F.M. Kirby Center 2019-2020 Season Brochure

T R A E H E H AT T D N A S T R OF THE A T N E M N I A T ENTER

2019-2020 SEASON

SEASON AT A GLANCE 2019-2020 JULY

OCTOBER

Tommy Emmanuel*

Billy Gardell*

Brit Floyd*

Classic Albums Live presents Beatles’ Abbey Road

Wednesday, July 17th 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 27th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 3rd 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band*

Friday, October 4th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

An Evening with Dawes*

Thursday, October 10th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 28th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, July 30th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

AUGUST Tom Segura*

Tuesday, August 6th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

The Righteous Brothers*

Wednesday, August 14th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

The Breakfast Club with Anthony Michael Hall*

Saturday, August 17th 2019, 7:30 p.m.

SEPTEMBER Ballet Jazz Montreal presents Leonard Cohen’s Dance Me

Tuesday, September 24th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

1984

Hocus Pocus with Kathy Najimy

Friday, October 11th 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Vieux Farka Toure & Bombino

Thursday, October 17th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Josh Gates Live: An Evening of Ghosts, Monsters and Tales of Adventure!*

Friday, October 18th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

The Velveteen Rabbit

Thursday, October 24th 2019, 10:00 a.m.

NOVEMBER Night of the Living Dead Live!

Friday, November 1st 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Marshall Tucker Band & The Outlaws*

Friday, November 8th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Darci Lynne Farmer*

Sunday, November 10th 2019, 3:00 p.m.

Stayin’ Alive: One Night of the Bee Gees

Saturday, November 16th 2019, 7:30 p.m.

DECEMBER

MARCH

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Masters of Illusion

A Christmas Carol

Finding Neverland

Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Musical

Dinosaur World Live!

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker

APRIL

Wednesday, December 4th 2019, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, December 5th 2019, 10:00 a.m.

Thursday, December 12th 2019, 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, December 17th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 4th 2020, 7:00 p.m.

Monday, March 9th 2020, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 14th 2020, 3:00 p.m.

Llama Llama Live!

JANUARY

Saturday, April 4th 2020, 1:00 p.m.

Classic Albums Live presents Led Zeppelin II

Tuesday, April 14th 2020, 10:00 a.m.

Saturday, January 18th 2020, 8:00 p.m.

National Ballet Theatre of Odessa presents Swan Lake

Treasure Island

Classic Albums Live presents Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon Saturday, April 25th 2020, 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 30th 2020, 7:30 p.m.

MAY

FEBRUARY

The Color Purple

Sunday, May 17th 2020, 7:00 p.m.

RENT

Tuesday, February 11th 2020, 7:30 p.m.

Sweet Chariot

* Indicates shows already on sale

Thursday, February 13th 2020, 10:00 a.m.

Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom

Friday, February 21st 2020, 10:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Kirby Members Pre-Sale: Tuesday, May 28th @ 10:00 a.m.

Public On-Sale: Friday, June 7th @ 10:00 a.m.

More shows will be added throughout the season, so stay logged on to kirbycenter.org

Contact the Sundance Vacations Box Office at the F.M. Kirby Center 570.826.1100 for further show information.

MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR In 2018, the F.M. Kirby Center’s lights shone brightly for 171 events, which welcomed more 92,000 people through its historic brass doors. Along the way, we finished #93 on Pollstar magazine’s worldwide list of theaters, based on ticket sales for the 2018 calendar year.

Perhaps most importantly, we introduced a new level to our mission programming by producing sensory-friendly theatre. In partnership with King’s College Theatre Department, we presented four FREE sensory-friendly performances of Julianne Moore’s Freckleface Strawberry: The Musical, filling each performance to capacity.

Sensory-friendly theatre exists in order to make theatrical experiences accessible to audience members with autism and other disorders that may cause sensitivity to sensory stimuli. The aim in producing this type of theater is to create an inclusive environment for all audience members. We are very proud of last year’s performances, and we look forward to doing it again this summer when we bring James and The Giant Peach TYA to the stage! Creating and presenting relaxed performances adds another avenue for us to welcome a broader audience to the theater. We look forward to expanding this program and to continue our efforts to be more inclusive.

Another important part of our mission involves maintaining our beautiful, historic theater. This past year, we installed multicolored LED accent lighting throughout the auditorium, while completing the first phase of upgrading our stage lighting to LED technology. We also completed upgrades to our sound system by adding under-balcony and lobby speakers while increasing the number of front fill cabinet speakers on our stage.

In other words, we feel stronger than ever as we enter into our 2019-2020 Season, and we appreciate all of you for making it possible.

Anne E. Rodella Artistic Director

DID YOU KNOW?

• Pollstar ranked the F.M. Kirby Center #93 in the world based on ticket sales in 2018 and #75 in the U.S.

• The F.M. Kirby Center generates $9.8 million in annual economic impact in Luzerne County.

• The F.M. Kirby Center is a nonprofit organization that relies on community support to fulfill its mission. Each individual membership and corporate sponsorship contributes to our children’s programming, community and healthcare outreach programs and arts education programs.

