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Why Kamasi Washington is the Hottest Name in Music

KW with Sax 4=3
By Ben Youngerman, ArtsQuest Marketing Manager

In a music scene where pop starlets and flash-in-the-pan YouTube stars reign supreme, it’s not typical for a jazz musician with a 3-hour long debut album to be the hottest name in music. But Kamasi Washington has bucked the trends. How? Simply by being that undeniably great at his craft.

The 35-year-old saxophonist has played with Kendrick Lamar, Herbie Hancock, Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dog, Chaka Khan and many more. Kamasi Washington seems destined for those levels of stardom himself. Don’t just take our word for it, continue below to see how much other people are raving about him. Or see him for yourself when Kamasi Washington plays at SteelStacks on Saturday, May 7 as part of the RiverJazz Festival presented by Concannon Miller!

The Epic LP was one of the best albums of 2015…

#22 – Mashable’s “30 best albums of 2015”

“There really is something for everyone in this epic, ambitious and extremely exciting triumph of modern jazz.”

#8 – The Guardian’s “Best albums of 2015”

“The Epic wasn’t only massive in scale and scope, it also sounded unlike anything else released in 2015.”

#2 – Okayplayer’s “Top 15 Albums of 2015”

“The nearly three-hour album, which is anchored by a 10-piece jazz band, a 32-piece orchestra and a 20-member choir, can be called no less than epic.”

Kamasi Helped Kendrick Lamar craft the mega-successful album To Pimp a Butterfly…

To Pimp a Butterfly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DDP-aHmEcc

Kamasi set Coachella on fire this year…

(and Will Do the Same at Bonnaroo)

Kamasi+Washington+2016+Coachella+Valley+Music+1fKVutWJF4ml

Kamasi still buys great music…

Kamasi Washington
SATURDAY, MAY 7
Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling
PART OF: RiverJazz Festival presented by Concannon Miller

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Staff Film Rankings: 5 Years of the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas

Brody-Whiplash-1200

By Ben Youngerman & the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas Staff

Aw, our baby cinemas grow up so fast! Although they’re still 12 years away from seeing R-rated movies on their own and 16 years away from drinking beers during films.

As SteelStacks marks its 5th Anniversary, each member of our Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas staff has put together a list of their 10 favorite films we’ve screened since April 15, 2011. You can see their picks below!*

To thank you for your 5 years of support, from April 15-17, all screenings in the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, with the exception of the “Soundtrack Comes Alive” musical performance with This Way to the Egress April 16, are only $5 (regularly $10)! We’ll continue the $5 fun through April 28 with our Five Dollar Fifth Anniversary Screenings series featuring some of the most popular films from our history!

*NOTE: This is a ranking of the 10 favorite new films from each person that the FBAC has played over the past 5 years. Specifically, new means films that we played within two months of its initial release. So we didn’t consider any Hitchcock or James Bond films, but we did consider a film like Shut Up and Play the Hits, which we played just once, but it had just been released.*

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Ryan Hill, Programming Director

1. Frances Ha
2. Whiplash
3. Gloria
4. The Grand Budapest Hotel
5. Ida
6. Shut Up and Play the Hits
7. Safety Not Guaranteed
8. Twenty Feet from Stardom
9. Sleepwalk with Me
10. Clouds of Sils Maria

It’s incredibly hard to not let emotion in when making these rankings, so I didn’t. Safety Not Guaranteed had a ton of heart behind it, and we played it at a time when the organization needed a little of that. Shut Up and Play the Hits and Frances Ha both spoke to me as a performer who also works behind the scenes. Whiplash did, too, but in a really scary way. Gloria was the film on this list I didn’t expect to like, but loved. Mike Birbiglia sent us a signed poster, so Sleepwalk with Me – which I did really like both as a movie fan and standup comic anyway – gets on this list by default.

Whiplash Miles Teller

Anthony DeSanctis, Cinema/Comedy Assistant

1. Whiplash
2. Wild Tales
3. 12 Years a Slave
4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
5. Midnight in Paris
6. Room
7. Brooklyn
8. Silver Linings Playbook
9. 50/50
10. The Place Beyond the Pines

My first experience at SteelStacks, I saw the Perks of Being a Wallflower to a packed house. Anytime I watch that film now, I think of SteelStacks. I also saw two of my favorite films of the last ten years at this theater, Whiplash and Wild Tales. My list of ten films I associate with not only being the best films, but a lot of them also placed me amongst great audiences who were truly captivated but what we were seeing on screen such as Room, Brooklyn, and Silver Linings Playbook.

