as Angel Schunard, Rubie Natal as Mimi Márquez, and Brandy Aguirre as Maureen Johnson. They are joined by a talented ensemble and pit singers who bring Larson’s unforgettable score to vibrant life. Marisa Sorrentino Hickey, the production’s Music Director, added, “This isn’t just a show; it’s an experience. Jonathan Larson’s music is powerful, emotional, and demands everything from its performers. This cast has embraced the challenge, pouring their hearts into every note and every lyric to create something truly unforgettable.”

TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Don’t miss this unforgettable theatrical event! Tickets are available at ctlshows.com/season-48/#rent. Secure your seat today and experience the power of RENT! Audiences can also purchase special $5 onstage seating for a unique, immersive perspective that is perfect for a second (or third!) viewing! For those who want to see RENT from another perspective, CTL is offering special $5 onstage seating, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in the show’s raw energy up close—an unforgettable way to experience this groundbreaking musical, especially for a second or even third time!

HONORING THOSE IMPACTED BY THE HIV/AIDS CRISIS
The cast and crew dedicates the run of RENT to the lives lost and those affected by the AIDS epidemic. We encourage audiences to learn more and support local resources by visiting AIDSResource.com

DON’T MISS THE CHANCE TO WITNESS THE PASSION, THE HEARTBREAK, AND THE TRIUMPH OF RENT. GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY AND JOIN US IN CELEBRATING LIFE, LOVE, AND THE POWER OF COMMUNITY—BECAUSE THERE TRULY IS NO DAY BUT TODAY.

NOTE: RENT is not intended for young children, but CTL always leaves viewer discretion to the legal guardian.

Tickets and Information:
Visit ctlshows.com/season-48/#RENT to purchase tickets or learn more about the production.

Performance Dates:
February 7-9, 13-16, 20-23
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays @ 7:30 PM
Sundays @ 2:00 PM

EVENT DETAILS:
• What: Community Theatre League presents “RENT”
• When: February 7-9, 13-16, 20-23
• Where: Community Theatre League, 100 West Third Street, Williamsport, PA
• Tickets: Available at CTLSHOWS.COM

LEGAL ATTRIBUTION:

BOOK, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY JONATHAN LARSON
MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS STEVE SKINNER
ORIGINAL CONCEPT/ADDITIONAL LYRICS BILLY ARONSON
MUSIC SUPERVISION AND ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS TIM WEIL

DRAMATURG LYNN THOMSON

RENT WAS ORIGINALLY PRODUCED IN NEW YORK BY NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP AND ON BROADWAY
BY JEFFREY SELLER, KEVIN MCCOLLUM, ALLAN S. GORDON AND THE NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP
RENT Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.

www.mtishows.com

ABOUT COMMUNITY THEATRE LEAGUE: The Community Theatre League is dedicated to enriching the cultural fabric of the

Williamsport area through live performance and education in the theatre arts. Now entering its 48th season, CTL contin-
ues to provide high-quality productions that entertain, educate, and inspire.

Grammy Nominated A Cappella Ensemble Mixes Jazz, Gospel and Pop into Sublime, Cohesive Sound

Grammy Nominated A Cappella Ensemble Mixes Jazz, Gospel and Pop into Sublime, Cohesive Sound

The Weis Center will welcome a cappella quartet Kings Return on Saturday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weis Center Concert Hall.

Dynamic and soothing four-piece vocal group Kings Return takes pride in crafting a diverse yet supremely cohesive a cappella sound. The blend of their unique vocal timbres is so rich and smooth that, at times, it sounds more like a full choir than four men. Discovered after posting a series of bare-bones stairwell performances that went viral, their music is a balm to the soul, laced with expansive harmonies that flex the agility and effortless range of their vocal talent.

Their sound has earned comparisons to iconic acts like Take 6 and Boyz II Men. But what sets Kings Return apart is their seamless integration of a wide range of genres and styles. Drawn to the flexibility of a cappella music, they take full advantage of the genre-mixing aspects of the tradition. Their brand of R&B is entwined with free moments of jazz, soulful bursts of gospel, and bright touches of pop—all built on a solid, classical foundation. Theirs is the kind of talent that makes virtuosic performance look (and sound) like sublime, effortless playtime, defying the constraints of any single genre to explore a myriad of sonic shades and textures.

Kings Return was first conceived in 2016, when Gabe Kunda asked some friends to perform with him for a college recital. The a cappella performance captivated the crowd and soon led to local gigs, where the group cut their teeth before finalizing the lineup in 2020.