• As part of our Arts Education program, FREE Master Classes and Teachers In-Service workshops are taught by touring professionals at local schools and businesses.

• Since 1986, more than 100,000 children have attended our Young People’s Theater Series. Teachers receive study guides enabling classroom integration.

Since 2015, admission is free for all students thanks to our generous donors.

• Through our Community Outreach Program, each season the F.M. Kirby Center partners with 45 social service agencies to distribute 2,000 FREE tickets to our underserved community.

• The F.M. Kirby Center is an approved Educational Improvement Organization. By making a contribution to the Kirby Center’s Arts Education Program through EITC, companies can receive tax credits equal to 90% of the total contribution.

• We partner with area Healthcare Agencies to provide FREE tickets to their patients and families.

• We preserve a historic icon.

• Last season the F.M. Kirby Center put on its first sensory friendly performance inviting over 400 children and families, free of charge, with sensory sensitivity and autism to experience a live theater performance that otherwise wouldn’t be able to.

• Our venue is THE happening place and helps promote economic prosperity in downtown Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding area.

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY! Members are the First to Know about new show announcements and the First to Buy tickets through the Members Only Presale.

Become a member at kirbycenter.org/joinnow.

DIAMOND– $1,000

• Opportunity to purchase 10 tickets during member pre-sale • 10% discount on participating Kirby- presented performances • 10 complimentary beverage coupons at Kirby Center • Meet and Greet drawing for participating performances

KIRBY KARD ACCESS • 50% discount to participating LIVE from the Chandelier Lobby shows • 2 free admissions to each film within the W. Curtis Montz Film Series • 25% Discount to Spa Sapphire at Mohegan Sun Pocono with Kirby Membership Card • Box Office concierge service • Donor recognition event invitations • Special event invitations • Donor recognition on annual honor rolls • Access to the Kirby Center’s Mohegan Sun Pocono Parlor with drink specials during show nights

PLATINUM–$500

• Opportunity to purchase 8 tickets during member pre-sale • 10% discount on participating Kirby-presented performances • 5 complimentary beverage coupons at Kirby Center

KIRBY KARD ACCESS • 50% discount to participating LIVE from the Chandelier Lobby shows • 2 free admissions to each film within the W. Curtis Montz Film Series • 25% Discount to Spa Sapphire at Mohegan Sun Pocono with Kirby Membership Card • Box Office Concierge service • Donor recognition event invitations • Special event invitations • Donor recognition on annual honor rolls • Access to the Kirby Center’s Mohegan Sun Pocono Parlor with drink specials during show nights

GOLD–$250

• Opportunity to purchase 6 tickets during member pre-sale • 2 complimentary beverage coupons at Kirby Center

KIRBY KARD ACCESS • 50% discount to participating LIVE from the Chandelier Lobby shows • 2 free admissions to each film within the W. Curtis Montz Film Series • 25% Discount to Spa Sapphire at Mohegan Sun Pocono with Kirby Membership Card • Donor recognition event invitations • Special event invitations • Donor recognition on annual honor rolls • Access to the Kirby Center’s Mohegan Sun Pocono Parlor with drink specials during show nights

SILVER–$100

• Opportunity to purchase 4 tickets during member pre-sale • 4 free movie passes to a film within the W. Curtis Montz Film Series • 25% Discount to Spa Sapphire at Mohegan Sun Pocono with Kirby Membership Card • Donor recognition event invitations • Donor recognition on annual honor rolls

BRONZE–$50

• Opportunity to purchase 2 tickets during member pre-sale • 2 free movie passes to a film within the W. Curtis Montz Film Series • 25% Discount to Spa Sapphire at Mohegan Sun Pocono with Kirby Membership Card • Donor recognition on annual honor rolls

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP When you become a Kirby Sponsor, you not only get the member benefits, but you also receive advertising benefits which give you exposure to thousands of patrons!

Over 80,000 tickets are sold each year Over 35,000 valid email addresses Over 32,000 social media followers Over 50,000 page views per month on our website

T HE F.M. KIRBY CENTER CUSTOMIZES BENEFITS TO MEET OUR DONORS’ INTERESTS. • Naming Rights Opportunities • Various sponsorship opportunities • E-marketing and social media recognition • Complimentary tickets • Complimentary meeting and entertainment space • Onsite corporate recognition • Kirby Center website recognition • Special requests when possible

Please call the Development Office at 823-4599, ext 225 or visit our website at kirbycenter.org/corporate.

TOM SEGURA Tuesday, August 6th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $29.00, $39.00, $49.00 & $75.00 Comedian Tom Segura is best known for his Netflix specials and stand-up albums. Come see him live at the F.M. Kirby Center for his hilarious Take It Down Tour!

BILLY GARDELL Thursday, October 3rd 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $35.00, $45.00 & $65.00

Emmy nominated actor and comedian Billy Gardell starred in the CBS hit television series, Mike & Molly as Officer Mike Biggs. Don’t miss his powerhouse stand-up show with a grounded, down-to-earth point of view that strikes a strong chord with American audiences, at the F.M. Kirby Center!

