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1. The McKrells to Give Free Concert on the Deane Center’s Outdoor Stage This Saturday, May 1
2. Upper Pine Creek Trout Tournament Entry Fee to Go Up This Sunday, May 2
3. Trout Unlimited Tiadaghton Chapter #688 Zoom Meeting is This Coming Tuesday, May 4
4. Hamilton-Gibson Seeks Volunteers by Friday, May 7 to Help Backstage
5. Last Two Birding at Hills Creek Virtual Programs are on Fridays, May 7 & 21
6. Performances of HG’s “The Last Romance” are May 7, 8, 9, 14, 15 & 16
7. Free Guided Bird Walks at Hills Creek are on Saturdays, May 8, 15 & 22
8. Only 12 Tickets Remain for Velveeta Indoor Concert on Saturday, May 8
9. Hamilton-Gibson Invites 9th Through 12th Graders and HG Children and Youth Choir Alumni to Sing in Summer Choir Beginning Monday, May 10

Diane Eaton
dianetn@ptd.net
(570) 724-3800

THE MCKRELLS TO GIVE FREE CONCERT ON THE DEANE CENTER’S OUTDOOR STAGE THIS SATURDAY, MAY 1

This Saturday, May 1 at 3 p.m. The McKrells will give a free concert on the outdoor stage at the Deane Center for the Performing Arts at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro. The stage is on the Central Avenue side of the building. Donations are appreciated.

Playing and singing Celtic folk and bluegrass music will be singer songwriter Kevin McKrell whose works have been recorded and performed by artists around the world. He was a founding member of Donnybrook Fair, a Celtic folk band, and the McKrells, the first Celtic bluegrass band.

Joining McKrell on stage will be renowned recording artist and percussionist Brian Melick; prominent acoustic musician and singer Frank Orsin, a versatile fiddler on violin, viola and mandolin; acclaimed banjo player Scott Hopkins; and exceptional bassist Arlin Greene.

Audiences warm up to McKrell right away. He has a great sense of humor, loves to tell stories about the songs he plays and invites the audience to sing along. One of McKrell’s best-known songs, “All of the Hard Days are Gone” has been recorded by the Kingston Trio, Hair of the Dog and Wood’s Tea Company.

People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets and sit on the grass in front of the outdoor stage or on Central Avenue, which will be closed to traffic between Main Street and the Warehouse Theatre to provide space for social distancing.

For more information, visit www.deanecenter.com, email office@deanecenter.com, or call (570) 724-6220.

UPPER PINE CREEK TROUT TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEE TO GO UP THIS SUNDAY, MAY 2

The entry fee for adults for the 30th Annual Upper Pine Creek Trout Tournament is $20 through this Saturday, May 1 and increases to $25 beginning this Sunday, May 2. The entry fee for youth under 16 stays at $15.

The two-day tournament, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon Snowmobile Club, is being held on Saturday, May 15 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, May 16 from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. along a 13-mile stretch of Pine Creek between the Ansonia Bridge in Shippen Township and the Mill Street Bridge in Galeton Borough.

Each of the 250 fish float stocked by snowmobile club members in that section are tagged. The minimum prize for a tagged fish is $50 and may be cash, merchandise or a gift card or a combination of the three. Up to $14,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded during the tournament. The top cash prize is $1,000. There will also be four $500 cash prizes.

Visit www.pagrandcanyonsnowmobileclub.com anytime to register online and download a registration form or pick one up at a business in the area.

In-person registration will be outdoors in tents in front of the organization’s clubhouse at 4814 Route 6, 12 miles west of Wellsboro, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday, May 14 and during tournament hours on May 15 and 16. The clubhouse is located on the south side of Route 6, halfway between Wellsboro and Galeton.

Those who register online can pick up bags, badges and maps at the clubhouse between May 14 and 16. Every registered participant who picks up his or her badge before 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 15 will be able to enter a special drawing being held later that day to win one of two $1,000 cash prizes being awarded in celebration of the tournament’s 30th anniversary. Individuals need not be present to win.

For more information, about this tournament, call (717) 881-9358 or the club at (570) 724-2888 or visit the club’s website at www.pagrandcanyonsnowmobileclub.com or its Facebook page.

TROUT UNLIMITED TIADAGHTON CHAPTER #688 ZOOM MEETING IS THIS COMING TUESDAY, MAY 4

This coming Tuesday, May 4, Trout Unlimited Tiadaghton Chapter #688 based in Wellsboro is meeting via Zoom. Officers, members and the public are invited to attend.

This Zoom meeting will open at 6:30 p.m. with a fly tying demonstration. At 7 p.m., Eric Hussar, of Lewisburg, Union County, a member of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Board of Commissioners, will update those attending on PFBC activities. Immediately following will be a question and answer session. A sportsman, Hussar served as board president until July of 2020, was elected vice president in November of 2016 and sworn in as the District 5 Commissioner on October 14, 2014. He represents nine counties, including Bradford, Tioga and Union.

For information on how to join the May 4 Zoom meeting, contact Jere White by calling (570) 662-2167 or emailing him at whitesgordonsetters@gmail.com.

