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1. EMMF to Release Eighth and Last Free Music Video This Week on Wednesday, March 3 press release with photo and caption
2. Stephen Worthington Memorial Theatre Technology Fund Seven-Day Fundraising Campaign Begins This Friday, March 5 press release with photo and caption
3. Hamilton-Gibson Staged Reading Performances of 10-Minute Comedies by James Thurber are This Saturday and Sunday, March 6 & 7 press release with photo and caption
4. Register Now for the Free Sweet Happenings on Maple Weekend Virtual Program being held Wednesday, March 17 press release.

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

PRESS RELEASE:
This week on Wednesday, March 3, the Endless Mountain Music Festival is releasing the eighth and last music video of its free series.

Featured on the 24-minute music video is EMMF audience favorite L. “Mani” Subramaniam of Chennai, India. He performs “Isabella Violin Concerto” in three movements as the featured violinist. He composed this piece, which incorporates Indian and Spanish influences.

This concert and the seven others in the EMMF series can be viewed for free anytime at www.endlessmountain.net.

The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Stephen Gunzenhauser performed the U.S. premiere of “Isabella” on Feb. 20, 2016 with Subramaniam as the violin soloist.

He has performed only once with the EMMF Symphony Orchestra. That was in the summer of 2014 during the festival’s ninth season. On Sunday, Aug. 3 at the Corning Museum of Glass Auditorium, the orchestra under Gunzenhauser’s baton performed Subramaniam’s “Shanti Priya,” a concerto he had composed for Indian violin, percussion, and orchestra. “Shanti priya” means “lover of peace.” Subramaniam was the violin soloist. Also performing was his ensemble, which included a percussionist and his son, a violinist. On Aug. 2, the night before, Subramaniam had attended the world première of his “Turbulence Symphony” presented by the EMMF orchestra at Mansfield University.

“We are attempting to bring Mani to the festival as a guest artist in the summer of 2022,” said Maestro Gunzenhauser. “We have been friends since 2007 when Corky Siegel introduced us. Corky will be performing in 2022 and we are hopeful that Mani can arrange his schedule so he can perform then, too.”

Known as India’s violin icon, the “Paganini of Indian classical music” and “the god of the Indian violin”, Subramaniam is said to combine “the serenity of an Indian musician with the magnetism of a Western ‘star.’” He is constantly performing all over the world, from Singapore to Paris and from New Delhi to Los Angeles, conquering every audience with the elegance and virtuosity of his style and mastery of the violin.

This acclaimed Indian violinist, composer and conductor, is the only musician who has performed and recorded South Indian classical music and Western classical music, both orchestral and non-orchestral. He has also composed for and conducted major orchestras, scored films and collaborated with a wide range of great musicians from different genres. He is renowned for his virtuoso playing techniques and orchestral fusion compositions.

Subramaniam was a child musical prodigy, studying violin before he was five and giving his first public concert in Sri Lanka at six.

For tickets to this summer’s concerts, call the Endless Mountain Music Festival Box Office at 570-787-7800 or visit www.endlessmountain.net. All 2020 pre-purchased season passes will be honored this year.

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PRESS RELEASE:
This Friday, March 5, the public phase of the Stephen Worthington Memorial Theatre Technology Fund campaign begins. The seven-day fundraiser will be conducted on Hamilton-Gibson’s Facebook page and website. It will end on Thursday, March 11. Worthington would have celebrated his 60th birthday this Friday.

Each of the seven days, a daily notice of the campaign’s progress will be posted along with a different short video to highlight Steve’s involvement with the community theatre arts group. The video may include a photograph, film clip or a spoken message.

The goal of the public phase, under the direction of Kacy Hagan, is to raise $10,000 to reach and possibly exceed the $50,000 overall campaign goal.

The money will allow Hamilton-Gibson to purchase needed high tech equipment to upgrade the sound and lighting systems at the Warehouse Theatre in Wellsboro.

“We hesitated to begin a fundraising campaign during COVID-19, because of the emotional and economic hardships it has caused but the reality is that we have been using equipment that is way past its prime,” said HG Artistic Director Thomas Putnam. “Our sound system, for example, was purchased in 1993 or 1994 and finally had to be put to rest last summer because we could no longer count on it.”

“The response has been astonishing. Currently, $41,000 in pledges and cash has been raised through our silent campaign, which began last fall and is being conducted by co-leaders Larry Biddison and Carol Cacchione,” said Putnam.

Steve Worthington was 55 years old when he died on Nov. 26, 2016. At that time, he was involved in upgrading the sound and lighting systems in the Warehouse Theatre for Hamilton-Gibson. “He had done extensive research into what we needed, what we could use and what we could afford,” said Putnam. “On the Friday he died, Steve had texted that he had the whole plan laid out and itemized and would go through it with us on Monday.”

The Hamilton-Gibson Board of Directors created the Stephen Worthington Memorial Theatre Technology Fund to honor this thoughtful, multi-talented man. “We plan to accomplish what he had devoted his attention and energies to and encourage the public to help us make this a truly remarkable memorial to him,” said Putnam.