CONCERTS & COMEDY TOMMY EMMANUEL Wednesday, July 17th 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $25.00, $35.00, $45.00 & $55.00 One of the greatest acoustic guitarists, Tommy Emmanuel is one of only five people ever named a Certified Guitar Player (CGP) by music icon Chet Atkins. Now, Tommy Emmanuel will be live at the F.M. Kirby Center along with fellow acoustic guitarist Mike Dawes!

BRIT FLOYD Saturday, July 27th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $35.00, $50.00, $60.00 & $160.00 (VIP with Meet & Greet) Brit Floyd, the world’s greatest Pink Floyd tribute show, returns in 2019 with its most ambitious and biggest production yet; a very special 40th Anniversary celebration of Pink Floyd’s iconic rock opera, ‘The Wall’.

Much more than a tribute! Brit Floyd really is as good as they say — believe the hype and don’t miss it!

LYLE LOVETT AND HIS LARGE BAND Sunday, July 28th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Advance Ticket Prices: $48.00, $55.00 & $65.00 Day of Show Ticket Prices: $51.00, $58.00 & $68.00 Lyle Lovett is one of the most compelling and captivating musicians in popular music, fusing elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers. Lyle Lovett and His Large Band is definitely not-to-be missed!

AN EVENING WITH DAWES Tuesday, July 30th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $29.50, $39.50 & $49.50

Alternative folk-rock band Dawes’ new album, Passwords, is an album for and about the modern age: the relationships the fill it, the politics that divide it, and the small victories and bug losses that give it shape. Don’t miss hearing them play it live at the F.M. Kirby Center!

THE BREAKFAST CLUB WITH ANTHONY MICHAEL HALL Saturday, August 17th 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $25.00, $29.50, $39.50 & $99.50 The cult-classic John Hughes film The Breakfast Club is returning to theaters this summer! Come see star Anthony Michael Hall (Brian Johnson) talk to audience members LIVE after a screening of the film!

CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE PRESENTS BEATLES’ ABBEY ROAD Friday, October 4th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $20.00, $25.00 & $35.00

Classic Albums Live takes classic albums and recreates them live, on stage - note for note, cut for cut. Founded in 2003 by Craig Martin, Classic Albums Live has become the ultimate destination for music lovers wanting to hear the greatest albums performed live without all the gimmickry and cheesy impersonations. Relying only on the music, ‘ Classic Albums Live uses what Martin refers to as ‘the world’s best musicians.

CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE Performs

The Beatles Abbey Road Note for Note Cut for Cut

Visit classicalbumslive.com for more information.

HOCUS POCUS WITH KATHY NAJIMY Friday, October 11th 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $20.00, $30.00, $40.00 & $99.00 Get into the Halloween spirit by bringing the Sanderson sisters back to life one more time!

Join actress Kathy Najimy for a live discussion and Q&A before a screening of the classic Halloween movie Hocus Pocus. She’ll be telling behind the scenes stories and answering your questions in-person before a screening of the must-see movie of the season.

JOSH GATES LIVE: AN EVENING OF GHOSTS, MONSTERS AND TALES OF ADVENTURE! Friday, October 18th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $35.00 & $75.00

Josh Gates is an avid explorer whose unique brand of humor and deep-rooted passion for adventure propels him to the farthest corners of the world. Discovery Channel’s hit-series Expedition Unknown chronicles Gates as he sets out on a global quest to find the truth behind iconic legends and thrilling archaeological mysteries.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD LIVE! Friday, November 1st 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $25.00, $35.00 & $75.00

Fifty years later, George A. Romero’s classic zombie flick comes back to life on the Silver Screen, this time featuring a LIVE talkback with Judith O’Dea (Barbara), Russ Streiner (Johnny), and Kyra Schon (Karen). Don’t miss what promises to be a scary good time!

MARSHALL TUCKER BAND & THE OUTLAWS Friday, November 8th 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $39.50, $49.50 & $59.50

The original Southern Rock band, the Marshall Tucker Band, best known for hits such as ‘Can’t You See’ and ‘Fire on the Mountain’ will be LIVE in concert with special guest The Outlaws for one night only!

STAYIN’ ALIVE: ONE NIGHT OF THE BEE GEES Saturday, November 16th 2019, 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $28.00, $33.00 & $38.00

Stayin’ Alive is the quintessential tribute band to the Bee Gees, capturing the excitement of live performance and the tender subtleties of the human voice! Stayin’ Alive is the largest and most definitive production of its kind, singing blockbusters such as “Night Fever,” “Jive Talkin’,” “How Deep is Your Love,” “You Should be Dancing,” “Nights on Broadway” and “Stayin’ Alive.”

CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE PRESENTS LED ZEPPELIN II Saturday, January 18th 2020, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $20.00, $25.00 & $35.00

Classic Albums Live takes classic albums and recreates them live, on stage - note for note, cut for cut. Founded in 2003 by Craig Martin, Classic Albums Live has become the ultimate destination for music lovers wanting to hear the greatest albums performed live without all the gimmickry and cheesy impersonations. Relying only on the music, ‘Classic Albums Live uses what Martin refers to as ‘the world’s best musicians.

