Scranton Cultural Center Announces The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays

“THE ILLUSIONISTS – MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS” ARRIVING AT THE SCRANTON CULTURAL CENTER ON NOVEMBER 22
Tickets on Sale September 20 at 10:00 AM

It’s the most magical time of the year… ‘Tis the season for The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays, the latest installment of the world-famous, blockbuster touring magic spectacular “The Illusionists,” from Producers Simon Painter, Cirque du Soleil and MagicSpace Entertainment. The U.S. tour based off the smash-hit Broadway production is headed to more that 20 cities this holiday season and will bring the mind-blowing, family friendly show to the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple on November 22 at 7:30 PM for one show only. Tickets are on sale on September 20.

The Illusionists – Magic Of The Holidays will take place in the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Theatre and is presented in partnership with Magic City Productions.  Doors will open for bar and concessions at 6:30 PM.  Tickets start at $58.05 (includes fees), and will be available for purchase beginning September 20 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.

“Our record-breaking Broadway run for The Illusionists – Magic of the Holidays was an incredible hit and we are so excited to bring the show to more audiences around the country,” says producer Simon Painter. “The show is a perfect way for families and friends to celebrate the holidays together and see amazing illusionists perform on stage.”

The Illusionists – Magic of the Holidays showcases the jaw-dropping talents of the most incredible illusionists on earth. “The Illusionists” has shattered box office records across the globe and dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.

This year’s family-friendly show promises even more illusions, close-up magic, mentalism, and technological spectacle performed by master entertainers who’ve captivated audiences worldwide.

The confirmed cast for 2024 includes:

  • Kevin James – The Inventor: James, a world-class magician and one of the most viewed ever on YouTube is known for his unique comedy and magic, has performed in 110 countries, and headlined top theaters, including Broadway, the West End, and Las Vegas. He has entertained royalty and performed for President Obama at the White House. He received the Creative Fellowship Award from The Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences in 2004 and is a multiple Stage and Parlour Magician of the Year.
  • James More – The Deceptionist: More is a leading illusionist who gained fame from his 2013 “Britain’s Got Talent” audition, amassing over 100 million YouTube views. He became the first British magician to appear on Broadway. More has also appeared on “The Ellen Show,” “America’s Got Talent,” and “Tonight at the London Palladium.”
  • David Williamson – The Trickster: Williamson is an award-winning magician with over 40 years of experience, known for his unique comedic style and engaging audience participation. He has performed globally on TV and in theaters, and his magic instruction book has been translated into five languages. He is dedicated to sharing the joy and wonder of magic with audiences of all ages.
  • Chris Cox – The Mentalist: Cox, a multi-award-winning “mind reader who can’t read minds,” has performed on Broadway, London’s West End, and the Sydney Opera House. He stars in the BBC’s “Chris Cox’s Mind Boggling Magic” and “Killer Magic” and has appeared on NBC’s “The Today Show.” The Guardian calls him “one of the most exciting entertainers in Britain,” and The New York Times describes him as “a hyperactive Harry Potter who knows what you’re thinking.”
  • Pablo Canovas – The Unforgettable: Spanish magician Canovas has gained international acclaim as a prodigy, holding the record three times as Spain’s youngest illusionist winner. He earned titles such as “Golden Magician” in Paris and “Heir of Illusion” in the House of Magic. He captivates audiences with his enchanting performances, leaving them questioning reality and marveling at his talent.

“The Illusionists” previously wowed audiences and around the world including smash hit engagements on Broadway, London’s West End and on tour around the United States and Canada.

Broadway in Scranton Announces Season Ticket Sale

Broadway in Scranton’s 5-Show Season Tickets are now available! This package includes HAIRSPRAY, ANNIE, THE CHER SHOW, COME FROM AWAY, and PRETTY WOMAN – THE MUSICAL.

5-Show Season Tickets can be purchased online at BroadwayInScranton.com, in person at the Broadway Theatre League (BTL) office (345 North Washington Ave, Scranton, PA) or by calling the BTL office at 570-342-7784. BTL Office Hours are Monday – Friday 10AM – 4PM. Prices for this 5-Show Season Ticket package are $205, $280, $330 and $395.

Remember that BroadwayInScranton.com and ticketmaster.com are the only official online outlets to purchase tickets for Broadway In Scranton.

