The Update | Doo Wop Project at Westminster; Fundraiser for Rust Belt Theater

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Westminster College Celebrity Series will begin its 2024-25 season with The Doo Wop Project: A New Doo at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, in Orr Auditorium on the college’s campus.

Featuring five stars of Broadway hits “Jersey Boys,” “A Bronx Tale,” “Beautiful” and “Motown: The Musical!,” the Doo Wop Project is a musical stage show that traces the inception of group singing developed by inner-city African Americans. 

The Doo Wop Project takes audiences on a journey from foundational tunes of groups like the Crests, Belmonts and Flamingos through their influences on the sounds of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations and The Four Seasons, all the way to “doo-wopified” versions of modern musicians like Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz and Maroon 5. 

The Doo Wop Project: A New Doo will present doo-wop classics such as “16 Candles” and “In the Still of the Night,” as well as doo-wop versions of modern favorites like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places.” 

Tickets can be purchased HERE or by contacting the box office at 724 946 7354.

Soups and Showstoppers Fundraiser for Rust Belt

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Rust Belt Theater Company will present Soups and Showstoppers at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at its theater inside Club Switch, 221 Belmont Ave., downtown. 

Tickets are $15 regular admission and include soup and the show. For reservations, call 330 507 2358.

The show will feature local vocalists singing showstopping musical numbers, and includes a buffet of gourmet soups.

The cast includes Connor Bezeredi, Keith Stepanic, Marisa Zamary, Sarah Whitlatch, Lisa Torrence, PK Lankford, Caitlyn Murphy, Nicholas Hazelton, Alex Kluchar, Vicci Sfikas and Robert Dennick Joki.

Soups and Showstoppers is a fundraiser to benefit Rust Belt Theater’s fall/winter season.

“We have a very busy lineup for the second half of this year, beginning with Nicole Zayas-Balaz’s one woman show “Cielito,” which opens Sept. 27,” said Joki, director of the theater. “Then we are producing three of our original musical comedies in a row: “Living Dead: The Musical,” “The Rockin’ Horribles Audience Participation Show” and, of course, “How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas.” Rust Belt is also planning to do a Krampusnacht immersive theater event in the beginning of December.

Children’s Oktoberfest in Downtown Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The third annual Children’s Oktoberfest will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, on the Phelps Street pedestrian corridor, downtown.

Sponsored by the city of Youngstown, the event will feature live entertainment, crafts, games and more. New partners this year include Camp Fitch and Montessori of the Mahoning Valley.

Admission and parking in the city lot on Commerce Street, behind 20 Federal Place, are free.

The John Reese Trio will perform polka and classics from 1 to 3 p.m.

Castle on a Cloud Entertainment will present a “Sound of Music” medley from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Idora Jack and the Rabbits will perform classic kids tunes with a funky twist from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m.

Interactive activities will include Meet the Youngstown Fire Department from 2 to 4 p.m. Other activities, from 1 to 6 p.m., will include a sensory play by Montessori School, arts and crafts with Camp Fitch, recycling fun with the city health department, a Volkswagen bus photo booth, kids air ax throwing and a stand with apple cider, pretzels and kettle corn.

Warren Philharmonic Offers Violin Lessons

WARREN, Ohio – The Warren Philharmonic Orchestra is offering free violin lessons to a select group of Trumbull County third through seventh grade students, announced Barry G. Dunaway, executive director.

The application deadline is Sept. 30 for the next class, which will begin Oct. 6 and run through May.

An application form and related documents are available to download HERE or can be requested from the WPO office, 154 N. Park Ave.

The Frank R. Bodor Strings of Joy program is part of the orchestra’s outreach to area schoolchildren.

The WPO will perform a concert for area students in October.

The orchestra will loan each student an age-appropriate violin and provide individual, 30-minute lessons Sunday afternoons through May. Occasional group lessons and performance opportunities will be scheduled, as well. The orchestra will provide printed music to the students at no cost. The lessons will take place at Christ Episcopal Church, 2627 Atlantic St. NE.

The lesson instructor is Jenna Barvitski, a graduate of Youngstown State University’s Dana School of Music.

Parents/guardians must be willing to provide transportation for the lessons, provide encouragement and practice space and assume ultimate responsibility for the instrument. For information, contact Dunaway at 330 399 3606 or [email protected].

Halloween Workshops at Hart’s School

WARREN, Ohio – Hart’s School of Performing Arts is offering two Halloween creative workshops. 

For information and to register, click HERE.

• Spookacular Makeup Magic Workshop, Oct. 9, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Learn Halloween make-up essentials and create iconic looks like vampires, skeletons and more with expert Keith Stepanic. All supplies are included. Age 10 and up. Price is $75.

• Haunted Set Creations Workshop, Oct. 16, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Design and build mini haunted sets in this hands-on workshop with Kenzie James. All materials provided. For age 11 and up. Price is $85.

• Audition Skills Workshop, Oct. 8, 15 and 22, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sharpen your cold reading and audition skills with Roz Blystone in this Halloween-themed theater workshop. For ages 10 to 13. Price is $85 for all three sessions.

• Creepy Crawly Puppetry, Oct. 10 and 17, 6 to 7:15 p.m. Create Halloween puppets and bring them to life in this fun class with Katelyn Freel. Ages 5 to 7. Price is $60 for both sessions.

• Monster Mash Halloween Dance Class, Oct. 7 (ages 5 to 7), Oct. 14 (ages 6 to 8) and Oct. 21 (ages 10 to 13), from 6-7:30 p.m. Taught by Makenna Liller Dahman. Costumes encouraged. Price is $25.

Halloween Season Begins at Kennywood Park

PITTSBURGH – Kennywood’s Phantom Fall Fest begins Friday, Sept. 20.

The park’s annual Halloween event will feature more than 30 attractions, including six haunts, four sinister scare zones, more than 100 scare actors and terrifying rides in the dark. 

• Alice in Wonderland Unleashed takes thrill-seekers on a twisted journey that is darker, scarier and in reverse for its third season, creating all-new frights.

• Shady Grove is accepting new patients to its haunted halls where demented doctors and nightmarish nurses run amok.

• Villa of the Vampire welcomes guests to brave the bloodthirsty bunch lurking in the manor’s shadows.

• Dark Shadows plays tricks on all who dare to enter its sensory depriving, darkened dwelling.

• Voodoo Bayou takes adventurers on a summon spiriting swampland excursion with creatures from the marsh and below.

The fear doesn’t stop there. There will also be four scare zones filled with creatures of the night, including zombies and evil clowns.

Phantom Fall Fest invites guests to do Halloween their way, with family-friendly activities during the day. The fear kicks in at 6 p.m., all included for free with park admission, running select dates Sept. 20 through Sunday, Oct. 27. Single-day tickets are on sale now for $29.99.

To purchase tickets and for more information, visit Kennywood’s website.

Hispanic Cultural Program at OCCHA Hall

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio  – Mahoning Valley Cultural Alliance will present a program on Hispanic countries at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, at OCCHA Social Hall, 3660 Shirley Road. 

The cost is $40.

The speaker will be Dr. Consuelo Mendez, a physician born in the Dominican Republic who has been serving the community for more than 30 years. The meal will consist of Puerto Rican rice and pork shoulder, chicken breast medallions stuffed with mashed plantains wrapped with bacon and béchamel sauce, salad with strawberry dressing, flan and tres leches. 

Argentinian cellist Silvia Games DuBos and several dancers will perform.

For reservations, call 330 743 2589 by Oct. 1.

Pictured at top: The Doo Wop Project will perform at Westminster College on Saturday.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.