MASTERS OF ILLUSION Wednesday, March 4th 2020, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $23.00, $43.00 & $63.00

The greatest magic on television is now live on stage! CWTV’s Masters of Illusion will bring some of your favorite magicians and illusionists to the F.M. Kirby Center, including Tommy Wind, Naathan Phan and more!

CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE PRESENTS PINK FLOYD’S DARK SIDE OF THE MOON Saturday, April 25th 2020, 8:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $20.00, $25.00 & $35.00 Classic Albums Live takes classic albums and recreates them live, on stage – note for note, cut for cut. Founded in 2003 by Craig Martin, Classic Albums Live has become the ultimate destination for music lovers wanting to hear the greatest albums performed live without all the gimmickry and cheesy impersonations. Relying only on the music, ‘Classic Albums Live uses what Martin refers to as ‘the world’s best musicians.

THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS Wednesday, August 14th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $35.00, $45.00, $55.00 & $75.00 Blue-eyed soul pioneers The Righteous Brothers are back!

The concert experience features their biggest hits – Lovin’ Feelin’, Soul & Inspiration, Unchained Melody, Rock and Roll Heaven, Medley’s Grammy-winning Dirty Dancing theme The Time of My Life, and much, much more!

DARCI LYNNE FARMER Sunday, November 10th 2019, 3:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $29.75, $49.75 & $99.75 (VIP with Meet & Greet)

Singer/ventriloquist Darci Lynne has had a record-breaking year, becoming the runner up on the first ever ‘America’s Got Talet: Champions.’ Now you can see Darci Lynne and her Friends Live this fall!

THE KIRBY CENTER IS PROUD TO FEATURE...

THE

THE MOHEGAN SUN POCONO PARLOR! Located on the lower level of the theater, this bar and lounge features exclusive access and drink specials for Kirby Center Gold, Platinum and Diamond Members, as well as Mohegan Sun Pocono Momentum cardholders.

PARLOR

AT THE

RENT Tuesday, February 11th 2020, 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $45.00, $55.00 & $65.00

In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway… and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson’s RENT continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award ® -winning masterpiece returns to the stage in a vibrant 20th anniversary touring production.

FINDING NEVERLAND Monday, March 9th 2020, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $39.50, $49.50 & $59.50

Finding Neverland tells the incredible story behind one of the world’s most beloved characters: Peter Pan. Playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys’ enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will astound London theatergoers. With a little bit of pixie dust and a lot of faith, Barrie takes this monumental leap, leaving his old world behind for Neverland, where nothing is impossible and the wonder of childhood lasts forever.

THE COLOR PURPLE Sunday, May 17th 2020, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $39.50, $49.50 & $59.50

With a soul-raising, Grammy ® -winning score of jazz, gospel, ragtime and blues, 2016 Tony Award ® winning musical, The Color Purple gives an exhilarating new spirit to this Pulitzer Prize-winning story. Don’t miss this stunning re-imagining of an epic story about a young woman’s journey to love and triumph in the American South.

SIGNATURE SERIES Our 2019-20 Signature Series is underwritten by the generosity of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. As a result, all tickets will be $10.

BALLET JAZZ MONTREAL PRESENTS LEONARD COHEN’S DANCE ME Tuesday, September 24th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Price: $10.00 An internationally renowned contemporary dance company, BJM – Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal’s Dance Me is an exclusive creation inspired by the rich and profound work of Montreal-based poet, artist and songwriter, Leonard Cohen. Dance, music, lighting, scenography and videography all come together in this unforgettable show that should not be missed.

1984 Thursday, October 10th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Price: $10.00

As our modern world grapples with the threats and benefits of technological integration, Aquila Theatre’s production of George Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, provides a space to appreciate the value of individual thought an evocative and timely narrative of personal freedom against political repression. Catch this timely and bold performance for one night only at the Kirby Center!

VIEUX FARKA TOURE & BOMBINO Thursday, October 17th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Price: $10.00

A unique collaboration between two of Africa’s most esteemed and dynamic guitar masters. Bombino (Niger) and Vieux Farka Toure (Mali) share the stage and transport the audience on a dazzling and intimate musical journey to the Sahara desert, the original birthplace of the blues.

TURNING 15 ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM Friday, February 21st 2020, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Price: $10.00

Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom, a musical filled with traditional and original Gospel and Freedom songs, tells the moving, true story of Lynda Blackmon, the youngest person to walk all the way from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, on the Voting Rights March of 1965. Lynda was jailed nine times before her fifteenth birthday – as she and her friends and neighbors fought alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to win the right to vote for African Americans.

AT THE

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER Wednesday, December 4th 2019, 6:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $29.50, $39.50 & $49.50

Rudolph and friends are soaring off the screen and onto the stage this Holiday season in a spectacle-filled musical featuring all of your favorite characters and classic Johnny Marks songs. From fleeing the Abominable Snow Monster™ to saving Christmas, Rudolph ® and friends teach us that what makes us different can be what makes us special.