Season Ticket benefits include:

  • The Best Seats … Select your seats prior to shows going on sale
    • Same Great Seat … The same seat for each show
    • Value … over buying individual show tickets… Season Tickets save time & money!
    • Convenience … One order and you get tickets to all season shows
    • Payment plans … Flexible payment plan options available to space your purchase out over time. (NOTE: Payment plans cannot be arranged online and must be arranged in person at the BTL office or over the phone at 570.342.7784.)
    • Ticket Exchange … If you cannot attend a performance, you can exchange your tickets for another performance of the same show.
    • Guaranteed Nights Out … Season Tickets provide you the opportunity to pre-plan nights out
    • Free Ticket Insurance … Lose your tickets? No problem! We’ll replace them at no charge.
    • Extra Shows & Tickets … Season Ticket holders are the first to hear about any extra shows that are added throughout the season and receive advance purchase privileges

HAIRSPRAY_                     ______                                                                          January 12 – 14

“If life were everything it should be, it would be more like HAIRSPRAY. It’s irresistible!” – The New York Times

You Can’t Stop the Beat! HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the ‘60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” HAIRSPRAY is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times).

This all-new touring production reunites Broadway’s award-winning creative team led by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell to bring HAIRSPRAY to a new generation of theater audiences. Don’t miss this “exhilaratingly funny and warm-hearted musical comedy” (The New Yorker).

ANNIE                                  ______                                                                         February 16 – 18

Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production–just as you remember it and just when we need it most. ANNIE, directed by Jenn Thompson, features the iconic book and score, written by Tony Award®-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. This celebration of family, optimism and the American spirit remains the ultimate cure for all the hard knocks life throws your way.

THE CHER SHOW             ______                                                                               March 1 – 3

Superstars come and go. Cher is forever. For six straight decades, only one unstoppable force has flat-out dominated popular culture – breaking down barriers, pushing boundaries and letting nothing and no one stand in her way. THE CHER SHOW is the Tony Award®-winning musical of her story, and it’s packed with so much Cher that it takes three women to play her: the kid starting out, the glam pop star, and the icon.

THE CHER SHOW is 35 smash hits, six decades of stardom, two rock-star husbands, a Grammy®, an Oscar®, an Emmy®, and enough Tony Award-winning Bob Mackie gowns to cause a sequin shortage in New York City, all in one unabashedly fabulous new musical that will have audiences dancing in the aisles!

COME FROM AWAY                   ______                                                                      April 5 – 7

Broadway’s COME FROM AWAY is a Best Musical winner all across North America!

This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.

Don’t miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony® nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and helmed by Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley. Newsweek cheers, “It takes you to a place you never want to leave!”

On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all.

PRETTY WOMAN – THE MUSICAL                                                                        May 17 – 19

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL, based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all

time, springs to life with a powerhouse creative team led by two-time Tony Award®-winning director

and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde).

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL features an original score by Grammy® winner Bryan Adams and Jim

Vallance (“Summer of ’69”, “Heaven”), and a book by the movie’s legendary director Garry Marshall and

screenwriter J. F. Lawton. PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL will lift your spirits and light up your heart. “If

you love the movie, you’ll love the musical!” (BuzzFeed News).

Tickets on Sale for NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Best Practices Summit and Expo

Tickets are now available for the 2023 Manufacturing Best Practices Summit and Expo, the region’s largest manufacturing trade show and networking event, organized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC).

This year’s expo will be held on Friday, October 13 at Mohegan Pennsylvania Convention Center, Wilkes-Barre Twp. Individual admission is $50 for manufacturers and $100 for non-manufacturers. Registration, breakfast and networking begins at 8 a.m. The event concludes with a networking reception from 5 to 6 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased through the NEPIRC website, https://nepirc.com/manufacturing-day-2023/. All-access tickets include breakfast, admission to the expo, lunch with keynote presentation, breakout sessions, panel discussions and a closing reception with refreshments. 

Nearly 80 manufacturers and businesses that support manufacturing will have exhibit booths and product demonstrations at the expo. More than 500 attendees are expected at this year’s event.

“Manufacturing Day is an opportunity for all area manufacturers, businesses that provide services to manufacturers and individuals who want to learn more about northeastern Pennsylvania’s growing manufacturing sector to gather together under one roof at the region’s most impactful manufacturing networking event,” said Eric Joseph Esoda, president and CEO, NEPIRC. “We look forward to this year’s event being the largest in its history, both with the number of exhibitors and the number of attendees. We are very excited about our keynote speaker and the innovative topics planned for our breakout sessions, panel discussions and roundtables.”

As keynote speaker, Pete Ruggiero, COO of Crayola, will discuss how Crayola overcame post-pandemic challenges in his presentation, “Thriving Amidst Supply Chain Chaos.” His Crayola career spans a quarter of a century in previous roles, including interim chief executive officer, vice president global finance and managing director of Binney & Smith (Europe) Ltd. At Crayola, Ruggiero has played a critical role in the transformation of Crayola into an innovative company. Under his leadership, Crayola has diversified its business model through new product development, expansion into international markets, and the opening of multiple Crayola Experience attractions.