Wild-Tales

Lawrence Milano, Cinema & Comedy Assistant

1. Wild Tales
2. Dallas Buyers Club
3. Melancholia
4. Ex Machina
5. Her
6. Super
7. Amy
8. Whiplash
9. The Master
10. Birdman

Cinema, in the last five years, has presented my generation with classics that we’ll remember in our days of old age. Films of revenge, courage, extreme determination, love, portrayals of depression, memorable dance scenes, men who told crime to shut up, and so much more. I often wish I lived through the revolutionary stages of filmmaking in the 1970’s, but I have to say I’m pretty honored and lucky to have witness such beautiful and fearless films such as the ones I’ve listed above.

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Lauren McAloon, Performing Arts Coordinator

1. Frances Ha
2. Short Term 12
3. Beginners
4. In A World…
5. Ex Machina
6. Moonrise Kingdom
7. Shut Up and Play the Hits
8. Clouds of Sils Maria
9. Whiplash
10. Girl Rising

sundance+-+whiplash+1

Dana Baker, Cinema Coordinator

1. Whiplash
2. Moonrise Kingdom
3. Incendies
4. The Master
5. Hitchcock
6. The Wolf of Wall St.
7. American Hustle
8. 12 Years a Slave
9. Spotlight
10. The Artist

The Five Dollar Fifth Anniversary Screenings

April 17 – April 28, 2016

Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas

STEELSTACKS CELEBRATES 5TH ANNIVERSARY APRIL 15

Unique Revitalization Project Has Helped Transform City’s Old Steel Mill into Arts District That Draws Visitors from Across the Nation

BETHLEHEM, PA—On a spring day in 2011, a few dozen people made their way to a brand-new arts center located amid the ruins of the former Bethlehem Steel plant on Bethlehem’s SouthSide. It was a sleek, new building made of concrete, steel and glass that stood in stark contrast to the towering, old steel blast furnaces across the street that reminded people more of the city’s rich history than its bright future.

Built on the former Bethlehem Steel site in Bethlehem, the ArtsQuest Center marked the first step in the launch of an ambitious redevelopment project called “SteelStacks,” a public-private partnership that would help transform one of the largest privately-owned Brownfields in the nation into a dynamic destination for music, arts and entertainment. Fast forward five years as SteelStacks gets set to celebrate its 5th Anniversary April 15, and more than 800,000 people annually now visit the site to enjoy concerts, festivals and cultural events, having a huge impact on tourism and the economy in the city and the region.

“The ArtsQuest Center and our SteelStacks programming have an annual economic impact of more than $48 million,” says ArtsQuest President and CEO Kassie Hilgert. “But the real story is not the numbers, as impressive as they are. The real story is how the public sector, the private sector and the entire community came together to create an arts and cultural district that is truly unique and literally couldn’t have been built anywhere else because no other place has our community’s legacy of innovation, our community’s unique physical assets and our community’s rich history of arts and cultural activities. Each year, more and more visitors from both the region and the nation flock to SteelStacks and discover just how special Bethlehem, and the Lehigh Valley, truly is.”

On April 15, the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks – the first building opened on the SteelStacks campus – turns 5, highlighting a major milestone in the site’s redevelopment. Once the home of the industrial giant that made steel for the Golden Gate Bridge, much of the Manhattan skyline and the ships and artillery of the two World Wars, today the former Bethlehem Steel site hosts a dozen music and arts festivals, three indoor and outdoor stages and more than 800 concerts, 2,000 cinema screenings and 250 comedy shows annually. In addition to the ArtsQuest Center, SteelStacks serves as the home of the Levitt Pavilion, which offers 50 free outdoor concerts for the community every summer; the Visitor Center at SteelStacks, housed in the oldest building on the former steel site; public television station PBS39’s PPL Public Media Center; and the Hoover Mason Trestle, an elevated walkway that provides visitors with an opportunity to get up close to the site’s old rail line, blast furnaces and other buildings.