ELF ON THE SHELF: A CHRISTMAS MUSICAL

Thursday, December 12th 2019, 6:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $29.50, $39.50, $49.50, $69.50 & $125.00 The beloved tradition that continues to capture the hearts of children and their families everywhere comes to the live stage for the first time ever! This all-new musical and premiere stage production includes an exclusive invitation to Santa’s North Pole and engages audiences with a glimpse into the magical lives of Scout Elves. Featuring an original story and score, dazzling sets and costumes, and wondrous moments that make even the most cynical believe, this momentous celebration of the season leaves spirits high and captivates all with the splendor of Christmas.

MOSCOW BALLET’S GREAT RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER

Tuesday, December 17th 2019, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $29.00, $39.00, $49.00, $69.00 & $79.00 Christmas is coming and so is the one and only Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker. Presenting world class Russian artists, hand-painted sets, Russian Snow Maidens, and jubilant Nesting Dolls – Great Russian Nutcracker brings the Christmas spirit to life for all ages.

“Kids wide-eyed with delight!” says the New York Times.

Experience the Dove of Peace Tour, spreading goodwill in over 100 cities across North America. Get seats now for the whole family and make memories for a lifetime at Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker! www.nutcracker.com.

NATIONAL BALLET THEATRE OF ODESSA PRESENTS SWAN LAKE Thursday, January 30th 2020, 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $34.50, $44.50, $54.50 & $64.50 This full-scale production, set to the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky and based on German legend, follows a heroic young prince as he works to free the beautiful swan maiden from an evil spell. The first visit to The United States of America of the Legendary National Ballet Theatre of Odessa with 55 talented and brightest ballet Stars to bring this romantic tale of true love to glorious life! DON’T MISS IT!

DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE!

Saturday, March 14th 2020, 3:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $20.00, $25.00 & $35.00

Grab your compass and join our intrepid explorer across uncharted territories to discover a pre-historic world of astonishing (and remarkably life-like) dinosaurs.

Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child’s favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, Giraffatitan and Segnosaurus, to name a few!

LLAMA LLAMA LIVE!

Saturday, April 4th 2020, 1:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $25.00, $35.00 & $45.00

Bedtime has never been so exciting! It’s the end of the day for the Llama family. After a long day of adventures at the school and the store, Baby Llama can’t wait to put on his red pajamas. He and his friends the toys are ready to sing and dance their way to sleep...except... they need a bedtime story and a kiss goodnight and a drink of water. But, where’s Mama? This hilarious new musical based on the bestselling books by Anna Dewdney will warm every Llama and Llama Mama’s heart.

2019-2020 ARTS & EDUCATION YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATER Consider it edutainment! It’s the best of both worlds as the F.M. Kirby Center provides school-day productions that are both entertaining and educational while enriching the lives of children, youth and the underserved populations.

Due to the support we receive from individuals, businesses and foundations, this series is FREE! Each performance comes with its own study guide that brings the lesson from the stage into the classroom.

If Not Us, Who? While school districts have dramatically cut or have completely eliminated arts from their budgets, the Kirby Center’s Arts Education Program provides the solution to this vital question.

MASTER CLASSES Working with national tour companies, the F.M. Kirby Center also provides free Master Classes to students and teachers studying dance and theater.

Our Master Classes feature hands-on instruction direct from the touring professionals.

Theatreworks USA presents WE THE PEOPLE. L to R: Jamie LaVerdiere, Colin Campbell McAdoo, Badia Farha, Abe Goldfarb.

Photo by Joan Marcus.

Please note: This is an image of the original production.

Cast subject to change.

KIRBY KIDZ! The F.M. Kirby Center is also proud to once again partner with the Harris Conservatory for the Arts to offer the Tenth Annual Kirby Kidz Summer Theater Workshop. The Kirby Kidz program is an eight-week long theatrical workshop open to both the experienced and novice actors ages five through eighteen. Kirby Kidz is a product of the F.M. Kirby Center’s and the Harris Conservatory for the Arts outreach programs respectively. It is designed to offer that “Kirby Experience” to all aspiring school-age actors, singers and dancers. The two regional arts organizations have developed this actor’s clinic to offer a professional theater experience to children across Northeast Pennsylvania.

The program features over 60 hours of instruction in character acting, method acting, auditioning, sight reading, stage direction, voice, theater movement, costuming, make up, dance and the technical aspects of staging a performance. The readers of NEPA Family magazine have voted Kirby Kidz the “Family Favorite” for children’s theater programs several times over.

Past performances have included Junior productions of; The Lion King, Singing in the Rain, Into the Woods, Fame, Alice in Wonderland, Shrek, Legally Blonde and The Little Mermaid. We have also staged Kids productions of; Willie Wonka, Aristocats, 1001 Dalmations, Jungle Book, Aladdin, Cinderella, Annie and Peter Pan. This year the program will be producing two musicals. Children ages 5 through 10 will be staging the fun and humorous Seusical KIDS. Horton the Elephant, Cat in the Hat and all your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life in fantastical musical extravaganza featuring great songs like: Oh the Things You Can Think, Horton Hears a Who and Green Eggs and Ham. Children 10 and up will perform in Mary Poppins JR. Your favorite practically perfect nanny takes centre stage in this Supercalifragilististcepialidocious adventure based on the award-winng Broadway musical and classic Walt Disney film.

