The Scranton Cultural Center to Host the Ultimate Elvis Experience The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple and JZ Tours will present “The Ultimate Elvis Experience starring Shawn Klush” on April 14 at 8:00 PM in the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Theatre. The popular tribute artist, who hails from Pittston, last appeared at the SCC in 2015 to a nearly sold-out crowd. Born and raised in the small coal-mining town of Pittston, Pennsylvania, Shawn’s love for music led him to begin imitating his musical idol, Elvis Presley. He performed in the famous Poconos region followed by a tour of Canada where he entered and won the $5,000.00 prize in the “Worldwide Elvis Competition” in Montreal. This caught the attention of the award winning Las Vegas show, “Legends in Concert” where for many years he starred as ‘Elvis’ in their Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, Branson and Atlantic City show rooms. Each January he stars in the “Elvis Birthday Tribute Tour”, an extravaganza with Elvis’ own musicians, singers, and friends, in major venues in multiple cities. Shawn has released 5 CDs. He has performed with Elvis’ closest friends, musicians and singers such as JD Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, The Jordanaires, The Imperials, DJ Fontana, Charlie Hodge, Jerry Scheff, The Sweet Inspirations, Joe Guercio, Jerry Schilling and Joe Esposito. He portrayed Elvis in the hit TV miniseries “Shake, Rattle and Roll” which aired on CBS and VH1 and HBO’s Vinyl. Shawn was a featured performer on the Late Show with David Letterman performing to over 5 million viewers with the entire CBS Orchestra on Network Television and portrayed Elvis in HBO’s Vinyl. produced by Martin Scorsese and Mic Jagger. Tickets start at $40.75 (includes fees) with VIP Ticket Packages also available. They are available for purchase at the Fidelity Bank Box Office at the SCC in person or by calling (570) 344-1111, or via Ticketmaster. For more information or to view a full schedule of events, visit SCCMT.org. The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple’s 2022-2023 Season is sponsored by Fidelity Bank and LT Verrastro and supported by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Lackawanna County Office of Arts and Culture, and Commissioners Jerry Notarianni, Debi Dominick, Esq. and Chris Chermak. A special thank you to its media partners: Access NEPA, Allied Services, Audacy, Citizens’ Voice, Lamar Advertising, MAC Signs, The Times-Tribune and Times Shamrock Communications.
The Scranton Cultural Center to show Bluey Big Play The Stage Show WACKADOO! EMMY® AWARD-WINNING PHENOMENONBLUEY BRINGS FIRST LIVE STAGE SHOW TO THESCRANTON CULTURAL CENTER AT THE MASONIC TEMPLETWO PERFORMANCES ONLY * APRIL 11 & 12, 2023 Grab the sticky geckos, break out the duck cakes, and alert the grannies! It’s time to meet the much-loved Heeler family, who will be coming to the Scranton Cultural Center on April 11 & 12 at 6PM with the Bluey live show, Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show! The Emmy® Award-winning animated preschool series, which airs on Disney Junior, Disney Channel, and Disney+, will be “taking the show on the road” to the Scranton Cultural Center with 2 shows: Tuesday, April 11 and Wednesday, April 12. Tickets go on sale Monday, January 23 at 10AM and will be available at the Scranton Cultural Center box office and online at Ticketmaster.com. BLUEY is presented at the Scranton Cultural Center by NAC Entertainment and Albert Nocciolino. Fans of all ages will get to see Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli as they’ve never seen them before, as the Heelers embark on their very first live theater show in the U.S. featuring puppetry, live actors, and iconic sets. Based on an original new story written by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show also contains new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush. “After seeing the amazing reaction the show received during its Australia run, we are delighted to bring this standout live theater show to U.S. audiences,” said director Rosemary Myers of Windmill Theatre Co. “We know how much love there is out there for Bluey and are thrilled and honored to translate these brilliant characters into the three-dimensional world and to share this special experience with fans throughout America.” Bluey’s Big Play The Stage Show is presented by BBC Studios and Andrew Kay in association with Windmill Theatre Co. The stage show enjoyed much success in the home market of Australia, where it premiered in Bluey’s hometown Brisbane and went on to perform 447 times across 65 venues, including the Sydney Opera House. Contact: Ali Basalyga ali@nacentertainment.com570.702.1514
Scranton Cultural Center Announces Studio Two: The Early Beatles Tribute The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple will present Studio Two: The Early Beatles Tribute on January 20 at 8:00 PM in Shopland Hall. Hailed as ‘New England’s Best Beatles Tribute Band’ by “The Boston Globe,” Beatles tribute band, Studio Two, continues its tour in celebration of The Beatles coming to America. Studio Two is a headlining Beatles band that pays tribute to the early Beatles years, choosing songs from the pre-Sgt. Pepper era. Featuring graduates from Berklee College of Music and Beatles devotees, Studio Two band mates met in a “cellar full of noise” in a town slightly west of Liverpool (Milford, New Hampshire!) to pay homage to the greatest rock band of all time. Band members are experienced musicians of today’s generation dedicated to preserving the memory and fan culture of The Beatles generation. By recreating the Fab Four’s music, appearance, instruments, and onstage banter, Studio Two performs audiences’ most favorite hits that will bring people to the dance floor. Studio Two has performed at numerous large and small venues, from large open-air festivals to nightclubs. The show will take place in Shopland Hall, located on the building’s fourth floor, with doors opening at 7 PM. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Tickets are $33.25 in advance, and will increase to $43.25 on the day of the show. All ticket prices include fees. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning November 25 at 10 AM at the Fidelity Bank Box Office at the SCC in person or by calling (570) 344-1111, or via Ticketmaster. For more information or to view a full schedule of events, visit SCCMT.org.