Composed of tenor Vaughn Faison, bass Gabe Kunda, tenor JE McKissic, and baritone Jamall Williams, the Dallas-based quartet has since captured the hearts of millions of fans in-person and online. They earned their first taste of fame that summer, when they arranged, performed, and posted a video of their soul-stirring, a cappella rendition of “God Bless America,” which went viral. The next year, they posted a more classical a cappella performance of “Ubi Caritas,” which also went viral, amassing over 10 million views.

A pivotal moment for the budding act, Kings Return began to shift away from a strictly gospel focus to explore a more diverse musical repertoire. They dropped their debut EP in December 2021, a warm, jazz-leaning holiday album titled Merry Little Christmas, followed by the June 2022 release of their stunning Bee Gees cover “How Deep is Your Love” off debut LP ROVE, which earned a GRAMMY nomination for “best arrangement instrumental or a cappella.” Epic, expansive, and polished, ROVE was released in September 2022, showcasing a nuanced attention to detail and a remarkable fusion of four distinctive, classically-trained voices into one elegant and intricate whole.

The group’s name perfectly embodies their intentions as artists: “Kings” because they possess a charismatic power, moving forward with confidence to conquer whatever challenges arise. The “Return” signifies another important part of their mission: to give back to the communities that have supported them along the way.

“We don’t use any instruments, and it can feel very vulnerable to perform on stage alone, especially as Black men — with all the stigma that entails” says Kunda. “When we come together to do this vulnerable thing called a cappella, it strengthens our bonds. It makes us tighter as a unit and as human beings. We want to be examples for other men like us.”

Kings Return continues to defy expectations, charming audiences with their signature smoothness and sophisticated, down-to-earth charisma.

Vaughn Faison (Tenor 1) is a vocalist, songwriter, top-liner, and producer originally from New York. Recently, he has relocated from Fredonia, New York to Dallas, Texas. Vaughn covers a wide range of genres including R&B, pop, soul, and folk. He also has a master’s degree in Jazz Voice. To top off his impressive vocal abilities, Vaughn plays guitar and piano.

J.E. McKissic (Tenor 2) is a soul-stirring singer from Dallas, Texas. The son of a preacher and a school teacher, he learned to sing as a child in his father’s church, where he still sings to this day! His bright soaring sound has carved a unique musical journey crossing the genres of gospel, jazz, classical and contemporary music. In addition to performing, J.E. is a vocal coach, a choir director, and a worship leader. He has sung all over the U.S.A., and also traveled to Brazil, Germany, Canada.

Jamall Williams (Baritone) is a native of Dallas, TX, is the baritone in Kings Return. Outside of the group he lends his vocal talents to artists such as Tamela Mann, Marvin Sapp and Jabari Johnson to name a few.

Gabe Kunda (Bass) is a voice actor, vocalist, and vocal arranger from Dallas, TX. His love for music began in church and in school, where he began growing his musical knowledge. Kunda is a voice actor by trade and can be heard in Call of Duty Warzone (Jackal), Valorant (KAY/O), Apex Legends (Newcastle), Ranking of Kings Anime (Desha), and My Hero Academia (Rock Lock). He also has voiced Trailers and Promos for Shows/Movies such as “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness” (Marvel), TBS, The Bad Guys (Universal Pictures), The Batman (Warner Bros.), Encanto (Disney), Westside Story (20th Century) and many more.

TICKETS
Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 62+ and subscribers, $15 for youth 18 and under, $15 for Bucknell employees and retirees (limit 2), free for Bucknell students (limit 1) and $15 for non-Bucknell students (limit 2).

Tickets can be reserved by calling 570-577-1000 or online at Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice.

Tickets are also available in person from several locations including the Weis Center lobby (weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and the CAP Center Box Office, located on the ground floor of the Elaine Langone Center (weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

For more information about this event, contact Lisa Leighton, marketing and outreach director, at 570-577-3727 or by e-mail at [email protected].

For more information about the Weis Center for the Performing Arts, go to Bucknell.edu/WeisCenter or search for the Weis Center on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.

Brazilian Pianist Comes to the Weis Center with New Repertoire Inspired by the Amazon: Special Rate for High School Spanish Students

Brazilian Pianist Comes to the Weis Center with New Repertoire Inspired by the Amazon: Special Rate for High School Spanish Students

The Weis Center will welcome Heloísa Fernandes Quartet on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weis Center Concert Hall.

Pianist and composer Heloísa Fernandes returns to the U.S. for her first visit since recording her acclaimed piano solo album, Faces, in 2015 in Chicago.