The musical score includes: Chim Chim Cher-ee, A Spoonful of Sugar and of course Supercalifragilististcepialidocious.

Each participant in the workshop will have their name appear in lights on the Kirby Center’s marquee the night of each performance. If registered by May 30th, the cost for the eight-week seminar is only $350. After May 30th, registration costs $375.

Classes are held at the Harris Conservatory for the Arts, 545 Charles Street in Luzerne, PA. The week of the show, the cast will rehearse at the F.M. Kirby Center.

For more information call: Harris Conservatory for the Arts at 570-718-0673 Or visit: Kirby Center at kirbycenter.org Harris Conservatory for the Arts at harrisconservatory.org.

You may also e-mail them directly at: harrisconservatory@yahoo.com.

YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATER SERIES THE VELVETEEN RABBIT Thursday, October 24th 2019, 10:00 a.m.

“What is Real? When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real.” The power of play and childhood fancy, the pure light of unconditional love — these timeless forces illuminate our faithful rendering of Margery Williams’ tale of friendship and the passing of time..

Grades K-5

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Thursday, December 5th 2019, 10:00 a.m.

Perhaps the best loved holiday story of all time, our adaptation of Dickens’ classic is particularly suited to children. Watch Mr. Scrooge have a change of heart from stone to gold as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas.

Grades K-5

SWEET CHARIOT Thursday, February 13th 2020, 10:00 a.m.

Unique and upbeat, educational and inspirational, the talented singer/actors of Sweet Chariot tell the true story of slavery by combining dazzling a cappella spirituals with oral histories of 70, 80 and 90 year-old former slaves who were interviewed during the Federal Writers Project of the 1930s. Their first-hand accounts of the joys and agonies of everyday life, and their efforts to escape to freedom across the Ohio River, bring new understanding to students of all backgrounds.

Grades 3–9

TURNING 15 ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM Friday, February 21st 2020, 10:00 a.m.

Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom, a musical filled with traditional and original Gospel and Freedom songs, tells the moving, true story of Lynda Blackmon, the youngest person to walk all the way from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, on the Voting Rights March of 1965. Lynda was jailed nine times before her fifteenth birthday — as she and her friends and neighbors fought alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to win the right to vote for African Americans.

Grades 2-6

TREASURE ISLAND Tuesday, April 14th 2020, 10:00 a.m.

Set sail with young Jim Hawkins aboard the Hispaniola for the mysterious Treasure Island, a tiny spot in the ocean believed to conceal the greatest of fortunes. On his swashbuckling adventures, Jim encounters the most legendary buccaneers in all of children’s literature: the salty Billy Bones, the blind rogue Pew, the marooned Ben Gunn and the captivating Long John Silver.

Grades 2–8

ARTS EDUCATION PROUD SPONSORS A Friend of the Luzerne Foundation, Community Bank N.A., Fidelity Bank, First National Community Bank, F.M. Kirby Foundation, M&T Bank, The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The P&G Fund, PNC Bank, PPL Electric Utilities, Wasserott Foundation, Weis Market and The Wells Fargo Foundation.

ROALD DAHL’S JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH TYA SENSORY FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE Presented in partnership between the F.M. Kirby Center and King’s College Theatre Department

July 12th — 10:00 AM July 13th — 11:00 AM & 3:00 PM July 14th — 2:00 PM & 6:00 PM FREE TO THE PUBLIC. | Call 570-826-1100 to make reservations.

Book by Timothy Allen McDonald Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul Based on the book, “James and the Giant Peach” by Roald Dahl Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach is now a Theatre for Young Audiences musical for the whole family to enjoy! Featuring a wickedly tuneful score by the Tony Award-nominated team of Pasek and Paul (Dogfight and A Christmas Story the Musical) and a curiously quirky book by Timothy Allen McDonald (Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley), critics rave: James and the Giant Peach is a “masterpeach!”

When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion that results in a tremendous peach... and launches a journey of enormous proportions. Suddenly, James finds himself in the center of the gigantic peach – among human-sized insects with equally oversized personalities – but, after it falls from the tree and rolls into the ocean, the group faces hunger, sharks and plenty of disagreements. Thanks to James’ quick wit and creative thinking, the residents learn to live and work together as a family. The dangerous voyage is a success, but the adventure takes a whole new twist once they land on the Empire State Building.

A delightfully offbeat adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl adventure, the creative possibilities with James and the Giant Peach are endless. Actors will love playing the outlandish characters and performing brand new material from one of Broadway’s hottest duos.

Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach TYA is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. MTIShows.com

SENSORY FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE Sensory-friendly theatre exists in order to make theatrical experiences accessible to audience members who may be sensitive to sensory stimuli, and their families. Children or adults diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or other sensory issues often cannot experience theatre in what would be considered a traditional environment.

In order to create sensory-friendly theatre, each show is performed in a friendly, supportive environment for families and friends with children or adults who are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or other sensitivity issues.

