Easter on the Farm will celebrate the Pennsylvania Germans' holiday traditions and the region's vibrant folk culture on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, which is located at 22 Luckenbill Rd in Maxatawny Township, Berks County.
Easter on the Farm is a free, fun, and educational event for the whole family. It will feature folklife demonstrations, live folk-music performances, kids activities, animals, folk artists, and Easter egg hunts (at 12:30 and 2 p.m.).
Visitors can explore displays of traditional crafts created by artisans from the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen. They can also experience historical and cultural demonstrations like traditional hearth cooking with Becky Manley and the making of Pennsylvania German baked goods by Terry Berger in the summer kitchen's wood stove. Don Edris of Iron Oak Creations will demonstrate traditional blacksmithing on a coal forge.
Pennsylvania German music will be performed by Mike and Linda Hertzog at noon, The Shooflies at 1:30 p.m., and Dave Kline at 3 p.m.
Puddin Heartland will be on hand with its potbellied pigs, and children can create a traditional scratched Easter egg at the children's craft tent.
The newest volume of the heritage center's annual publication series, "Sauer's Herbal Cures: America's First Book of Botanical Healing" by William Woys Weaver, will be available the center's bookstand.
The cultural exhibition "Healing Herbs, Vibrant Roots: Transatlantic Botanical Traditions Among the Pennsylvania Dutch" will be located in the new headquarters at the DeLight E. Breidegam Building, which is located at 15155 Kutztown Rd. in Maxatawny Township.
'Spelling Bee' at NCC
Northampton Community College's theater department will present its final production of the spring semester — the musical comedy "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at Lipkin Theater, which is located at 3835 Green Pond Rd. in Bethlehem Township, Northampton County.
The heartwarming musical follows six middle school students as they compete in a regional spelling bee in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School.
The six quirky adolescents are newcomer Olive Ostrovsky, played by Devvani Choudhury; former finalist William Morris Barfée, played by Max Wetherhold; politically aware Logainne Schwartz and Grubenierre, played by Lucy Moore; over-achiever Marcy Park, played by Angelina Dries; homeschooled Leaf Coneybear, played by Morgan Lotito; and defending champion Chip Tolentino, played by Aidan Weller.
As the students compete for the title, they share their hopes, fears, and dreams through humorous and heartfelt songs. With music and lyrics by William Finn, a book written by Rachel Sheinkin, and conceived by Rebecca Feldman with additional material by Jay Reiss, this show is a fun and engaging celebration of individuality, resilience, and the joy of competition.
The bee is run by three equally quirky grown-ups — moderator Rona Lisa Peretti, played by Brittany McGorrey; vice principal Douglas Panch, played by Mark Breiner; and comfort counselor Mitch Mahoney, played by Jayden McFaddin.
An unique aspect of the show is that four audience members are invited on stage to compete in the spelling bee alongside the six young characters.
The cast also includes Abby Murphy and Jordan Joseph.
The musical is directed by Clair Freeman, an assistant professor of theater.
The musical opened off-Broadway in 2005, winning a 2005 Lucille Lortel Award for outstanding musical and a 2005 Drama Desk Award. It premiered on Broadway the same year and won two Tony Awards.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets cost $5.
Drama at Lehigh
Lehigh University's theater department and the school's Mustard & Cheese Drama Society will present the comedy drama "The Bookstore", written by Adam Szymkowicz, at Zoellner Arts Center's Diamond Theater, which is located at 420 E. Packer Ave. in Bethlehem.
Nick Conti directs the 90-minute drama about a whimsical, almost magical bookstore.
The future of the bookstore is uncertain after the owner dies and leaves the shop to her niece, Rachel, who has a job in New York City that doesn't pay her enough and a fiancé that won't stop calling. She doesn't have the time or patience to run a bookstore, so when real estate agent Max Brewer offers her more money than she can imagine to turn the store into an apartment complex, her choice seems like a no-brainer. But as the shop works its magic on her and she gets to know the eccentric employees and clientele, she starts to wonder if you can really put a price on a beloved community bookstore.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and April 16, 17, 18, and 19, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets cost $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for students.
3D Jazz Trio at Miller
Miller Symphony Hall will present the 3D Jazz Trio featuring Sherrie Maricle at 7:30 p.m. on Friday as part of Allentown Symphony Orchestra's Jazz Upstairs series.
