<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69d3f26eb6a24.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Jillian Rossi<\/p>\n
As it looks ahead to its 100th anniversary next year, MunOpCo Music Theatre<\/a> will hold an original music revue show to raise funds and awareness. The premiere of \u201cA Day In The Life: the Ultimate Beatles Soundtrack Concert<\/a>\u201d is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday at Emmaus Theatre<\/a>, which is located at 19 S. Fourth St., in Emmaus, Lehigh County. The show will be performed again on Sunday at 2 p.m..<\/p>\n \u201cA Day in the Life\u201d is a new work written and directed by Jillian Rossi, a local performer who is founder and lead singer of the SwingTime Dolls.<\/p>\n The company, Allentown\u2019s oldest community theater,\u00a0 had been on hiatus since it staged \u201cRock of Ages\u201d in September 2024.\u00a0 MunOpCo postponed its production of \u201cUrinetown, The Musical,\u201d which was scheduled for February 2025, because of \u201cfinancial impacts and timing considerations,\u201d according to the board of directors.<\/p>\n Rossi, who said she has been involved with MunOpCo for 20 years, wanted to help the company save money on its next show. She said she decided to write the show, her first, to save money. One of the biggest costs for theater groups is production rights, which include licensing fees, royalties, and material rentals, and can total $1,000 or more, plus 8% to 12% of ticket sales.<\/p>\n Rossi said she decided to write a show based on the music of The Beatles and weave together characters mentioned in The Beatles\u2019 song, such as Jude\u201d (Moriah Faith), Desmond (Ryan Doncsecz), Molly (Catherine Logan Blanar), Eleanor (Geri Kery and Rossi) and Maxwell (Kerry McGuire) into a storyline, in which the characters meet in a hospital waiting room.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a storyline about love, hope and meeting people,\u201d Rossi shared. \u201cAnd there is a twist at the end. There are 72 Beatles songs intertwined with the character\u2019s stories.\u201d<\/p>\n She said the songs, many of which are in medleys, include favorites as well as less frequently heard songs, such as \u201cLet It Be,\u201d \u201cOctopus’ Garden,\u201d \u201cHere Comes The Sun,\u201d \u201cYesterday,\u201d \u201cLady Madonna,\u201d \u201cIn My Life,\u201d Sgt. Pepper\u2019s Lonely Hearts Club Band,\u201d and \u201cAll You Need Is Love.\u201d<\/p>\n The show is fully produced with a set and costumes. Rossi also choreographed the show and said there will be lots of singing and dancing.<\/p>\n The large cast features Ryan Zickafoose, Johnny Bertone, Sherilyn Glose, Micah Henning, Darice Hoffman, Jim Hoffman, Brenda McGuire, Rebecca Pieper, Daimon Price, Lissa Scearce, Lori Sivick, Lisa Suppan, Phillip Wallens, and Colleen Zajacik.<\/p>\n The chorus features Patricia Kery-Donchez, Aaron Falkenstein, Bob Falkenstein, Deb Jacoby, Arianna Jones. Dave Scarlatella, and Linda Sherer.<\/p>\n MunOpCo, established in 1927, is the sixth-oldest municipal opera company in the country and the oldest linked to a recreation commission<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to keep MunOpCo\u2019s name out there,\u201d Rossi said. \u201cWe want to keep the company alive.\u201d<\/p>\n Tickets cost $20.<\/p>\n \u2018Sister Act\u2019 in Exeter<\/p>\n Reading Civic Theatre<\/a> will present “Sister Act The Musical” at RCT Performing Arts, which is located at 4350 Perkiomen Ave. in Exeter Township, Berks County.<\/p>\n Deloris Van Cartier is an aspiring singer in Philadelphia, where she is auditioning to perform at her gangster boyfriends nightclub. Deloris believes that Curtis is going to introduce her to a big producer, but is upset when he tells her she is not ready. Hurt and rejected, Deloris decides to break up with him, but when she goes to find him she accidentally sees him kill one of his cronies. Deloris runs to the police, who place her in hiding at a convent until Curtis is brought to trial. At first, Deloris feels as though it will be the worst thing in the world, chafing against the constraints of convent life and an immovable Reverend Mother, but once she is introduced to the struggling choir at the convent, everything changes. She finds that many of the nuns at the convent are not that different from her, and that they are quite fun to be around. They help give her a bigger purpose in her life, showing her a genuine love and affection that was missing prior to her arrival at the convent. Sister Act is a joyous show that uses music to bring different communities, and lifestyles, together.<\/p>\n The cast features Davina Lopez as Deloris; Melisse Weber as Mother Superior; Sofia Stankiewicz, Kelly Kantner, Betsy Chapman, Shirley Pisano and Jeannette DeAngelo as nuns; Jeff Yoder, Matthew Allen, James Barksdale, Cody Hoppes, James Francisco, and Kyriakos Vachaviolos.<\/p>\n Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and April 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday and April 19.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tickets cost $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, and $25 for students.<\/p>\n Sondheim at Lehigh<\/p>\n Zoellner Arts Center<\/a> at Lehigh University in Bethlehem and the Lehigh University Department of Theatre will present Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine\u2019s beloved musical \u201cInto the Woods<\/a>\u201d at the Diamond Theater<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The beloved musical intertwines classic fairy tales, from Cinderella to Little Red Riding Hood, into a rich and unexpected story exploring wishes, consequences, and the complexity of human choices.<\/p>\n Through Sondheim\u2019s unforgettable music and Lapine\u2019s imaginative storytelling, the production invites audiences on a magical journey that moves beyond traditional fairy tale endings to explore the deeper meaning of responsibility, community, and the cost of dreams.<\/p>\n Directed by Lyam B. Gabel and Kashi Johnson, with music direction by Sarah Frook Gallo, Liz Olson, and Kyle Wernke, this production brings together talented performers and musicians from across the Lehigh University community. Into the Woods continues the university\u2019s tradition of collaborative theatrical productions that blend music, storytelling, and stagecraft into memorable live performance experiences.