Barry Manilow, playing what\u2019s touted as \u201cThe Last Wilkes-Barre Concert,\u201d leads the entertainment highlights coming to local and regional venues over the next couple of weeks.<\/p>\n
The entertainer, whose new album \u201cWhat a Time\u201d arrived June 5, plays Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.<\/p>\n
Health issues recently forced Manilow to reschedule dates of his \u201cLast Concerts\u201d farewell tour.<\/p>\n
Among other events, comedian Jessica Kirson plays Wind Creek Event Center. The latter venue also welcomes Jimmy Buffett\u2019s Coral Reefer Band.<\/p>\n
MAUCH CHUNK OPERA HOUSE<\/p>\n
14 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe<\/p>\n
570-325-0249<\/p>\n
mcohjt.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Songbirds, 7:30 p.m. today. The lineup consists of Pennsylvania songwriters Brittany Ann Tranbaugh, Chris Kasper, Travis Hobbie and Birdie Busch.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Canyon Lights and Handsome Jack, 7:30 p.m. July 9. Tim Carman and Pat Faherty, formerly of Boston band GA-20, formed Canyon Lights in 2024. The band blends throwback rock \u2018n\u2019 roll, swampy Americana and blues. Handsome Jack, a Lockport, New York, trio initially formed in 2004, blends classic rock, swamp rock and blues on its latest roots-rock album \u201cBarnburners!\u201d<\/p>\n
PENN\u2019S PEAK<\/p>\n
325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe<\/p>\n
866-605-7325<\/p>\n
pennspeak.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Separate Ways, 8 p.m. Saturday. The act pays tribute to rock band Journey, taking part of its name from Journey\u2019s 1983 single \u201cSeparate Ways (Worlds Apart).\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Deck Parties, 6:30 p.m. Schedule: today, Toolshed Jack; July 2, James Supra Band; July 3, Becky and the Beasts; and July 9, The Weekenders.<\/p>\n
TAMAQUA COMMUNITY<\/p>\n
ARTS CENTER<\/p>\n
125 Pine St., Tamaqua<\/p>\n
570-668-1192<\/p>\n
tamaquaarts.org<\/p>\n
\u2022 Opening Reception, 5:30 p.m. July 2. Taryn Troiani and James Abicunas, both part of the Schuylkill County Allied Artists, will have exhibits on display through July 30. Troiani, a painter and mixed media artist from Frackville, worked in graphic design and technical illustration at AT&T Microelectronics in Allentown. The latter work introduced Troiani to techniques and technology that became an important element in her artistic development. Abicunas, a self-taught artist specializing in portraits, works primarily in oils, though also works with charcoal, pastels, acrylics and watercolors.<\/p>\n
VIC\u2019S JAZZ LOFT<\/p>\n
AT THE STABIN MUSEUM<\/p>\n
268 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe<\/p>\n
570-325-5588<\/p>\n
vicsjazzloft.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Ian Froman Trio, 7 p.m. Friday. Froman, a drummer, educator and author, serves as a professor at Berklee College of Music. The musician, a member of Canadian jazz band Metalwood, has performed and recorded with artists such as Michael Brecker, John Scofield and Dave Liebman. Froman, who studied under the late Elvin Jones, has trained students who went on to play for artists such as Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Prince. The trio also features Jon Ballantyne and Evan Gregor.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Hugh Kline Quartet, 7 p.m. July 3. Kline, a drummer and educator living in Bethlehem, received his master\u2019s in music from McGill University. The musician, a member of the Griffin Woodard Group, runs a private studio and teaches jazz drums on faculty at Moravian University and Lafayette College. The quartet, set to perform compositions for the first time and record them in the fall, also features Chris Rogers, Dan Wilkins, Anthony Aldissi and Joe Michaels.<\/p>\n
THE MAHONING DRIVE-IN THEATER<\/p>\n
635 Seneca Rd., Lehighton<\/p>\n
484-613-1314<\/p>\n
www.mahoningdit.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Cannibal Apocalypse, 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The theater will screen three Italian exploitation horror films in 35 mm. Schedule: Friday, 1981\u2019s \u201cMake Them Die Slowly,\u201d 1980\u2019s \u201cCannibals in the Streets\u201d and 1980\u2019s \u201cAnthropophagous\u201d; Saturday, 1980\u2019s \u201cCannibal Holocaust,\u201d 1972\u2019s \u201cMan From Deep River\u201d and 1980\u2019s \u201cDr. Butcher.\u201d Vintage Italian gore-horror trailers from the Exhumed Films archives will precede the films. Showtime at sundown.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sleazy Pulp Noir Double Feature, 6 p.m. July 3. The theater, the American Genre Film Archive and Something Weird Video present two tawdry tales from Ed Wood: 1956\u2019s \u201cThe Violent Years\u201d and 1960\u2019s \u201cThe Sinister Urge.\u201d Something Weird head moll Lisa Petrucci and Ivan Peycheff, AGFA\u2019s head of film restoration, will attend both this event and the July 4 AGFA Triple Ripper V. The latter includes screenings of 1985\u2019s \u201cBiohazard,\u201d 1982\u2019s \u201cSuperstition\u201d and a mystery feature. Showtime at sundown.<\/p>\n
