Entertainment News

Dr. Jana Houser specializes in radar analysis of tornadoes and the supercell thunderstorms that produce them. She recently served as a consultant on "Twisters."

Erica Silver, a music teacher with the Allentown School District, is the youth chorale's newest conductor and Alaina Swartz is the new director of education and community engagement.

It's still more than a month before the 37th annual Celtic Classic takes over downtown with kilts and kegs, but contests for the festival that celebrates all things Irish, Scottish and Welsh already are starting.

Diana Ross, who with The Supremes had a dozen No. 1 hits in the 1960s, then a half dozen more as a solo artist in the 1970s and ’80s, will perform at the center at 8 p.m. Oct. 18.

ArtsQuest, in partnership with Trans-Bridge Lines and Penn State University, on Monday announced a new satellite parking lot will be established at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

The opening night (the fest continues 2-11 p.m. today) offered New York gospel-blues trio The Harlem Gospel Travelers as headliners, and they offered an enthusiastic set. But it was some of the supporting acts that elevated the experience.

It's been two weeks since rock band Heart canceled its opening-night headline concert at Allentown Fair, and it looks like the fair is set to announce a replacement.

Over 80 comics signed up for the first round of a new competition at the Emmaus Theatre that looks to seek the funniest in the Lehigh Valley.

For the first time, the two-day festival will feature a barbecue competition, along with 11 blues performers. It will take place Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20 at SteelStacks.

Through this month, the symphony is offering a 10% discount on tickets to its popular Holiday Pops concert on Dec. 21 and Repertory Dance Theatre's "Nutcracker" on Dec. 7-8, both at Miller Symphony Hall at 23 S. 6th St., Allentown.

The long-running festival celebrates its 117th year with a new schedule and additions, including a flamenco and guitar concert and a lecture by Bach scholars. It will take place May 8 - 11 in Bethlehem.

ArtsQuest’s Ginvitational: A Celebration of Cocktails will return to SteelStacks for a fourth year on June 8 in Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center, it was announced.

The series of 10 Wednesday night movies will begin May 21. Families are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the Levitt lawn for the films, which start at 6:30 p.m.

"The Book of Mormon," which has grossed nearly $1billion, making it one of the most successful musicals of all time, will return to the theater for three performances Sept. 27-28.

The exhibit, which calls itself North America’s most popular interactive dinosaur event, will return to Allentown Fairgrounds Agri-Plex from June 13-15.

The 3rd Annual No Planet B Jamboree will be at 1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 19. For the first time, it will be at the ArtsQuest Town Square Stage on the SteelStacks campus.

Visitors can find rare records and artwork at the free flea market that will take place from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Charles A. Smith Ice House in Bethlehem. Later in the day, four punk bands will take the stage.

Archer Music Hall, the new downtown concert venue, has announced a concert series that will showcase Pennsylvania acts. The series, called Pennsylvania’s Own, will start May 9 with Motionless in White.

The Struts, whose style recalls bands such as The Rolling Stones and Queen and who has had the hits “Could Have Been Me” and “Kiss This,” will perform at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 20.

Z.Z. Top, which had the hits “Tush” in the 1970s and “Legs” and “Sharp Dressed Man” in the 1980s, will perform at Wind Creek Event Center at 8 p.m. Sept. 21, it was announced Tuesday.

First Baptist Church is home to Bethlehem’s branch of Upward Sports. With the gym floor aging, Paul Kocher, director of Upward Sports, and the Bethlehem Upward Sports community, are raising money to replace it.

Three Dog Night, which from 1975-83 had 19 Top 30 hits on the Billboard Singles chart, and Little River Band, which had 11 Top 30 hits from 1977-83, will perform at 6 p.m. Aug. 15.