She brings her new quartet with a newly composed program – Sonho das águas (Dream of the Waters) – and will conclude her visit with solo performances and a return to PianoForte Studio in Chicago to record a new solo album.

Her new quartet includes flutist Toninho Carrasqueira, a virtuoso in both the realms of classical and Brazilian popular music; double bassist Sidiel Vieira, one of the rising stars of a new generation of Brazilian instrumentalists; and percussion Ari Colares, whose knowledge of Brazilian rhythms and colors have illuminated Fernandes’s music for more than twenty-five years.

The performance is sponsored, in part, by WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation. This engagement is made possible through the Iber Exchange program of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts in collaboration with Ibermusicas.

“The story,” she says of Dream of the Waters, “will be told in frames or chapters, which reflect moments of observation and reflection on the beauty, immensity and life that exists in the Amazon.”

“The year 2024 began with a strong desire to create new material for a new musical family – the quartet – so that together we could tell the story that happened inside me after living an important moment in my life. I had a very moving experience at the end of 2023, when I traveled to the Amazon for the first time for a concert, and came across the immensity of the forest and its many rivers. It was transformative to see so much beauty.”

So began her quest to tell a musical story inspired by the Amazon, the largest tropical forest in the world, which supports incomparable biodiversity, inhabited by countless indigenous peoples, crossed by several rivers, including the Amazon River, the largest and most voluminous river in the world.

“A few months after I began working on the compositions, one night I had a dream in which I threw myself into the waters of a rushing river and felt everything perfectly, as if I was actually in it – the temperature, the movement of the water, the river carrying me, the surroundings with the forest – in short, the entire environment and its sensations. I woke up happy and absolutely convinced that I was on the right track.”

“Nature has always been present in my compositions, in a way,” she notes, “because I am Brazilian and I live in a country that supplies the world with its forests and rivers. The story that we are telling with this quartet today is a reflection and also a cry to the world, about the importance of the Amazon for the planet, as a source of life and the need for its preservation.”

“I hope that we can achieve our goal, to honor the Amazon through music, awakening people’s senses so that they feel and think about the importance of life.”

Some of the works are still waiting for Fernandes to give them titles. Those that have been named are Oferenda ao Rio Amazonas (Offering to the Amazon River), Depois da chuva (After the Rain), Lago do Amanã (Lake Amanã), Tempo dos sonhos (Time of Dreams), and Silêncio nos olhos (Silence in the Eyes).

ABOUT HELOISA FERNANDES
Brazilian pianist and composer Heloísa Fernandes encapsulates the sound of a woman free to study literature, poetry, nature and the classical, jazz and Brazilian musical worlds, and to let them shape her identity and flow into compositions. Her creations, described as both strong and original, effortlessly bridge ancient and modern influences, blossoming with rhythmic vitality and melodic delicacy. With her skill as an improviser, she searches for emotional depths and soars with joy.

“Fernandes is beyond categorization,” wrote the Post and Courier of her American debut. “She is herself, and I’ll always be interested in any music she cares to explore.”

She is a Visa Brazilian Music Award recipient and a celebrated finalist, known for critically acclaimed albums like Fruto, Candeias and Inzu. With a rich repertoire, collaborations and contributions to award-winning projects like the Project Ms. Mozart, which was recognized at D&AD in London in 2021, Fernandes continues to make a profound impact on the world stage.

TICKETS
Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 62+ and subscribers, $15 for youth 18 and under, $15 for Bucknell employees and retirees (limit 2), free for Bucknell students (limit 1) and $15 for non-Bucknell students (limit 2).

The Weis Center is offering a special youth rate for High School Spanish Students – $5 tickets. Use Coupon Code WORLDMUSIC online only: Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice. Enter the code after selecting seats.

All other tickets can be reserved by calling 570-577-1000 or online at Bucknell.edu/BoxOffice.

Tickets are also available in person from several locations including the Weis Center lobby (weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and the CAP Center Box Office, located on the ground floor of the Elaine Langone Center (weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

For more information about this event, contact Lisa Leighton, marketing and outreach director, at 570-577-3727 or by e-mail at [email protected].

For more information about the Weis Center for the Performing Arts, go to Bucknell.edu/WeisCenter or search for the Weis Center on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.

Community Arts Center awarded EITC funds from First Citizens Community Bank

Community Arts Center awarded EITC funds from First Citizens Community Bank

January 24, 2025 Williamsport, PA –The Community Arts Center is pleased to announce it received a $15,000 donation from First Citizens Community Bank as part of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.