A new highlight of this year’s event is a Women Leaders in Manufacturing panel discussion moderated by Dr. Christine Kiesinger, principal, CEK Communication Consultancy. Panelists include Petra Mitchell, president, Catalyst Connection, Pittsburgh; Heidi McKenna, president, The Fredericks Company, Huntington Valley; Pat Frances, CEO, Chaucer Press, Wilkes-Barre; Grace McGregor Kramer, vice president of strategy and operations, McGregor Industries, Dunmore; and Denise Truesdale, senior vice president, human resources, Pride Mobility Products, Duryea.

Additional breakout sessions and roundtable topic discussions include:

  • Refueling the Talent Pipeline: The Importance of Familiarity
  • 3D Scanning and Reverse Engineering
  • Workplace Trends Impacting Safety
  • How Workplace Culture Works
  • Deciphering Aerospace Certifications and Entering the Aerospace Supply Chain
  • Subcontracting and Partnerships in Government Markets sponsored by NEPA Alliance Apex Accelerator
  • Demystifying Compliance: What CMMC Requirements Mean for NEPA Manufacturers sponsored by InnoTek Computer Consulting

In addition to breakout sessions, exhibits and networking sessions, students from the Tunkhannock Area High School U.S. FIRST Robotics Team will have a robotics demonstration and the Johnson College Mobile Technology Lab will be parked outside the convention center. The 35-foot-long trailer is outfitted with student workstations and equipment for training in STEM and building trades.

“Attendees will be able to see product demonstrations, learn more about the wide variety of products manufactured right in their own backyards, and network with decision-makers, buyers and business owners. We are grateful to our many sponsors for the support that makes this event possible,” said Esoda.

Sponsors of this year’s event include: NEPA Alliance APEX Accelerator, InnoTek Computer Consulting, Lackawanna College, Ashley Machine & Tool, Center City Print, JMR Industrial Enterprise Inc., North American Manufacturing, Simona, Acme Corrugated Box Co., Advent Design Corp., A. Pickett Construction, Ball Corporation, CANPACK, Cardinal LG, Cintas, Cheetah Chassis, EAM Mosca, Futuristic Innovative Graphics, Hydro, Lee & Associates Real Estate Services, Metal Integrity Precision Specialists, NovaCare Rehabilitation, OneGroup, Pennoni, Power Engineering Corp., Pride Mobility Products Corp., Space Ace Plastics, Site 2, TIW Technology, Workforce and Weiler. For a complete list of sponsors and partners, visit the NEPIRC website, https://nepirc.com/manufacturing-day-2023/.

For more information or to purchase tickets, email Chelsey Coslett, NEPIRC’s manager of marketing & stakeholder engagement, at Chelsey@NEPIRC.com or visit the NEPIRC website, https://nepirc.com/manufacturing-day-2023/.

Broadway in Scranton Presents Legally Blonde

Broadway in Scranton 2022 2023 Season

America’s favorite blonde, Elle Woods, is ready to prove who’s in charge (again) as Legally Blonde – The Musical comes to the Scranton Cultural Center for 4 performances December 2 – 4 (Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 2PM & 8PM, Sunday at 1PM). The ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power, Legally Blonde will take you from the UCLA sorority house to the Harvard halls of justice with its coming-of-age story.

Beginning Monday, October 17 at 10AM, tickets will be available in person at the Scranton Cultural Center box office and online at BroadwayInScranton.com. For group (10+) rates and more information, call 570.342.7784.

Based on the iconic movie, Legally Blonde follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, sexism, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams, and proves, contrary to dated bias, that you can be both legally blonde AND the smartest person in the room.

Things are groovy for Elle Woods but suddenly her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend dumps her so he can start getting more “serious” about his life and attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle uses her brain and ingenuity to also get admitted to Harvard. School begins with endless struggles, but with the help of her new friends, Elle quickly realizes her potential and her strengths, as she sets out to change the narrative. This contemporary, topical story touches on many current hot button issues while delighting audiences with memorable songs and explosive dances. Legally Blonde warms the heart by proving that self-discovery never goes out of style!

The 2022-2023 National Tour of Legally Blonde is produced by Daniel Sher of Big League Productions, Inc. The musical is directed by Jeffrey B. Moss, with choreography by Bob Richard. Set design is by Randel Wright, with lighting by Charlie Morrison and stunning new elaborate video design by Jon Infante. Casting is by Alison Franck.

First Responder Friday Tickets Available Now

As a small token of gratitude, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are giving away 50 complimentary tickets to our area’s great first responders every Friday home game during the 2022 season at PNC Field. These brave men and women have protected and served us beyond measure over the years and we are thrilled to welcome them into the park.
Tickets are given away on a first-come, first-serve basis, and are limited to four per week per first responder.
First responders can register for tickets by filling out the form on the First Responder Friday page on swbrailriders.com. Our Community Relations department will contact the first responders that will receive tickets in advance of each Friday home game this season with information regarding the seats and to make further arrangements.
For more information, please contact Jordan Steiner, the Director of Community Relations for the RailRiders, at jsteiner@swbrailriders.com or by calling (570) 558-4616.