<\/p>\n Performances are 7:30 p.m. April 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, and 18; and 2 p.m. April 12.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tickets cost $12 and are free for Lehigh students.<\/p>\n New take on \u2018Peter Pan\u2019<\/p>\n Genesius Theatre<\/a> will stage a new adaptation of\u00a0J.M. Barrie’s \u201cPeter Pan, or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up.\u201d<\/p>\n Adapted from the 1905 American version of \u201cPeter Pan\u201d by J.M. Barrie, the show is a freshly modernized adaptation by Genesius director Douglas Carter Beane with an original score by Lewis Flinn. This family-friendly production invites audiences of all ages to partake in the most defiant act against growing up, using their imagination.<\/p>\n Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and April 15 and 17, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and on April 18, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n Tickets cost $15 to $37.50.<\/p>\n Genesius Theatre is located at 153 N. 10th St. in Reading.<\/p>\n Political satire<\/p>\n Reading Community Players<\/a> will present Tracy Letts\u2019 \u201cThe Minutes<\/a>\u201d at WCR Center for the Arts<\/a>, which is located at 140 N. Fifth St. in Reading.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Minutes\u201d delivers a razor\u2011sharp satire of small\u2011town politics, beginning as an ordinary, comical city council meeting and spiraling into a brilliantly unsettling nightmare. With his signature wit and Pulitzer\u2011honed precision, Letts introduces a cast of familiar, larger\u2011than\u2011life personalities whose petty disputes \u2014 over parking spaces and missing bicycles \u2014 slowly peel back to expose something far more profound. What emerges is a bold, biting look at the stories America tells itself, and the fierce, often ugly battles over who gets to define them. It\u2019s a timely work that captures the essence of our political moment and promises to resonate long after it.<\/p>\n Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n Tickets cost $20.<\/p>\n Free parking is available across the street.<\/p>\n Final Bach at Noon<\/p>\n The Bach Choir of Bethlehem<\/p>\n The Bach Choir of Bethlehem<\/a> will conclude its Bach at Noon concert series with a performance at noon on April 14 at Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem.<\/p>\n The audience will hear members of The Bach Choir and Bach Festival Orchestra along with guest artists in this free, inspiring concert series. It will lso hear remarks from Christopher Jackson, the choir\u2019s artistic director and conductor.<\/p>\n The program will give a sneak peak of what\u2019s to come at this year\u2019s 118th Bethlehem Bach Festival.<\/p>\n The audience will hear music by JCF Bach (Bach\u2019s fifth son \u2013 the \u201cB\u00fcchenberg Bach\u201d) that was found in the Moravian Archives. For the centerpiece of April\u2019s Bach at Noon, soprano Jessica Beebe will perform Mozart\u2019s jubilant motet \u201cExsultate Jubilate\u201d in anticipation of the festival\u2019s May 8 performance of Mozart\u2019s \u201cMass in C Minor.\u201d The concert will close with \u201cO Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 118,\u201d a gorgeous, single movement motet that will be played again (but with period trombones) at the festival\u2019s Bach at 4 concert.<\/p>\n Sinfonia concert<\/p>\n Gary White<\/p>\n The Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra<\/a> will present \u201cHebrew Connections\u201d at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Congregation Bnai Shalom<\/a>, which is located at 1545 Bushkill St. in Wilson, Northampton County.<\/p>\n The sinfonia will perform under guest conductor Gary White.<\/p>\n The program will include Aaron Copland\u2019s \u201cQuiet City,\u201d Ernest Bloch\u2019s \u201cBaal Shem Suite,\u201d Copland\u2019s \u201cAppalachian Spring,\u201d and Sergei Prokofiev\u2019s \u201cOverture on Hebrew Themes.\u201d<\/p>\n The Pennsylvania Sinfonia is a professional chamber orchestra that presents high quality, approachable classical music in the Lehigh Valley.<\/p>\n Ukulele orchestra<\/p>\n Zoellner Arts Center<\/a> at Lehigh University in Bethlehem will welcome the internationally acclaimed Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain<\/a> at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Baker Hall. Presented as part of Zoellner\u2019s Presenting Series, this wildly entertaining ensemble combines masterful musicianship with sharp British humor in a genre-defying musical experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n With nothing but ukuleles, ranging in size and register, the orchestra has built a worldwide following through its inventive arrangements and playful stage presence. Blending pop, rock, classical music, and film themes, the group delivers a musical performance full of unexpected twists, dazzling technique, and comedic charm.<\/p>\n The audience can expect an evening of imaginative interpretations and delightful contrasts as the ensemble transforms familiar songs into something entirely new. From beloved rock anthems to cinematic soundtracks and classical pieces, the orchestra\u2019s signature style keeps listeners both surprised and thoroughly entertained.<\/p>\n Founded by George Hinchliffe and Kitty Lux, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has become a global phenomenon, performing for audiences across the world. The ensemble has appeared for members of the British Royal Family and the Houses of Parliament in London, and has captivated millions through international television broadcasts and online performances.<\/p>\n Tickets cost $45 and $35.<\/p>\n Jazz in Maxatawny<\/p>\n Sean Jones<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69d3f2a48d2c3.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69d3f2c4ab331.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69d3f2e59a631.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69d3f3072c9e0.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69161d9d10fe9.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69d3f344c566b.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69d3f37ca43b6.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69d3f39975ee0.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n