The historic 2,100-seat venue has been designated as an Educational Improvement Organization under the EITC program through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for providing high quality innovative educational programs. Each year the CAC produces a Student Summer Stock musical or drama for junior and high school students from as many as 9 school
districts which includes over eight weeks of daily rehearsals and culminates with three-days of performances in late July. Another highly engaging and experience-enriched student opportunity that the CAC offers is the annual holiday production of The Nutcracker. This collaboration with St. John’s School of the Arts Dance ensemble and Williamsport Youth Choir includes more than 125 young ballet dancers and musicians (k-12). And annually since 2007, the Community Arts Center has been able to provide thousands of students access to exceptional arts programming through its Educational Series that enhances the classroom curriculum of nine school districts.

“We are deeply committed to building stronger communities through education,” said Randy Black, President and CEO of FCCB. “These partnerships with local organizations reflect our ongoing dedication to fostering a brighter future for the regions we serve, ensuring that all students and families have the resources they need to succeed.”

The EITC program provides tax credits to eligible companies that do business in the state when they contribute to scholarship organizations, educational improvement organizations and/or pre-kindergarten scholarship organizations.

“This generous contribution from First Citizens Community Bank will be indispensable in supporting programs like our annual Educational Series. We’re very grateful for this funding, which will allow us to continue to present quality content to learners throughout North Central Pennsylvania,” said Jim Dougherty, executive director of the CAC.

Funding for the educational programs is derived from various sources, including EITC Funds, donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.

“The support the Community Arts Center receives from the business community allows us to engage the youth in enriching ways,” said Ana Gonzalez-White, College Relations Officer for CAC development. “And for many it is also the first time they have been in the CAC. We are very grateful to First Citizens Community Bank for their commitment.”

For more information about giving opportunities at the CAC, contact Gonzalez-White at 570-327-7657 or email [email protected].

The Community Arts Center is owned and operated by Pennsylvania College of Technology, a national leader in applied technology education. For more information on the college, visit www.pct.edu.

“REMEMBERING TIOGA” EXHIBIT AT THE GMEINER

“REMEMBERING TIOGA” EXHIBIT AT THE GMEINER

The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is delighted to announce the Atrium Gallery exhibit for February 2025, “Remembering Tioga featuring watercolors by Kathy Pilling-Whitney. The exhibit will open on Saturday, February 1st with a reception from 2-4PM. The reception is free and open to the public, who are invited to come enjoy light refreshments provided by the Friday Club and to meet the artists. This exhibit will remain on display until Sunday, February 23rd. Throughout the month of February, guests who come to the Gmeiner and fill out an entry form will have a chance to win a beautiful handmade quilt as well.

Kathy Pilling-Whitney is a retired art teacher, having taught in New York state for 40 years. She lives in Tioga township, with her husband, Mark in a house they built. Kathy considers herself lucky to have been affiliated with the Gmeiner for 35 years now, having had individual shows, taking part in Regional Shows, teaching classes here, working as a docent and volunteering with Arts Friends. Last fall, Kathy taught a House Portrait in watercolor workshop at the Gmeiner, and, as one of her samples, she painted a portrait of the Berry House, in Tioga, as it appeared in the early 1900’s.  That was the start of an idea to raise money for the Tioga Grange No. 1223, and hence the Tioga Roller Rink. 

The Grange is a family, community organization with its roots in agriculture.  Founded in 1867, the Grange was formed as a national organization with a local focus. Members are given opportunities to learn and grow to their full potential as citizens and leaders. Throughout its history, the Grange has played pivotal roles in national agricultural and rural policy and is a leading voice for rural America. About a year and a half ago, the Tioga Grange (which is one of only two Granges left in Tioga county) had been shut down by the State Grange due to lack of membership. With no Grange there is no Roller-Skating rink for kids in Tioga. Kathy and her husband Mark joined the Tioga Grange along with a few other locals determined to keep it and the Roller Rink open. 

This exhibit is a collection of watercolor renderings of architecture from Tioga, Pennsylvania. Kathy has painted 16 buildings, some still standing and some lost to time. Tioga has a rich history not only of triumph in the form of industries and great fortunes, but also of tragedy in the form of fires and floods. All information and some of the images of now absent buildings in Tioga have come from a Facebook page called “Remembering Tioga, Pennsylvania”, administered by Debora Enderle Clark, a native Tiogan and local historian extraordinaire. Deb has been beyond generous in supporting Kathy in this project. The purpose for the show is to make calendars and postcards to be sold during Old Home Day to raise money for the Tioga Grange.

The Gmeiner is open from 12-6PM Tuesdays through Sundays and is located at 134 Main Street in Wellsboro behind the Green Free Library. Admission to the gallery is free.