Fiercely swinging on purpose, with purpose, this powerhouse trio plays original, traditional, and contemporary standards from all genres of music. Its distinctive style and innovative arrangements are super-charged by its boundless musical joy, gratitude, and enthusiasm.
The trio is made up of Jackie Warren, Amy Shook, and Maricle. Paul Jost will join the trio on vocals.
The three women met in May 2014 at the Cleveland Playhouse while playing in The DIVA Jazz Orchestra as part of Maurice Hines' award-winning show "Tappin' Thru Life." From their first shared downbeat, they became kindred-swinging spirits, and the resulting musical synergy was fast and fierce, or as the New York Times said, "blistering hot!"
Since its inception, 3D has performed at many of the world's most prestigious venues and festivals, including New York City's The Blue Note; Dizzy's Club; Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors' Indianapolis' The Jazz Kitchen' Washington, D.C.'s Blues Alley; Cleveland's Tri-C Jazz Festival; Rochester International Jazz Festival; and The Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap.
It was featured on The Kate TV's "live" music series with Maurice Hines on PBS and three times on WVIA radio's Homegrown Music Series.
Jazz Upstairs at Miller Symphony Hall takes place in the Rodale Community Room on the third floor. Seating capacity is limited. Table locations are approximate.
The cost of tickets starts at $33.
Doric Quartet in Easton
London-based Doric String Quartet will share its elegance and intimacy to both the classical canon and new music at 8 p.m. on Friday at Williams Center for the Arts, which is located at 317 Hamilton St. in Easton.
Its intellectual rigor has led it to use specially made original-style bows for performing Classical repertoire from Haydn to Mendelssohn, and while it is known for its refined performances of this repertoire, it is also committed to new music, performing works by composers such as Peter Maxwell Davies and Donnacha Dennehy. The quartet features Maia Cabeza, first violin; Ying Xue, second violin; Emma Wernig, viola; and John Myerscough, cello,
Tickets cost $33 for adults and $6 for students.
Open house at Berks History Center
Berks History Center will present its Easter open house on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event will offer families the chance to explore traditional crafts and learn about the cultural significance of Easter in a lively and engaging setting.
They can see an authentic Pennsylvania German egg tree, beautifully adorned with vintage handmade Easter eggs from the BHC's extensive museum collection. The charming decorations offer a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of Berks County.
Guests can unleash their creativity at egg-decorating stations. With a variety of materials and guidance available, participants can craft their own unique designs to take home as cherished keepsakes.
Children can take part in a scavenger hunt throughout the museum, uncovering hidden treasures and learning more about the fascinating history of Easter traditions.
The Easter Bunny will stop by for a visit and pose for photos.
Brass Quintet at Zoellner
Zoellner Arts Center's performing series will present the American Brass Quintet at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at the arts center, which is located at 420 E. Packer Ave. in Bethlehem.
The quintet is internationally recognized as one of the era's premier chamber music ensembles. Since its founding in 1960, it has performed on five continents and made nearly 60 recordings and premiered more than 150 contemporary works for brass. Committed to the development of brass chamber music through higher education, the quintet has served as ensemble-in-residence at The Juilliard School since 1987 and at the Aspen Music Festival since 1970.
The current lineup features Kevin Cobb, trumpet; Brandon Ridenour, trumpet; Eric Reed, horn; Hillary Simms, trombone; and John D. Rojak, bass trombone.
In its early days, the quintet sought to differentiate itself from other brass quintets by dedicating itself to "music originally written for brass," and substituted a bass trombone for the conventional tuba voice.
The quintet's repertoire blends classical works, often arranged by its members for modern performance by a brass quintet, with new works it has commissioned from contemporary composers, including Samuel Adler, Bruce Adolphe, Daniel Asia, Jan Bach, Robert Beaser, William Bolcom, Elliott Carter, Billy Childs, Robert Dennis, Jacob Druckman, Eric Ewazen, Anthony Plog, Huang Ruo, David Sampson, Gunther Schuller, William Schuman, Ralph Shapey, Joan Tower, Melinda Wagner, and Charles Whittenberg.
Tickets cost $35 and $25.
