Twin Cities Lions Plan Whale Watch Trip 
Twin Cities Lions Shickshinny/mocanaqua Will Hold A Trip To Provincetown, 
Mass., May 16-17.

2 Killed, 1 Injured In Route 92 Collision

Sunday, January 25, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 7G 





Plan floated for Ralston Field &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rather than simply tearing down the stage when Wilkes University's annual &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Summer Shakespeare production closes, director Bruce Phair believes there
may be another use for the Ralston Field facilityPhair has proposed a theater
festival, lasting perhaps a month, that would feature an assortment of works
by the area's community theater groups. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're looking to take our single show, our single Shakespeare production,
and expand it into two, three or four weeks," said Phair, "bringing in a
different production each week." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The details are still uncertain, Phair said last week, and Wilkes is eager
to talk with interested companies before finalizing any plans. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But as presented to Northeastern Pennsylvania Theatrical Alliance members
at a meeting last Saturday, and confirmed by Phair, the festival would
probably work like this: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Summer Shakespeare would be the opening offering, running for its usual six
days in early July. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As many as three other productions would follow, a new one opening each
week, likely on Thursday and running through Sunday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Shows would be selected by the groups selected to perform, although Phair
wants only family fare for the Ralston stage. Each group would prepare its own
sets and performance, essentially bringing a complete work to the festival. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's still in the developmental stage," Phair said. "We talked amongst
ourselves last year, and we thought this was a wonderful way to move forward,
having groups bring in pre-packaged shows. NEPTA seemed to be the best place
to make this offer." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Reaction at the meeting was positive, but so far, only Curtain Call Theatre
Company of Carbondale has contacted Phair. The details won't be finalized
until he can talk with other interested groups and gather their input. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "There's a lot of things we don't have carved in stone," he said. "We'll
certainly handle the publicity side of it, and handle all the technical
support for the event. Then there's the question of revenue sharing and how
we'd handle that." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Phair believes the Ralston Field location would open these productions to
audiences that might not otherwise attend community theater. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "That's exactly what I'm hoping," he said. "The location is a wonderful
one. There's a great amount of parking, and it's certainly centrally located
for the Wyoming valley. But being outside is really the focal point." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Brian Friel's "Molly Sweeney," an eloquent play about a middle-aged woman's
attempts to regain her eyesight, makes its local debut at Bloomsburg Theatre
Ensemble on Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Elizabeth Dowd directs. The production runs through Feb 14. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Two other Friel plays have been presented in Northeastern Pennsylvania,
both at Providence Playhouse in Scranton. "Philadelphia, Here I Come" appeared
last year, and "Dancing at Lughnasa" made its American amateur debut there
several years earlier. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 One of the cast members in The Northeast Theatre Ensemble's upcoming
production has been on Broadway. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Brad Fairbanks, who plays Nick in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," made
his debut on the Great White Way in 1996 with George C. Scott and Charles
Durning in "Inherit the Wind." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For the TNT production, which opens Friday in Shopland Hall at the Scranton
Cultural Center, Fairbanks is joined by three other professional New York
actors and director Donna Kaz. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kaz has presented works at a number of New York and Los Angeles theaters,
and is currently writing the book and lyrics to a new musical, "Calamity." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Co-starring in the production are Edward J. Cunningham as George, Judy
Rhodes as Martha, and Andria Laurie as Honey. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Edward Albee play runs through Feb. 15. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TNT has also scheduled auditions for its next production, "The Servant of
Two Masters," which opens April 25. "Servant" is described as a cross between
"The Barber of Seville" and The Three Stooges. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The company needs 11 actors, male and female, between the ages of 18 and
80. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Lance Hewitt of New York will direct. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Auditions will be held Sunday, Feb. 15 from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Scranton
Cultural Center. For information, call 969-1770. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 David Bakamjian, the principal cellist of the "Miss Saigon" orchestra on
