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‘SpongeBob’ auditions open in April

The Community Arts Center is holding auditions for the 2021 Student Summer Stock production of the SpongeBob Musical directed by Dr. C. Austin Hill, with music direction by Diana Welshans, and choreography by Allison Wells Hill. Auditions will take place by video submission, a news release ...

1971 a big year for blockbusters, directors

With such classics as “Chinatown,” “Network,” “Jaws,” “Manhattan,” both “Godfather” films and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” the 1970s is often regarded as a miniature Golden Age at the movies. With that in mind, your local critic took a look back at 1971 to see what was happening onscreen exactly 50 years ago. Quite a lot, as it turns out. While “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Summer of ’42” were among the top box-office hits, 1971 also marked the directorial debut of three figures who would go on to colossal cinematic careers: First came ...

Williamsport grad speaks about ‘fuller experience’ in music

STATE COLLEGE — In a recent virtual lecture part of the “Meeting the Moment with Michael Mwenso,” Dashon Burton, two time Grammy winner and Williamsport High School alumnus, talks about new projects and answers questions regarding the black experience in music and his music history. As a black artist who was listening and learning in classic European spaces, Burton was encouraged by fellow black students and teachers, who then all helped represent. “My whole mission is to make sure that people know that we are not just welcomed, but also required to be in these spaces to tell ...

Williamsport grad credits Grammy wins to ‘incredibly hard work’

Just recently, Dashon Burton, Williamsport Area High School alumnus, has won a second Grammy for his musical talents in both a vocal ensemble and now as a soloist. “I am so thrilled,” he said. “It calls attention to the incredibly hard work.” The solo artist album he created ...

Organists’ chapter celebrates 75 years

The American Guild of Organists (AGO) was founded in New York City in 1896 as a national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields. As both an educational and service organization, the Guild seeks to set and maintain high musical standards and to promote understanding ...

Naomi Watts a powerhouse actress for decades

In recent weeks your local movie critic has been raving about “Penguin Bloom,” a sensational 2020 drama starring Naomi Watts as an active young mom who is suddenly paralyzed from the waist down. Fans of that inspiring drama who want more Watts have plenty to choose from. Since most folks know about critical faves and box-office hits like “King Kong,” “St. Vincent,” “Birdman” and “Mulholland Drive,” here are several lesser-known chestnuts from Watts’ impressive resume: MATINEE (1993) Watts has a tiny role in this enchanting sleeper that is part nostalgia ...