Photo provided
Eric Hussar is shown holding a coho salmon he caught in Alaska last fall.

HAMILTON-GIBSON SEEKS VOLUNTEERS BY FRIDAY, MAY 7 TO HELP BACKSTAGE

Hamilton-Gibson Productions is seeking people interested in volunteering to be members of the backstage running crew for the in-person production of “Dead Man’s Cell Phone.”

“Sean Bartlett is the stage manager so that position is filled,” said Gabe Hakvaag, the play’s director.

“By Friday, May 7, we need backstage crew volunteers, including an assistant stage manager, props manager, sound and lighting technicians, and people to work on scenery and costumes and to serve in any capacity during the run of the show,” said Hakvaag

Backstage crew members must be able to attend technical rehearsals, the performances of “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” on June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 and scheduled work calls in the Warehouse Theatre in Wellsboro.

No prior theatrical experience is required to be a backstage crew member. Training will be provided.

Those interested are asked to contact Hamilton-Gibson for details by calling (570) 724-2079 or emailing hamgib@gmail.com.

LAST TWO BIRDING AT HILLS CREEK VIRTUAL PROGRAMS ARE ON FRIDAYS, MAY 7 & 21

The last two virtual programs in the “Birding at Hills Creek” series will be on Fridays, May 7 and 21 from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The 30-minute online programs are not only for avid birders but also those getting into birding for the first time.

“This virtual series is exploring birding opportunities at Hills Creek State Park and several other parks in Tioga County,” said Bob Edkin, environmental education specialist with the Hills Creek State Park Complex, which manages eight state parks in Tioga and Potter counties.

Each program highlights birds that are at the parks or may be arriving soon with tips on where and when to see them. Among the birds at Hills Creek are migratory birds that stop at the park on their way to their spring or summer locations as well as those that live there year-round or are seasonal residents.

“This series is providing people who are interested in bird watching with information they can use to go on a self-guided tour at Hills Creek State Park or other areas to see many different species from bald eagles and ospreys to bluebirds,” said Edkin.

Register at https://events.dcnr.pa.gov/ under Hills Creek State Park to receive a link to these free programs. For best viewing, use a desktop computer or larger tablet.

Call Edkin at (570) 724-3061 or email him redkin@pa.gov for more information.

PERFORMANCES OF HG’S “THE LAST ROMANCE” ARE MAY 7, 8, 9, 14, 15 & 16

When the first performance of “The Last Romance” opens at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 7 in the Warehouse Theatre at 3 Central Avenue in Wellsboro, Gary Fizzano, a real Italian, will be playing the main character Ralph Bellini, an Italian who sings opera and in his youth was hoping to get an audition at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. The May 7 performance is for vaccinated audience members only.

This heart-warming comedy about the transformative power of love was written by acclaimed American playwright Joe DiPietro.

“Thomas Putnam, our director typecast me for this role,” said Fizzano who lives in Morris. “He asked me to consider it. I saw my family in Ralph, so how could I say no. I’m honored to bring this character to life in anticipation of what we can all learn and take away from Ralph and the other characters in this play.”

Fizzano then described Ralph. “He is an 80-year-old Italian man, second generation, from a large family in New Jersey. He is your stereotypical Italian man – full of life – who comes across as crass and sarcastic but with kindness and respect. What I like about him is that he approaches life one day at a time, doesn’t dwell on the past, and even at his age, still moves forward with the attitude that there’s still so much to live for,” Fizzano said.

“Ralph is all of my uncles and cousins wrapped into one,” said Fizzano. “Having come from a large Italian family myself with many picnics, weddings, and funerals, I see each of my family members in him. Ralph is the life of the party and yet is also a very compassionate person who can relate to anyone in any situation,” he said.

“I think older adults will relate more to Ralph’s story, but there are various emotions and moments that all adults, young and old, can relate to,” said Fizzano.

Ralph, a widower, gets an unexpected second chance at love. He embarks on the trip of a lifetime and regains a happiness that seemed all but lost. In addition to Fizzano, other cast members are: Anne Acker of Wellsboro who plays Rose Tagliatelle, Ralph’s sister with whom he lives; Kathryn Sheneman of Roseville who plays Carol Reynolds, Ralph’s love interest; and John Tobey Jr. of Hawley, Pa., a graduating senior at Mansfield University, who plays the Young Man, a tenor who sings verses from arias but has no spoken lines.

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, May 7 & 8 and 14 & 15 and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, May 9 & 16 in the Warehouse Theatre in Wellsboro. Tickets are by reservation only, have to be ordered in advance and prepaid online at hgp.booktix.com or by calling the HG office at (570) 724-2079 with credit card information.

“Prepaid reservations allow us to assign and group seats to meet social distancing protocols and state guidelines,” said Putnam. “That’s why no tickets will be sold at the door. We also ask that the audience wear masks.”

Ticket prices are $14 for adults and $6 for youth, 18 and under. Also available are FlexPasses for $60. For more information, to purchase a flex pass or to reserve and prepay, call (570) 724-2079 or email info@hamiltongibson.org.