Partners working together to bring new life to the former steel mill over the past decade include the Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority, City of Bethlehem, Bethlehem Area School District, Northampton County, PBS39, Sands Resort Bethlehem and ArtsQuest. Over the past 10 years, nearly $100 million has been invested in the SteelStacks campus by the Redevelopment Authority, ArtsQuest, PBS39 and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, an especially noteworthy accomplishment considering SteelStacks was developed during one of the biggest recessions in the nation’s history.

“SteelStacks is the culmination of years of hard work, public and private investment, and the vision to create an arts and entertainment destination on the former Bethlehem Steel land,” says Bethlehem Mayor Robert Donchez. “The result has been astounding as the number of events taking place each year support Bethlehem as being a destination for arts, entertainment and cultural activities.”

As the major programming provider at SteelStacks, the nonprofit ArtsQuest has greatly expanded its arts and educational offerings for the region over the past five years, thanks in large part to the support of its sponsors, supporting members, donors, volunteers and community partners. Today, ArtsQuest presents more than 2,200 programs and events annually, with more than 65 percent of these free for the region to attend. Since 2011, ArtsQuest has invested an average of $1.5 million annually, not including the Musikfest main stage, in music and arts programming at the SteelStacks site, while at the same time adding eight new festivals for the region including the free Oktoberfest presented by Yuengling, the free Sabor Latin Festival, Blast Furnace Blues presented by Highmark Blue Shield and RiverJazz presented by Concannon Miller.

“The success of SteelStacks and ArtsQuest is a great example of how public-private partnerships can work and create solutions that neither the government nor private sector could do alone,” says Northampton County Executive John A. Brown. “I congratulate ArtsQuest and the visionary government and community leaders that were willing to be proactive in solving one of the most difficult challenges our region has faced in decades. The future of ArtsQuest, the City of Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley is bright.”

From the opening of the ArtsQuest Center in 2011 to Dec. 31, 2015, ArtsQuest has presented 2,189 free concerts at SteelStacks, an average of 438 each year, drawing tens of thousands to the city while providing opportunities for hundreds of local and regional performing artists to support their livelihood through paid performances. These free concerts include not only dynamic local acts and up-and-coming musicians, but also nationally known artists like The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Smithereens, The Drifters, Casey Abrams, Coco Montoya, Marcia Ball and Orleans.

Equally as important, ArtsQuest has greatly expanded its educational offerings for area public and private schools, as well as the region as a whole, adding in new initiatives like the SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase, which brings together the region’s high school jazz bands; the “Marketing Musikfest 101” class, which teaches area high schools how to book and market bands at one of the nation’s largest music festivals; and Peas & Qs, the free Saturday morning family series designed to promote early childhood development through the arts. Since 2010, the number of children who experience ArtsQuest’s programming has nearly tripled, from 12,000 annually to more than 35,000 each year.

“While we have been open for five years, we have merely scratched the surface of the kinds of arts programming and cultural experiences we can offer,” Hilgert says. “From artist development opportunities to new educational series and programs to creative partnerships with other nonprofits, we have a stable of ideas that we are excited to continue to build and roll out with input and support from our community. We can’t wait for the next five years.”

Since 2011, SteelStacks has also been a major destination for community groups to host programs and events. Over the past five years, 95 nonprofit and community organizations have presented programs on the site, ranging from educational sessions to major fundraising runs and walks. In 2014 and ’15, SteelStacks also brought the community together to celebrate the World’s Game, offering World Cup viewing parties that attracted crowds of up to 10,000 to cheer on the U.S. Men and Women’s Soccer Teams.

“It’s fitting that the 5th Anniversary of SteelStacks coincides with the 275th Anniversary of the City of Bethlehem,” says Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Tony Hanna. “The development of the SteelStacks campus by partners ArtsQuest, PBS39 and the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Bethlehem embodies many of the same attributes that went into the development of the City of Bethlehem – vision, collaboration, creativity, public engagement, perseverance, tenacity and commitment.

“We have provided our community with a public gift, a public place that is helping to reinvent Bethlehem, while embracing its cherished industrial past. In June of this year the community will be celebrating its founding 275 years ago with a Community Celebration at SteelStacks. We are honored that SteelStacks was selected as the site for this special event, where the events of the day will give us all a chance to both look back on where we’ve been and look ahead to where we want to be.”

