Breaking News

Showcase

A look at a collection of time-loop tales

Last week, I reviewed the new sci-fi feature “Boss Level.” Starring Frank Grillo, Naomi Watts and Mel Gibson, the entertaining Hulu thriller is a time-loop tale — that is, one in which the protagonist keeps experiencing the same time period over and over. There are dozens of these — including, for instance, the horror flick “Happy Death Day” and the lesser-known teen drama “Before I Fall.” If you missed “Boss Level” or need more of the same, here are five others: GROUNDHOG DAY (1993; rated PG) One of the earliest examples — and perhaps the most famous ...

Company to open season with 1-woman show

Studio 570 has selected a play to kick off the 5th anniversary season. Studio 570’s Jared Whitford announced that “Helen” will be the local theatre group’s opening production. The one-woman show “Helen” by performer and playwright Emma Joy Hill, “inspired by Helen of Troy, the everywoman” will be presented at 8 p.m. on March 25, 26 and 27, and April 1, 2 and 3 at 140 W. Fourth St., downtown Williamsport. A recent recipient of a playwrighting grant from the Dramatists Guild, Hill, who is currently based out of Connecticut, is an advocate and chief creative officer of ...

Artists wanted for show in park

The Bald Eagle Art League is looking for artists to participate in the Way’s Garden Art Show. The show, according to a news release, will be between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., June 13, at Way’s Garden, West Fourth and Maynard streets. The event will be moved to the YWCA if weather does not cooperate. For applications or more information, contact Deb Trate at tdtrate1719@gmail.com or Gretchen Mangiardi at gretchen.mangiardi@gmail.com.

Music competition looking for students

The 37th Phyllis Triolo Music Competition will be held online on May 15 for talented middle and high school students in Central Pennsylvania. The competition is sponsored by the Central Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association, according to a news release. Instrumentalists, vocalists and pianists compete in two divisions. The Junior Division consists of students in grades 6 through 8, the Senior Division consists of students in grades 9 through 12. Prizes in each division are: $300 for the first prize, $200 for second prize, and a possible third Prize of $100. Deadline to submit ...

Regional group to share 2 one-act plays on Zoom

Hamilton-Gibson Productions is presenting performances of a staged reading of two one-act plays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The performances are free. “Whitman v. the United States: Case 36 (on Zoom)” by James Still and “Do Not Go, My Love” by Enid Graham each run about 15 minutes. According to a news release, this is the fourth in HG’s free series of eight 30-minute staged readings of short plays via Zoom. Part fever dream and part digital trial, “Whitman” is about a writer battling some very particular demons while the world shelters in place ...

‘Boss Level’ skilled with both comic-book mayhem, heartfelt family drama

The cool thing about time-loop movies is, they kinda require an actual plot. Which is also the paradoxical thing — because in time-loop tales such as “Groundhog Day” and “Edge of Tomorrow,” a character keeps living the same events over and over. To prevent dreary monotony in this recurring cycle, there must be some definite development: In each reboot, the day alters slightly; or the character figures out something new — or begins to grow as a person. That is certainly the case with the entertaining “Boss Level,” which at first plays its repetition for laughs, then ...