Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

Elizabeth Dowd and Laurie McCants of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble star in the dark comedy ‘Skin & Bone’ running through March 29 at the Alvina Krause Theatre in Bloomsburg.

The Music Box Dinner Playhouse in Swoyersville will present the Broadway musical ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’ March 13 to 22. Among the stars are Jonathan Vojtko and Maureen Hozempa.

THIS WEEK: March 13 to 19, 2015

13, the area premiere of Jason Robert Brown’s musical coming-of-age story about a 12-year-old boy dealing with emotions of first love, separation from his friends and his Jewish faith. Presented by the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts at the J.J. Ferrara Center, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton. March 13 to 22 with performances 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $32 with dinner; $16 show only. 570-454-5451.

Skin & Bone, a dark southern Gothic comedy about two elderly ladies whose ancestral home is destined for the wrecking ball. Performed by the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble at the Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center St., Bloomsburg. Through March 29 with performances 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $26; $22 seniors; $13 students. 570-784-8181.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, the Broadway musical set in old Rome. Music Box Dinner Playhouse, 196 Hughes St., Swoyersville. March 13 to 22 with performances 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $35 with dinner; $18 show only. 570-283-2195.

Live from the Met: La Donna Del Lago, Rossini’s showcase of vocal virtuosity set in the medieval Scottish highlands and based on a beloved novel by Sir Walter Scott. Starring bel canto superstars Joyce DiDonato as the Lady of the Lake and Juan Diego Florez as the king who pursues her. Movies 14, 24 E. Northampton St., Wilkes-Barre and Cinemark 20, 40 Glenmaura National Blvd., Moosic. 12:55 p.m. March 14. $24, $22. 570-825-4444 or 800-326-3264.

Willy Wonka, Roald Dahl’s timeless story performed by students of the Creative and Performing Arts Academy, aged 9 to 16. Scranton Cultural Center, 420 N. Washington Ave. 7 p.m. March 19 and 20; 11 a.m. March 21. $5. 570-344-1111.

FUTURE

Beauty and the Beast, the timeless Disney classic based on the French fairy tale. Performed by Phoenix Kids, ages 4 to 13, at the Phoenix Performing Arts Centre, 409 Main St., Duryea. March 20 to 29 with performances 7 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. $10, $5 children. Reservations: 570-457-3589.

Theatre Program Showcase, a Broadway musical revue showcasing the talents of theater majors. Black Box Theatre, Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts, Marywood University, 2300 Adams Ave., Scranton. 7 p.m. March 20 and 21; 1 p.m. March 22. Free. 570-348-6268.

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, the sweetly comic story of two friends from Brooklyn in search of good times, set to the music of 18 Neil Sedaka hits. Pines Dinner Theater, 448 N. 17th St., Allentown. March 20 to May 10 with performances 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays. Dinner served 90 minutes before showtime. $48.50 with dinner; $25 show only. Reservations: 610-433-2333.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a free preview performance of Shakespeare’s comic fantasy presented as this year’s Theatre in the Classroom presentation by the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble. Bloomsburg Public Library, 225 Market St. Noon on March 21. 800-282-0283.

Jesus Christ Superstar, the Broadway rock opera based on the life of Christ. Little Theatre, 537 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre. March 21 to 29 with performances 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. 570-823-1875.

Portraits of the Passion, a new Easter play by the Rev. Gerald J. Gurka, taking a meditative journey through the art world’s depiction of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. St. John the Baptist Church, 126 Nesbitt St., Larksville. 7:30 p.m. March 27. Followed by refreshments. 570-779-9620.

Jekyll & Hyde, the Broadway musical based on the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novel about a London scientist struggling with his good and evil selves. F.M. Kirby Center, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre. 8 p.m. March 27. $62, $52, $42. 570-826-1100.

My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m in Therapy, Steve Solomon’s award-winning comedy, the longest-running one-man show on Broadway. Scranton Cultural Center, 420 N. Washington Ave. 8 p.m. March 27 and 28. $45.50, $35.50. 570-342-7784.

Arsenic and Old Lace, comedy about a young drama critic who finds out his two charming aunts are really homicidal maniacs who add a bit of poison to their homemade elderberry wine. Presented by the Dallas High School Theater Club, 2030 Conyngham Ave. 8 p.m. March 27 and 28. $5. 570-675-5201.

The Taipei Folk Dance Theatre, the first professional ethnic dance company in Taiwan, presented in conjunction with the International Conference on Asian Studies. Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts, Marywood University, 2300 Adams Ave., Scranton. 7:30 p.m. March 28. Free. 570-941-7643.

Sister’s Easter Catechism: Will My Bunny Go to Heaven? Celebrate the Easter season with Colleen Moore (alias “Sister”) in another episode of her sinfully funny Late Nite Catechism series. Sherman Theater, 524 Main St., Stroudsburg. 2 p.m. March 29. $40, $30. 570-420-2808.

Jekyll & Hyde, the national touring company of Broadway’s hit musical based on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic novel about good and evil in mankind. Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall, Bloomsburg University. 8 p.m. March 29. $45, $22 children. 570-389-4409.

Sister’s Easter Catechism. Colleen Moore returns with the Easter version of her comedic catechism class. Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center St., Bloomsburg. 7:30 p.m. April 8 to 10; 2 and 7:30 p.m. April 11; 3 p.m. April 12. $26. 570-784-8181.

Alice in Wonderland, the Manhattan Project’s version of the Lewis Carroll classic following Alice as she adventures down the rabbit hole into the human psyche, meeting the dark, unsettling shadows which linger there. Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, West South Street at South River Street, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre. 8 p.m. April 9 to 11; 2 p.m. April 12. $10, $5 seniors and students. 570-408-4540.

