Artscene With Erika Funke

Kat Bolus, WVIA News Reporter, with a feature on the 65th anniversary of the Knox Mine Disaster that took place on January 22, 1959, in the Wyoming Valley near Port Griffith. She spoke with Dr. Robert Wolensky of the Anthracite Heritage Foundation; Chris Murley and Mike Borzell of the Underground Miners. For more information: www.wvia.org/ www.ahfdn.org/ www.undergroundminers.com/

Cheryl Boga, Director of Performance Music at the University of Scranton, speaking about the opening of the 2024 Spring Concert Season with a performance by pianist Eric Robert Lewis aka ELEW. The event will be held on Sunday, January 28 at 7:30 pm at the Houlihan-McClean Center. Admission is free. www.scranton.edu/music

Dr. David Heineman, Associate Professor in Communications Studies at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg, speaking about his recent documentary film, "NEPA Doc," to be screened 1/18/24 at 6:30pm at the Brodhead Creek Heritage Ctr; 1/19 at 6:30 at the Sheehy-Farmer Campus Ctr at King's College in Wilkes-Barre; 1/20 at 2:00 pm at the Sayre Theater in Sayre, PA. www.nepadoc.com/ www.davidheineman.net/

Photographer Michael Mirabito, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Communications at Marywood University in Scranton, speaking about his work in connection with the exhibition, "Voices: A Holocaust Remembrance; a Series of Photo-Encaustic Images & Works by Michael Mirabito" at the Widmann Art Gallery at King's College, 133 N. Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre, running through January 25, 2024. http://info.thetor.com

Taylor Fleming, pianist & composer, and Ryan Flannery, guitarist, speaking about their new album, "Fleming and Flannery: Friends of the Valley." The crowd-funded recording celebrates the music community of Central Pennsylvania. For more information: taylorflemingmusic.com/flemingandflanneryfriendsofthevalley/

Taylor Fleming, pianist & composer, and Ryan Flannery, guitarist, speaking about their new album, "Fleming and Flannery: Friends of the Valley." The crowd-funded recording celebrates the music community of Central Pennsylvania. For more info: taylorflemingmusic.com/flemingandflanneryfriendsofthevalley/

Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou, singer-songwriter & educator from the Lehigh Valley, speaking about her music for & with children, including "I Have a Dream," a song for Martin Luther King Jr., which has been embraced by Afrobeat artist Ness Mburu of Kenya in a YouTube video. For more information: www.dariamusic.com/

Michael Sauers of Bloomsburg, retired educator, author of children's books, businessman & community organizer, speaking about his memoir, "How I Remember It" and his books and songs for children. To contact him about presenting story-reading events at community & educational sites, msauers50@gmail.com/

Kynnedi Moryae' Porter, actor & dancer, speaking with WVIA's Lisa Mazzarella about the national touring production of HAIRSPRAY that will run in Scranton January 12-14, 2024, presented by Broadway in Scranton at the Scranton Cultural Center, 420 N. Washington Ave. Shows 1/12 at 7:30 pm; 1/13 at 2:00 & 7:30 pm; 1/14 at 1:00 pm. www.broadwayscranton.com/

George Aulisio, Dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library and Director of the Schemel Forum at the University of Scranton, speaking about the 2024 Spring program offerings: 3 Evening Courses; 6 World Affairs Luncheon Seminars; 2 Collaborative Programs. For more information: www.scranton.edu/schemelforum

John Vaida, violin, and Amy Iwazumi, viola, founders of the Chamber Music Society of Northeastern PA, speaking about a program titled, "Sensational Strings," to be presented January 11, 2024, at 7 pm at the Hayfield House at Penn State W-B in Dallas, PA; January 13 at 2:00 at the First Presbyterian Church of Bloomsburg; and January 14 at 4:00 at the First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit. www.nepacms.org/

Dr. Robert Wolensky, Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, anthracite historian, author and coordinator of Anthracite Mining Heritage Month, speaking about the events for January 2024 and offering highlights. For more information: www.ahfdn.org/ rwolensk@gmail.com/

Jaclyn Maria Fowler, Author and Educator, speaking about her book, "Jack: The Almost True Story of the Molly Maguires," recently published by Europe Books For more information: www.jaclynmariafowler.com/ or www.europebooks.co.uk

Actors Kimie Muroya and Bruce Gomez, speaking about their roles in the play "Sanctuary City" by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok that focuses on two young DREAMers. The Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble production opens on January 18, 2024 and runs through February 4th at the Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center Street in downtown Bloomsburg. There are shows Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sunday matinees at 3:00. For tickets and more information: www.bte.org or the Box Office at 570-784-8181.

David Poyer, writer, editor, publisher, educator & US Navy veteran, speaking about his novels in the Dan Lenson series, culminating in the 22nd titled, "The Academy," issued by St. Martin's/Macmillan. www.davidpoyer.com/

Kat Bolus, WVIA News Community Reporter, with a feature on the developments at the Earth Conservancy Archives in Ashley, PA. www.wvia.org/ www.earthconservancy.org/

Bobby Kelchner, Director of Operations at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Public Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre, speaking about the special New Year's Eve celebration featuring Cabinet, in a return performance. Mike Miz and the Northeast Extension will open at 8:30 pm on Sunday, December 31, 2023, and Cabinet will pick up about 45 minutes later and continue playing to welcome 2024. www.kirbycenter.org/     The box office: 570-826-1100.

Annie Cohen-Solal, writer and social historian, Distinguished Professor at Bocconi University in Milan. She spoke at the University of Scranton on March 28, 2023, about her recent study, "Picasso the Foreigner: An Artist in France, 1900-1973," issued by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. www.fsgbooks.com/ www.anniecohensolal.com/ Gagosian is presenting the exhibition, "A Foreigner Called Picasso," curated by Annie Cohen-Solal and Verane Tasseau at 522 West 21st Street in New York through February 10, 2024. www.gagosian.com/

Howard Grossman, Vice-Chair of the recently-formed Luzerne County Arts Advisory Board, speaking about the board and its vision as the members prepare for a Concert Event on April 14, 2024 and look ahead to the next quarterly meeting, to which the public is invited. For more information: luzernecounty.org/1393/arts-advisory-board.

Trebbe Johnson, writer, speaker, founder of Radical Joy for Hard Times, talking about her recent book, "Fierce Consciousness: Surviving the Sorrows of Earth and Self," issued by Calliope Books in January 2023. For more information: www.trebbejohnson.com/ The conversation was first broadcast on 8/10/23