Photo by John Eaton
Ralph (Gary Fizzano) responds to his sister Rose (Anne Acker, standing) as she berates him for being late for supper, especially since she went to all the trouble of making his favorite dish – scallopini. Looking amused is Carol (Kathryn Sheneman, sitting).

FREE GUIDED BIRD WALKS AT HILLS CREEK ARE ON SATURDAYS, MAY 8, 15 & 22

Free morning bird walks at Hills Creek State Park will be on Saturdays, May 8, 15 and 22. They will be led by volunteers from the Tiadaghton Audubon Society. The park is located on Hills Creek Road in Charleston Township, about seven miles northeast of Wellsboro.

Each walk will begin promptly at 8 a.m. and is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. The walks are slow-paced, cover a limited distance and provide an opportunity to see the many varieties of water and woodland birds that live in the park or are migrating through.

Meet at the Hills Creek State Park office at 111 Spillway Road, Wellsboro a little before 8 a.m. to drive to the nearby starting location. In case of inclement weather, the group may opt for a driving tour with several key stops nearby to keep participants dry.

Everyone is welcome, including birders of all levels, first timers to experienced. Bring binoculars and cameras and wear subdued clothing and sturdy walking shoes. Participants are also asked to wear masks and social distance.

Twelve people participated in the two and a half hour April 24 walk, including Sean Minnick who was joined by fellow Tiadaghton Audubon Society member Ken Cooper and by Bob Edkin, DCNR environmental education specialist and nine other people. The group identified 104 birds representing 33 different species.

For updates and local birding information, visit tiadaghtonaudubon.blogspot.com or www.facebook.com/TiadaghtonAudubon/ or email tasmember@yahoo.com. Call the park office between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays at (570) 724-4246 for information about Hills Creek State Park.

ONLY 12 TICKETS REMAIN FOR VELVEETA’S INDOOR CONCERT ON SATURDAY, MAY 8

Only 12 tickets remain for the Velveeta concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 8 in the Coolidge Theatre at the Deane Center for the Performing Arts at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro.

Velveeta, Penn State’s premier party band, will perform a variety of 1980s and 1990s pop and rock tunes and a mix of today’s music by well-known artists. “What I Like About You,” I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” and “I’m a Believer” are just a sampling of the hits in Velveeta’s repertoire.

Band members are: Brian Kriley, vocalist and lead guitarist; John Matthews, vocalist and bass guitarist; John “Bones” Harper, vocalist and drummer; and Brent Martin, vocalist, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist.

Almost 26 years ago in July of 1995, the foursome started playing their original music as a grunge-inspired band called Broken. Then they decided to give it a go as a cover band called Velveeta, playing classic hits from the 1980s like “Come On Eileen” and “Jessie’s Girl.” “Things exploded for us,” said Matthews. Within months, most of the band members were able to quit their day jobs. Today, Velveeta’s unique live music experience remains an audience favorite. “We just want it to be fun,” Matthews said.

Tickets are $25. For more information, contact the Deane Center at (570) 724-6220 or www.deanecenter.com.

HAMILTON-GIBSON INVITES 9TH THROUGH 12TH GRADERS AND HG CHILDREN AND YOUTH CHOIR ALUMNI TO SING IN SUMMER CHOIR BEGINNING MONDAY, MAY 10

Ninth through 12th graders and alumni of the Hamilton-Gibson Children and Youth Choirs are invited to join the 25th Season Celebration of the HG choral program.

“It’s actually our 26th season but we missed last year thanks to the pandemic so we are celebrating now,” said Thomas Putnam. He normally directs two of the four HG children and youth choirs that involve second through twelfth graders from four school districts.

“We are doing something we’ve never done before,” said Putnam. “We’re offering a summer choir for any singers who will be in grades 9-12 this coming fall, including boys with changed voices, and any HG Choir alumni who want to participate. “We will be singing SATB (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) music,” he said in defining the voice types needed.

“We are also eager to welcome new singers to the choir so please recruit a friend,” said Putnam.

The HG summer choir will meet on Monday nights beginning May 10 and continuing through the summer. An outdoor concert given by the choir in late August will conclude the summer season.

The date for the final summer concert is tentatively set for Sunday, Aug. 29. “There is a possibility we may have the opportunity to sing the National Anthem for a semi-pro baseball game either in Elmira and/or Williamsport,” said Putnam.

Rehearsals will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church at 130 Main Street in Wellsboro. “The basic rehearsal protocol that we will follow begins with singers waiting outside or in cars until just before 6:30 p.m. when they will enter the sanctuary. “We will sing for 35 minutes, take a break outside, and then sing until 8 p.m.,” said Putnam. Vocal lines will be available online so choir members can rehearse on their own, too.

All singers will be masked and physically distanced. “The sanctuary’s curved seating and the ability to open the outside doors for ventilation will help make this a safe location,” he said.

“We strongly urge all singers who are old enough to get vaccinated so we can gather with greater confidence of safety for all, including those members of our families at home.”

“There is no charge for this celebratory summer choir, however without the usual registration fees and the proceeds from four missed concerts financial contributions would be welcome,” said Putnam.

For more information about joining the summer choir, call Hamilton-Gibson at (570) 724-2079 or email hamgib@gmail.com.