Beyond the Byline: Oh what a night — year #3

WILKES-BARRE — If you want to have a great night out to see, hear and learn about some of this area’s outstanding achievers in arts and entertainment, then be at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Oct. 4.

A great time is guaranteed.

The Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame announced that tickets are on sale now for the organization’s third annual induction ceremony. The event will include an optional VIP pre-show mixer with food and refreshments in the Kirby lobby from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and an awards-style event ceremony in the theater from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased for the VIP party and induction ceremony, or for just the induction ceremony.

The induction ceremony will include live musical performances by some of the 2025 inductees. Those tentatively scheduled to perform are Andrea Bogusko, Matt Rogers, Joe & John Stanky, The Leer Brothers and The Great Rock Scare.

Tickets for the VIP mixer and induction ceremony are $65. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets for the induction ceremony only are $30. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. All tickets are available at The F.M. Kirby Center Box Office, through the F.M Kirby Center’s website at www.kirbycenter.org or through Ticketmaster.

For information, call 570-826-1100.

Yes, I serve on the LCAEHOF board, and I totally endorse the organization and what it has done in its first three years and will continue doing on into the future.

Just look at the 2025 inductees.

The 2025 inductees in the “Arts” category are:

• Lillian Cahn — The creative pillar that built the Coach line of luxury accessories into a global brand.

• Niccolo Cortiglia — The painter who crafted likenesses of politicians, public figures and community leaders.

• Bob Heim — The cartoonist, illustrator and journalist with a charming sense of humor.

• Lyman H. Howe — The pioneering, traveling filmmaker who outpaced the ambition of his movie-making peers.

• Marion Lorne — The Emmy-winning actress who is most remembered for her portrayal of Aunt Clara in “Bewitched.”

• Rose O’Neill — The artist who created the Kewpie characters and became one of the earliest female cartoonists to achieve national recognition and acclaim.

• Lawrence Russo — The sculptor whose work is present across the Northeast United States. His most famous sculpture – the Christ the King statue on the King’s College Administration Building – is one of the area’s most towering works of art.

The 2025 inductees in the “Entertainment” category are:

• Andrea Bogusko — The longtime instructor whose Music Company has become a fixture in the local community over four decades of business.

• The Great Rock Scare — The energetic band that entertained audiences with their faithful renditions of classic rock hits.

• Florence Foster Jenkins — The so-called “world’s worst opera singer” with a Carnegie Hall performance and fascinating life story to her name.

• The Leer Brothers Band — The supergroup that sprouted from some of the area’s most popular bands of the 1960s and 1970s.

• Motionless in White — The aggressive metal band with a catalog that includes radio-ready hits and brutal deep cuts.

• Matthew Rogers — The Grammy-winning songwriter who has worked with some of country music’s biggest stars.

• Joe and John Stanky — The polka-playing brothers who have wielded their instruments for the enjoyment of listeners’ ears and feet.

• Alan K. Stout — The music journalist and radio host with an unrivaled dedication to local artists and entertainers.

• Paul Pringle — A native of Wilkes-Barre, he will receive the “Distinguished Achievement Award.” Pringle is a Los Angeles Times reporter who specializes in investigating corruption. He won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting with colleagues Matt Hamilton and Harriet Ryan in 2019.

The Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame was formed in 2022 to honor those who are natives or residents of Luzerne County, or those who have roots in Luzerne County, and have achieved success, gained notoriety, or have had a great impact on the world of arts and entertainment either in NEPA or beyond.

Come on out and see for yourself.

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.