For more information, visit the HG Facebook page or website (https://www.hamiltongibson.org) or call 570-724-2079 or email hamgib@gmail.com.

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PRESS RELEASE:
This Saturday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. and this Sunday, March 7 at 2:30 p.m., Hamilton-Gibson Productions is presenting a free staged reading of three 10-minute comedies via Zoom. Each one tickles the funny bone as it pokes fun at marriage and the never-ending “battle of the sexes.”

Written by James Thurber (1894-1961) and adapted for dramatic reading by HG’s Larry Biddison, the three comedies are: “A Couple of Hamburgers” (1935), “Mr. Monroe Outwits a Bat” (1929), and “Mr. Preble Gets Rid of His Wife” (1933).

In the first, Mr. and Mrs. Preble argue about where to stop to eat along the road. In the second, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe reveal who wins the award for bravery. And ,in the third, Mr. and Mrs. Preble demonstrate that “it ain’t over till it’s over.”

Husband and wife Larry and Barbara Biddison of Wellsboro are the featured performers. “For our Zoomed half-hour staged reading, Barbara and I chose these three not only because they are among our Thurber favorites but also because they lend themselves to dramatic dialogue, allowing listeners to imagine the pictures and actions suggested by the words,” said Larry.

Celebrated for his clever wit, Thurber wrote lots of short stories that were published in The New Yorker magazine from the 1920s to the 1950s. Many of them deal with human relationships.

“Thurber felt that marriage was a mine field—and a field to be mined,” Larry said. “He saw that it was full of humorous possibilities with situations deserving of satirical treatment. It’s common for couples to become annoyed with the little idiosyncrasies of their mates, such as odd food preferences or quirky personal habits.”

Among domestic issues husbands and wives verbally spar over are these: “Why did you mute the TV if you were leaving the room anyway?” “When will you learn to put your dirty clothes in the hamper?” “Please don’t chew with your mouth open.” “You know I don’t like catfish.”

Originally, Larry had adapted these three Thurber short stories into staged readings for Acting Up and Acting Out, Hamilton-Gibson’s readers theatre group, which he and Barbara co-lead.

“Since 2007 we’ve been sharing them in area churches, libraries, senior living facilities and other venues. We have also used them during our regular Acting Up sessions to give others in the group a chance to create their own ‘quarreling couples,'” Larry said.

“As you watch these snarling and grumbling couples from your pandemic-induced confinement, you can better appreciate the wit with which Thurber portrays them,” said Larry.

At the end of the 30-minute performance, the audience will be invited to stay on Zoom to talk about what they saw and heard with the Biddisons and Director Thomas Putnam.

Audience members will find the Zoom information on the HG website at https://www.hamiltongibson.org and Facebook page or can contact the HG office at 570-724-2079 or hamgib@gmail.com.

Those familiar with Zoom can go to the Zoom website at https://zoom.us, click on “joint meeting” and enter 839 2536 6867 – the access code for the Saturday, March 6 performance and then enter the passcode 902173. For the Sunday, March 7 performance, enter the access code 873 9936 8164 and the passcode 420146.

This is the third in HG’s free series of eight 30-minute staged readings of short plays via Zoom. The series will continue with a different 30-minute short play or grouping of short plays each Saturday and Sunday through April 10 & 11.

Donations are appreciated. To donate, go to the HG website at www.hamiltongibson.org or send a contribution to Hamilton-Gibson, 29 Water Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901. Please include “Staged Readings” in the check memo line.

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REGISTER NOW FOR THE FREE SWEET HAPPENINGS ON MAPLE WEEKEND VIRTUAL PROGRAM BEING HELD WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17 PRESS RELEASE:
Planning to stop in at one or more of the 22 producers of pure maple products on Maple Weekend in Potter and Tioga counties and want to know more about it? Can’t go on maple weekend but would like to find out what sweet treats are available, when and where?

Those who register now for the free Sweet Happenings on Maple Weekend Virtual Program will get the most up-to-date information on everything maple from several maple producers. The producers will share information and answer questions about the Potter Tioga Maple Producers Association Maple Weekend being held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, March 20 and 21.

Find out how the season is going. What to expect when planning a visit to one or more sugar shacks and about the variety of maple products that can be purchased.

To get a Microsoft Teams link to the Sweet Happenings on Maple Weekend Virtual Program, register at events.dcnr.pa.gov under Hills Creek State Park. This 30-minute online program will begin at noon on Wednesday, March 17. It’s free.

Please note: Although listed on the Maple Weekend brochure, Hills Creek State Park will NOT be hosting visitors for Maple Weekend this year. No in-person programs can be held in any state park through March 31 due to COVID-19. Hills Creek State Park is open for those who want to go on a self-guided hike or run on park trails, or fish on Hills Creek Lake.

Visit http://www.pamaple.com/ for details about Maple Weekend on March 20 and 21.

For more information about the March 17 online program, call Tim Morey at 570-724-8561 or email tmorey@pa.gov.