Slight adjustments to the production are made, including reduction of any jarring sounds or strobe and spotlights that shine into the audience. House lights are faintly dimmed but remain on. Quiet and activity areas staffed with volunteers and specialists are available in the lobby areas for those who need to leave their seats during the performance. Additional supports, such as social narratives and character guides are available in advance of the performance.

Through accessibility is someone’s humanity, and through sensory-friendly theatre we can help unlock the arts for everyone.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Allied Services, Autism Awareness NEPA, Maslow Family Foundation, Moses Taylor Foundation, Sprau & Clements Dentistry and The LF YAC Fund Grant of the Luzerne Foundation.

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CLASSIC FILMS AT THE KIRBY RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (PG) Friday, June 21st – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Maybe the greatest adventure movie ever made, directed by Steven Spielberg from an idea from George Lucas. This summer blockbuster introduced audiences to archeologist/action hero Indiana Jones (“Trust me”), who is searching for the legendary lost Ark of the Covenant. The Ark is said to contain enormous power, and “Indy” (Harrison Ford) and Marion (Karen Allen) must find it before the Nazis do. (“Snakes. Why’d it have to be snakes?”) 1981, 115 min

MARY POPPINS (G) Friday, July 5th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm The ORIGINAL Mary Poppins is back! The blockbuster family musical from legendary producer Walt Disney. Julie Andrews won an Academy Award for her screen debut as the no-nonsense English nanny who always knows what to do. (“Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down…”)

Full of toe-tapping tunes including a rousing number that combines live-action with animation. (“It’s…super-cali-fragilistic-expialidocious!”) 1964, 139 min

TOP GUN (PG)

Friday, August 23rd – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Tom Cruise stars in this celebration of the heroism of Navy pilots, with some of the best aerial scenes ever filmed. The soundtrack album, with songs by Kenny Loggins and Berlin, including the Academy Award-winning Take My Breath Away, went platinum 9 times. Val Kilmer co-stars as “Iceman” and Kelly McGillis plays a flight instructor romantically drawn to the reckless “Maverick” (Cruise). (“I feel the need…the need for speed!”) 1986, 110 min

DR. ZHIVAGO (PG-13) Friday, September 20th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Romantic masterpiece from director David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia) that is visually stunning and musically lush. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 5—and, when adjusted for inflation, one of the highest-grossing movies of all time.

With a stellar cast led by Omar Sharif and Julie Christie as lovers caught up in the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. (“Wouldn’t it be lovely if we had met before?”) 1965, 197 min

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (PG) Friday, October 25th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Gene Wilder is Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (“That’s FRONKensteen!”), struggling with the legacy of his infamous mad-scientist grandfather in this classic comedy from Mel Brooks. Hilarious performances from Marty Feldman as Igor (“It’s pronounced Eye-gor”), Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle, Terri Garr (“Roll, roll, roll in ze hay,”) and Cloris Leachman as the late baron’s mysterious housekeeper Frau Blucher. (“Yes, yes, say it…he vas my boyfriend!”) 974, 106 min

HARRY POTTER & THE SORCERER’S STONE (PG) Friday, November 22nd – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Relive the magic (or experience the thrill for the first time) of seeing Harry Potter’s first adventure on the big screen.

Harry is a new student at Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, where he must face the dreaded “He Who Must Not Be Named.” Daniel Radcliffe stars as the 1 1-year-old wizard destined for greatness, and Rupert Grint and Emma Watson play his best friends Ron and Hermione. (“She needs to sort out her priorities!”) 2001, 152 min

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (PG) Friday, December 21st – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Frank Capra’s classic is a cherished Christmas tradition for countless families. Building & loan owner George Bailey (James Stewart) is all that stands between the good people of Bedford Falls and the wicked miser Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore). When misfortune strikes on Christmas Eve, George realizes, with the help of an angel named Clarence, (Henry Travers) that he truly has a “wonderful life.” (“No man is a failure who has friends.”) 1946, 130 min

SAVE THE DATE! 5th Annual Holiday Arts Market

Saturday, November 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. will be the 5th Annual Holiday Arts Market with a screening of the classic holiday film, “Miracle on 34th Street (1947),” beginning at 2:00 p.m. Other activities include an Ornament Making Station, a Coloring Table for the little ones, a 1:00 p.m. holiday story time, Christmas carol sing-a-long and a special Tree Lighting.

W. CURTIS MONTZ FILM SERIES

Arts enthusiast, W. CURTIS MONTZ lived a full life in his 101 years.

His time at the F.M. Kirby Center was spent as executive director, programmer, arts education planner, and ardent film series supporter, both in his work and attendance. We are honored year after year to remember his humor, work ethic, friendship, love of chocolate, and passion for the arts.

CLARA (NR)

Wednesday, June 5th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Clara tells the story of Isaac Bruno (Patrick J. Adams), an astronomer consumed by the search for life beyond Earth.