Broadway, will appear with the Four Nations Ensemble in Wilkes-Barre next
month. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Four Nations will perform at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at St. Stephen's
Episcopal Church, South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre; and at 8 p.m. on
Thursday, Feb. 19 in the J. Carroll McCormick Campus Ministry Center at King's
College. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 WHAT'S PLAYING &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A guide to local theater in Northeastern Pennsylvania (for detailed
listings, including show times and ticket prices, see the Weekend section each
Friday): &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 NATIONAL TOURS &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Broadway Series at the F.M. Kirby Center, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre.
826-1100. UPCOMING: "Damn Yankees," Feb. 21; "How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying," April 24. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Broadway Series of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Scranton Cultural Center,
North Washington Avenue, Scranton. (800) 243-9500. UPCOMING: "West Side
Story," Feb. 5-8. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Children's Series at the F.M. Kirby Center, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre.
826-1100. UPCOMING: "Wind in the Willows," March 25. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Scranton Cultural Center Series, North Washington Avenue, Scranton.
1-888-669-8966. UPCOMING: "Peer Gynt," by National Theatre of the Deaf, Feb.
4. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Sesame Street Live: Let's Play School," F.M. Kirby Center, Public Square,
Wilkes-Barre. March 4-15. 826-1100. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "STOMP," rhythmic musical. F.M. Kirby Center, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre.
Friday through Sunday. 826-1100. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 PROFESSIONAL &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center St.,
Bloomsburg. 800-282-0283. UPCOMING: "Molly Sweeney," by Brian Friel. Friday
through Feb. 15. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Public Theatre of Pennsylvania, F.M. Kirby Center, Public Square,
Wilkes-Barre. 826-1100. UPCOMING: "Nobody Hears a Broken Drum," by Jason
Miller, April. 2-4. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Northeastern Theatre Ensemble, Shopland Hall, Scranton Cultural Center
Fourth Floor, North Washington Avenue, Scranton. 969-1770. UPCOMING: "Who's
Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," Friday through Feb. 15. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 COMMUNITY &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Act, Carbondale. 282-0821. UPCOMING: "I Love My Wife," at Diva
Productions. Jan. 31-1. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bracken Theatre Company, Castlefondo, Genetti Best Western, Wilkes-Barre.
654-0247. UPCOMING: Improv evening, Feb. 28. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Corner Bistro Dinner Theatre, South Main Street, Carbondale. 282-7499.
UPCOMING: tba. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Diva Productions, North Adams Avenue, Scranton. UPCOMING: "Hot L
Baltimore," Feb. 20-Mar. 7. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, North Main Street, Wilkes-Barre. 823-1875.
UPCOMING: Jake's Women, March 27-April 5. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Music Box Dinner Playhouse, Hughes Street, Swoyersville. 283-2195 or (800)
698-7529. UPCOMING: "Hello, Dolly," Feb. 13-Mar. 7. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 NE Players, Darte Center, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre. 675-4333
UPCOMING: "The Enchantment of Beauty and the Beast," April 21. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nuremberg Community Players, American Legion, Nuremberg. UPCOMING: tba. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Showcase Theatre, Tunkhannock Avenue, Exeter. 654-2555. UPCOMING: "The
Children's Hour," March 19-29. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wilkes-Barre Artistic Theatre Ensemble, Black Box Theatre, Wilkes
University, Wilkes-Barre. 823-8220. UPCOMING: tba. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 COLLEGE &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 College Misericordia, Walsh Auditorium, Dallas. 674-6719. UPCOMING:
"Nunsense," March 26-29. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 King's College, Administration Building Auditorium, Wilkes-Barre. 208-5825.
UPCOMING: tba. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Marywood University, Performing Arts Center, Scranton. 348-6211 ext. 2469.
UPCOMING: tba. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Penn State Hazleton, Campus Commons Building, Hazleton. 450-3054. UPCOMING:
"Iphigenia," musical Greek tragedy. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Bierly Auditorium, Lehman Twp. 675-9284. UPCOMING:
Robert Post, one-man theater. March 3. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Plan Floated For Ralston Field 
Rather Than Simply Tearing Down The Stage When Wilkes University's Annual 
Summer Shakespeare Production Closes, Director Bruce Phair Believes There May 
Be Another Use For The Ralston Field Facility.

Plan Floated For Ralston Field Rather Than Simply Tearing Down The Stage When Wilkes University's Annual Summer Shakespeare Production Closes, Director Bruce Phair Believes There May Be Another Use For The Ralston Field Facility.