COUNTRY JUNCTION<\/p>\n
6565 Interchange Road, Lehighton<\/p>\n
610-377-5050<\/p>\n
countryjunction.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Celebrate America\u2019s 250th, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. The event, a collaboration between Country Junction and the Forever 6 Foundation, benefits Ava, a 5-year-old battling Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor. Entertainment and activities include 1980s tribute band M80, live pro wrestling, a cornhole tournament, carnival rides, face painting, a dunk tank, a pig roast, craft vendors, basket raffles and a Patriotic Drone Light Show finale.<\/p>\n
WIND CREEK EVENT CENTER<\/p>\n
77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem<\/p>\n
610-224-4625<\/p>\n
windcreekeventcenter.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Jessica Kirson, 8 p.m. Saturday. Born in South Orange, New Jersey, the comedian\/podcast host worked on the 2016 Robert De Niro-starring film \u201cThe Comedian,\u201d in which she acted and served as a consultant, producer and writer. Kirson, whose Hulu special \u201cI\u2019m the Man\u201d debuted in 2025, co-produced FX\u2019s 2021 documentary \u201cHysterical,\u201d which explored the landscape of women in stand-up comedy. In 2021, Kirson and Rachel Feinstein released the prank-call album \u201cThe Call Girls.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Jimmy Buffett\u2019s Coral Reefer Band, 7:30 p.m. July 9. Buffett and The Coral Reefer Band started playing together in 1973. Though Buffett passed away in 2023, he wanted to \u201ckeep the party going.\u201d Many current members have played together for 30-plus years and contributed to more than 30 albums.<\/p>\n
STEELSTACKS<\/p>\n
101 Founders Way, Bethlehem<\/p>\n
610-332-1300<\/p>\n
artsquest.org<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u00a1Sabor! Latin Festival, today through Saturday. The event celebrating Latin heritage, music, food and community opens with the Latin Jazz Quintet at 7 p.m. at Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas. A screening of \u201cCelia Cruz and the Fania All Stars Live in Africa\u201d follows. Other events take place at Highmark Blue Shield Community Stage on the Air Products Town Square and Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Take Me Home, 8 p.m. Friday, Musikfest Caf\u00e9. The group performs the music of singer-songwriter Phil Collins, taking its name from Collins\u2019 same-titled 1985 song.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Life After Dead, 8 p.m. Saturday, Musikfest Caf\u00e9. The act pays tribute to rock band Grateful Dead.<\/p>\n
MOHEGAN ARENA AT CASEY PLAZA<\/p>\n
255 Highland Park Blvd., Wilkes-Barre<\/p>\n
570-970-7600<\/p>\n
moheganarenapa.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Barry Manilow, 7 p.m. July 1. Born in Brooklyn, New York, the singer-songwriter started his career as a commercial jingle writer\/singer. In 1971, Bette Midler chose Manilow as her pianist at New York City\u2019s Continental Baths. Manilow, who produced Midler\u2019s first two albums, released his debut set in 1973. The singer\u2019s biggest hits include \u201cMandy,\u201d \u201cI Write the Songs,\u201d \u201cWeekend in New England,\u201d \u201cLooks Like We Made It\u201d and \u201cCopacabana (At the Copa).\u201d Manilow released \u201cWhat a Time,\u201d his 33rd studio album and first to contain nearly all-new material since 2011, earlier this month.<\/p>\n
Jessica Kirson will bring her comedic act to the Wind Creek Event Center. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS<\/p>\n
Singer Barry Manilow will perform at Mohegan Arena on July 1.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Barry Manilow, playing what\u2019s touted as \u201cThe Last Wilkes-Barre Concert,\u201d leads the entertainment highlights coming to local and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":228096,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-228095","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228095","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228095"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228095\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/228096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}