Convinced that the universe is a dark and lonely place, Isaac meets Clara (Troian Bellisario), an artist who shares his fascination for the wonders of space. Their unlikely collaboration leads to a deep connection, and a profound astronomical discovery. 2019, 105 min

SHOPLIFTERS (R) Wednesday, June 12th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm On the margins of Tokyo, a dysfunctional band of outsiders are united by fierce loyalty, a penchant for petty theft and playful grifting. When the young son is arrested, secrets are exposed that upend their tenuous, below-the-radar existence and test their quietly radical belief that it is love — not blood — that defines a family, in this Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film. 2018, 121 min

HALSTON (NR) Wednesday, June 26th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Prodigiously talented, Halston reigned over fashion in the 1970s and became a household name. But everything changed in the Wall Street era. With his empire under threat, Halston took the biggest gamble of his life. 2019, 120 min

RED JOAN (R) Wednesday, July 3rd – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Based on a sensational true story, Joan Stanley (Judi Dench) is a widow living out a quiet retirement in the suburbs when, shockingly, the British Secret Service places her under arrest.

The charge: providing classified scientific information — including details on the building of the atomic bomb — to the Soviet government for decades. 2019, 110 min

DOGMAN (NR) Wednesday, July 24th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm In a seaside village on the outskirts of an Italian city, where the only law seems to be survival of the fittest, Marcello is a slight, mild-mannered man who divides his days between working at his modest dog grooming salon, caring for his daughter, and being coerced into the petty criminal schemes of the local bully Simoncino. When Simoncino’s abuse finally brings Marcello to a breaking point, he decides to stand up for his own dignity through an act of vengeance, with unintended consequences.

2018, 102 min

TELL IT TO THE BEES (NR) Wednesday, July 31st – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Dr. Jean Markham (Anna Paquin) returns to the town she left as a teenager to take over her late father’s medical practice. When a school-yard scuffle lands Charlie (Gregor Selkirk) in her surgery, she invites him to visit the hives in her garden and tell his secrets to the bees, as she once did. The new friendship between the boy and the bee keeper brings his mother Lydia (Holliday Grainger) into Jean’s world. In the sanctuary of the doctor’s house,the two women find themselves drawn to one another in a way that Jean recognizes and fears, and Lydia could never have expected. But, in 1950’s small-town Britain, their new secret can’t stay hidden forever. 2019, 106 min

THE SOUVENIR (R) Wednesday, August 7th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm A shy but ambitious film student (Honor Swinton Byrne) begins to find her voice as an artist while navigating a turbulent courtship with a charismatic but untrustworthy man (Tom Burke). She defies her protective mother (Tilda Swinton) and concerned friends as she slips deeper and deeper into an intense, emotionally fraught relationship that comes dangerously close to destroying her dreams. 2019, 119 min

GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH (NR) Wednesday, August 21st – 1:00pm & 7:30pm In response to a wave of discriminatory anti-LGBTQ laws in Southern states and the divisive 2016 election, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir embark on a tour of the American Deep South. What emerges is a less divided America, where the lines that divide us; faith, politics, sexual identity are erased through the soaring power of music, humanity and a little drag. 2019, 100 min

WORKING WOMAN (NR) Wednesday, August 28th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm In this timely foreign film from Israel, Orna, returns to the workplace to help support her family Orna, landing a job with a former army superior who is now a successful real estate developer. While Orna embraces her new position and tries to balance its demands with her home life, she begins to experience escalating sexual harassment from her boss. 2018, 93 min

ALWAYS IN SEASON (NR) Wednesday, September 4th – 1:00pm & 7:30pm Documentary Always in Season follows Claudia Lacy as she moves from paralyzing grief to leading the fight for justice for her son.

When 17-year-old Lennon Lacy is found hanging from a swing set in rural North Carolina in 2014, his mother’s search for justice and reconciliation begins while the trauma of more than a century of lynching African Americans bleeds into the present. 2019, 89 min

COMING SOON IN OCTOBER 2019!

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

BOX OFFICE AT THE F.M. KIRBY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

BUILD YOUR OWN SUBSCRIPTION SERIES Buy three or more shows: Receive 15% off May 28, 2019 – July 31, 2019 Receive 10% off August 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020

GROUP SALES Groups of 20 or more receive 10% off

STUDENT RUSH Receive 15% off individual seats in advance and 50% off on day of show – with valid ID

SENIOR CITIZENS ( 65 AND OLDER) | STUDENTS AND MILITARY Receive 15% discount – with valid ID

GIFT CERTIFICATES Fun shows make great gifts!

SPECIAL SERVICES Please call 570.826.1100 in advance with special needs for seating.

3-INSTALLMENT PAYMENT PLAN The Kirby Center now has a 3-installment payment plan option with which you pay 1/3 of your total subscription price now and two other 1/3 payments at a later date.

Call the Kirby Center Box Office for more information. Must sign up by June 30, 2019.

All ticket sales are final. No refund or exchanges.

Discounts only valid on Kirby-presented shows.

Discounts subject to availability, and restrictions do apply.

Discounts cannot be combined with other offers.

Discounts must be purchased through the Kirby Center Box Office and I.D. presented for pick up.

Tickets may be subject to applicable facility and convenience fees.

BOX OFFICE SALES: MONDAY–FRIDAY 10 A.M. – 5 P.M. 71 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 Kirby Center Phone Sales Online Sales Ticketmaster

570.826.1100 kirbycenter.org 800.745.3000

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