If you walk by the Dietrich Theater’s Peg Fassett Performance Studio on a Saturday morning this month, you are likely to see 11 pastel painting students at their easels creating beautiful works of art. Taught by master pastel painter Millie Schelling, these students are learning about composition, the basics of working with pastels, and how to add depth to their works by using light and shadows plus much more. It is inspiring to see their progress and it also makes me want to take classes to explore the arts.

If you are interested in experiencing the arts as well but have limited time, the Dietrich is offering a variety of workshops for adults this month. From 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays, Oct. 19, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, Sarah Sidorek will teach Design a Painted Silk Scarf for adults and students ages 16 and up. She will share this fun and easy technique to create a unique scarf for you to wear or to give as a gift.

Admission is $35 and includes all materials. No experience is needed.

If a gathering with your friends for an evening of painting and wine sounds more like your speed, Amy and Steve Colley are presenting another one of their Fine Wine, Fine Art experiences from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. Gather up your friends and learn how to paint a still life with the guidance of two master artists. Admission is $25 and paint, canvas and instruction are included. Attendees must be 21 or older and are welcome to bring their own snacks and wine.

I’ve participated in these Fine Wine, Fine Art sessions twice and can tell you they are lots of fun.

The Dietrich’s own Esther Harmatz will offer an Intermediate Stained Glass class from 6 to 9 p.m. Mondays, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 at the theater. Esther has been teaching Introduction to Stained Glass at the theater for several years now and her students asked for more advanced classes. So if you took Harmatz’s intro class in the past or have experience with stained glass, you are invited to this class. In this series students will learn how to deal with larger glass projects, more intricate patterns, various soldering techniques, layout, framing and cutting.

Admission is $75 and all materials and equipment will be provided. Call 570-996-1500 to register. Space is limited.

We also have a variety of free events this weekend for you to enjoy.

At 11 a.m. this Saturday, Oct. 17 all ages are invited to come to the Dietrich and learn about the 44 different species of snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs, salamanders that live right here in Pennsylvania. It’s a fascinating program with naturalist and WNEP Pennsylvania Outdoor Life personality Rick Koval. The presentation is full of fantastic photos he took of these creatures. Koval will also bring with him a few snakes, turtles, lizards and other animals for attendees to meet and hold.

This presentation is free and is sponsored by the Overlook Estate Foundation. Tickets are available by calling 570-996-1500 or at the door while they last.

Then at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 we encourage you to join us for a concert at WVIA. This will be the fifth concert collaboration with our friends at WVIA and this time around we will be celebrating the American musical with pianist and narrator Gary Boerckel, soprano Bernadette Boerckel and tenor and Broadway actor Daniel Marcus. They will survey the history of American musicals through song, including favorites from “Oklahoma,” “The King and I,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Carousel” and more. This concert will be recorded for later broadcast and will be followed by a light reception.

We will also provide free bus transportation from the Dietrich, departing at 1:30 p.m. for WVIA and returning by 6 p.m. Admission is free thanks to support from the Tunkhannock Rotary Club, Jean Mieczkowski and the First Energy Foundation. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 570-996-1500. Space is limited.

As you can see, the Dietrich is so much more than the movies!

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More Than Movies

Erica Rogler

Reach the Abington Journal newsroom at 570-587-1148 or news@s24528.p831.sites.pressdns.com