Scranton Cultural Center Tom Papa Comedy Tour Tom Papa 2023 Comedy Tour March 10 – 7:30 PM Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Theatre With more than 20 years as a stand-up comedian, Tom Papa is one of the top comedic voices in the country finding success in film, TV, radio and podcasts as well as on the live stage. He is a regular guest on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast and the late night TV shows. On May 12, Tom released his second book, “You’re Doing Great!: And Other Reasons To Stay Alive,” a collection of essays on how people really live in modern America and what’s truly good and wonderful about our lives. On February 4, Netflix premiered Tom’s fourth hour-long stand-up special, “Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great!” A hilarious rebuttal to the current cultural feeling of dread, Tom wants viewers to remember that they are doing great; life isn’t perfect, it never will be, and that’s okay. Tom’s new podcast, “Breaking Bread with Tom Papa,” premiered on May 12 and features Tom and his guest for an hour of eating, drinking and enjoying life. Listeners are invited to take a seat at the table as Tom and his guests celebrate the true meaning of breaking bread with insightful, revealing and always funny conversations. Tom is host of the daily Netflix radio show, “What A Joke With Papa And Fortune,” on SiriusXM’s Netflix Channel, airing Mondays through Thursdays from 10:00 AM – Noon ET. To learn more, visit tompapa.com. Tickets range from $42.40 – $64.55 VIP option available for $165.55 Prices include fees. GET TICKETS! Tickets can also be purchased at the SCC’s Fidelity Bank Box Office in person or by phone at (570) 344-1111. Fidelity Bank is proud to support the Scranton Cultural Center and the arts in Northeastern PA!
Scranton Cultural Center Receives Grant from SACF The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple received a $5,000 Critical Needs Grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation to assist with restroom upgrades. The Scranton Cultural Center houses 26 restrooms, eight of which were in great need of repair and refurbishment. To safely and efficiently serve the community, corrective measures were needed to ensure that bathrooms are accessible, safe and clean to both the public and the organization’s staff. Hosting hundreds of events per year and approximately 80,000 visitors, the SCCMT is highly utilized. The continued success of the SCCMT and its services depends heavily on the ongoing preservation and modernization of the building. That, along with challenges presented by COVID-19, it was vital to undertake hygiene upgrades for the protection of the public and staff.
Scranton Cultural Center Receives Grant From Scranton Area Foundation The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple received a $25,000 Community Needs Grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation to assist with HVAC repairs. “The last significant upgrade to our system happened about a decade ago,” said Deborah Moran Peterson, Scranton Cultural Center Executive Director. “We are grateful to the SACF for this Community Needs Grant which helped to support us financially with this expense.” The funds received will be utilized to complete deferred maintenance and COVID related upgrades to the SCC’s HVAC systems, including repair of mechanical chillers and cooling towers, as well as improvements that ensure energy efficiency of air circulation throughout the most utilized areas building. The overall goal of the project is to create a better heating and cooling system that will lead to increased utilization and efficiencies, as well as cost savings over time.
The Scranton Cultural Center Announces “A Night of Comedy With Samantha Ruddy & Friends” The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple is pleased to announce “A Night of Comedy with Samantha Ruddy and Friends” on October 21 at 8 PM. Fresh off her appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” NEPA native Samantha Ruddy will headline the night. She’ll be joined by Martin Urbano (“The Tonight Show”) and more friends along the way! The show is set to take place in Shopland Hall. Samantha Ruddy tells jokes, writes funny stuff, and weasels her way into your heart with her gay girl-next-door charm. She is currently a Digital Producer at “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” in addition to being a warmup comic back when crowds gathering was a thing. Samantha’s work at “Full Frontal” has included writing straight to camera monologues for Sam to deliver, managing the content on the show’s social media accounts, and contributing to web series including the Emmy and Webby Award nominated “Beeing At Home.” In addition to her recent appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” Samantha has performed on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” headlined Carolines on Broadway, been heard on NPR, and appeared in videos for Comedy Central and Marvel. She has performed at comedy festivals like New York Comedy Festival, San Francisco Sketchfest, and Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Her debut comedy album, “Logging Out,” was named one of the best comedy albums of 2020 by NPR. Brooklyn Magazine has called Samantha one of Brooklyn’s 50 Funniest People, BUST says she’s a comic “you should be obsessed with,” and Vulture featured her for “Follow Friday.” Samantha is a skilled joke writer and her comedy is clever, disarming, and sly. Her writing can be found on Collegehumor, The Cut, and Reductress. She’s been nominated for both Shorty and Queerty awards for her online presence. Follow her on Twitter @Samlymatters. Samantha will be joined by Martin Urbano, an NYC-based comedian/satirist who has appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” The CW (Howie Mandel’s Comedy Gala), and Comedy Central. He’s currently a writer and performer on “The Tonight Show.” The show will take place in Shopland Hall on the fourth floor 8:00 p.m. with the doors opening at 7:00 p.m. A cash bar will be available for patrons 21 and over and concessions will also be available for purchase. Tickets $25.75 in advance and $30.75 day of show (includes fees). They can be purchased at the Fidelity Bank Box Office at the SCC in person or by calling (570) 344-1111, or via Ticketmaster. For additional information and a full schedule of events, visit SCCMT.org.