The Great Gatsby, a dramatic presentation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel set in the Jazz Age. Performed by the Montana Repertory Company at the Scranton Cultural Center, 420 N. Washington Ave. 8 p.m. April 10. $35, $15. 570-344-1111.

Peter and the Starcatcher, the Tony Award-winning swashbuckling prequel to “Peter Pan,” based on the best-selling novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. F.M. Kirby Center, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre. 7:30 p.m. April 11. $57, $47, $37. 570-826-1100.

Henry V, Shakespeare’s powerful history play about young Prince Hal as he abandons a life of leisure to unite his English countrymen and become king. Performed by the King’s Players at the King’s College Theater, Administration Building, 133 N. River St., Wilkes-Barre. 7:30 p.m. April 15-17 and 19; 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18. $12, $7 seniors, $5 students. 570-208-5825.

The Miracle Worker, William Gibson’s play about teacher Annie Sullivan and her blind and mute student Helen Keller. Performed by Actors Circle at the Providence Playhouse, 1256 Providence Road, Scranton. April 16 to 26 with performances 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. $12, $10 seniors, $8 students. Preview on April 16 $8, $6 students. Reservations: 570-342-9707.

Live from the Met, an operatic double bill of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” starring Marcelo Alvarez and Eva-Maria Westbroek. Movies 14, 24 E. Northampton St., Wilkes-Barre and Cinemark 20, 40 Glenmaura National Blvd., Moosic. 12:30 p.m. April 25. $24, $22. 570-825-4444 or 800-326-3264.

Spring Concert, a collaboration with opera scenes performed by the Marywood Opera Workshop and dance by the Dance Elan Company. Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts, Marywood University, 2300 Adams Ave., Scranton. 4 p.m. April 26. Free. 570-348-6268.

Vania & Sonia & Masha & Spike, Christopher Durang’s Tony Award-winning Chekhov mash-up set in Bucks County where two middle-aged siblings are visited by their glamorous sister and her new boy toy. Performed by the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble at the Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center St., Bloomsburg. April 30 to May 17 with performances 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $26; $22 seniors; $13 students. 570-784-8181.

Rent, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical about a group of struggling artists on New York’s Lower East Side. Presented by Liva Arts Company at Elm Park United Methodist Church, 712 Linden St., Scranton. 8 p.m. April 30 and May 1; 2 and 8 p.m. May 2. 570-941-7401.

Dance Concert, the annual show by dance minor students and visiting guest artists. Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts, Marywood University, 2300 Adams Ave., Scranton. 7:30 p.m. May 1; 2 p.m. May 2. Free. 570-348-6268.

Anything Goes, the Tony Award-winning Cole Porter musical comedy. Performed by a national touring company at the Scranton Cultural Center, 420 N. Washington Ave. 8 p.m. May 1; 2 and 8 p.m. May 2; 1 p.m. May 3. 570-342-7784 or broadwayscranton.com.

Lost in Yonkers, Neil Simon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy-drama about two brothers who come to live with their tough-love grandmother and dreamer of an aunt. Presented by the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts at the J.J. Ferrara Center, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton. May 8 to 17 with performances 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $32 with dinner; $16 show only. 570-454-5451.

Noises Off, the hilarious farce about a disorganized theater company attempting to put on a production that is snowballing out of control. Little Theatre, 537 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre. May 9 to 17 with performances 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. 570-823-1875.

Tommy, the Who’s popular rock opera about the deaf, dumb and blind Pinball Wizard. Presented by the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts at the J.J. Ferrara Center, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton. June 12 to 24 with performances 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $32 with dinner; $16 show only. 570-454-5451.

Mr. Roberts, the classic serio-comedy about life in the South Pacific aboard a navy vessel during World War II. Presented by the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts at the J.J. Ferrara Center, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton. July 3 to 12 with performances 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $32 with dinner; $16 show only. 570-454-5451.

Mary Poppins, the regional premiere based on the Disney musical about the magical nanny who takes care of the Banks family household in Edwardian London. Presented by the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts at the J.J. Ferrara Center, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton. Aug. 7 to 16 with performances 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $32 with dinner; $16 show only. 570-454-5451.

A Little Night Music, the Broadway musical about love, sex and folly set during a weekend on a country estate. Presented by the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts at the J.J. Ferrara Center, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton. Sept. 11 to 20 with performances 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $32 with dinner; $16 show only. 570-454-5451.

West Side Story, the Broadway musical which sets a Romeo-and-Juliet story among street gangs of New York City. Little Theatre, 537 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre. Sept. 12 to 20 with performances 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. 570-823-1875.

The Laramie Project, Moises Kaufman’s chronicle of the apparent hate-crime death of gay college student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming. Little Theatre, 537 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre. Nov. 7 to 15 with performances 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. 570-823-1875.

Scrooge, the musical adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Presented by the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts at the J.J. Ferrara Center, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton. Dec. 3 to 13 with performances 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. $32 with dinner; $16 show only. 570-454-5451.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Auditions for the Phoenix Theatrics May production of “Godspell” for ages 13 to 15. Phoenix Performing Arts Centre, 409 Main St., Duryea. 5 to 7:30 p.m. March 22. 570-991-1817.

Theater Bus Trip to the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster for a performance of “Moses,” sponsored by the United Methodist Church of Pittston. Bus leaves Pittston Plaza 10:45 a.m. April 10. $116 includes transportation, show, tips, taxes and dinner at the Shady Maple Smorgasbord. Reservations: 570-603-1915.