SteelStacks Hosting 5th Anniversary Events

In honor of SteelStacks 5th Anniversary, SteelStacks and ArtsQuest are celebrating all summer long. Here are some of the upcoming highlights:

The $5 Anniversary Weekend – April 15-17
Everybody loves a birthday party and ArtsQuest is throwing cinema fans one to remember. To celebrate the opening of the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, tickets for all Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas movies including the week’s feature films are only $5 (regularly $10). ArtsQuest is also bringing back some of fans’ all-time favorites from the past five years including “Moonrise Kingdom” and “Silver Linings Playbook,” as well as classics like “Vertigo” from the Hitchock Film Series. The list of feature films will be announced Monday, April 11; the complete list of movie screenings will be posted at www.steelstacks.org/event/2522/the-five-dollar-fifth-anniversary-screenings/.

Our Hometown Heroes – Memorial Day Weekend
In honor of the “Our Hometown Heroes” program at SteelStacks, Embassy Bank and ArtsQuest are inviting the servicemen and women featured on the Our Hometown Heroes banners over the past five years to attend the Memorial Day Celebration, where they will be honored during a special service as part of the weekend’s activities.

Levitt Pavilion Birthday Bash – July 2
Kick off the Levitt Pavilion’s 5th year of awesome free music with a birthday celebration, complete with cake.

SouthSide Swing – July 22-23
It’s a swingin’ evening under the stars as the Levitt Pavilion presents two great swing acts. Did we mention we’re putting up the first-ever dance floor on the Levitt lawn?

Important SteelStacks Dates
April 15, 2011 ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks opens; cinemas host first films – “Win Win,” “Super” & “The Evil Dead”
April 30, 2011 ArtsQuest Center’s Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling hosts first concert – Steve Miller (private concert)
May 1, 2011 ArtsQuest Center’s Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling hosts first public concert – Craig Thatcher Band
June 11, 2011 PPL Public Media Center at PBS39 opens (originally named the PBS39 Public Media & Education Center)
July 2, 2011 Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks opens
Aug. 4, 2012 Visitor Center presented by St. Luke’s University Health Network open to public for first time
June 14, 2013 Visitor Center presented by St. Luke’s University Health Network officially dedicated
June 25, 2015 Hoover Mason Trestle opens
April 15, 2016 5th Anniversary of SteelStacks
For more information on SteelStacks, visit www.steelstacks.org or follow us on www.facebook.com/SteelStacks.

What the Critics are Saying About Jessy J…

ven22_ja_30aug_jessy

By Paige Richards

Over the years, Jessy J has become a dominant up-and-comer on the smooth jazz scene as a solo saxophonist. Throughout her career she has worked in the studio with big names such as Michael Bublé and toured with various artists including The Temptations, Jessica Simpson, Michael Bolton and Seal. She has also backed artists on American Idol and The Voice.

If Jessy J’s body of work isn’t enough, she’s has received praise in multiple languages and countries! The saxaphonist is headlining the RiverJazz Festival presented by Concannon Miller on Thursday, May 12! Until then, you can read some of the amazing things the critics have to say about Jessy J!

“Revolutionizing jazz as a young Latina”- People en Español

“Few musicians, no matter the musical genre, have made as powerful of an immediate impact as this talented multi-instrumentalist and composer” -Saxophone Journal Magazine

jessyj

“Increasing the boundaries of jazz both musically and demographically” – Jazziz

jessy-j-listen-2-the-groove-711x356

“In the jazz world Jessy J has certainly become one of the genre’s most innovative young voices.” –Celebrity Café by Maria Miaoulis

JJ_Red_Dress5818_

“True Love demonstrates that Jessy has talent, chops, and originality…projecting a sound and identity of her own” – All Music Guide

jessyjsaxblowingakiss

“The album breaks new frontiers of Jazz and Latin music.” – Hombre Magazine

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Jessy J
SATURDAY, MAY 7
Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling
PART OF: RiverJazz Festival presented by Concannon Miller

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improv comedy

Enter to win a spot in
this April’s Improv 101 class

Posted by Jon Lunger
March 14, 2016

Hello, internet user!

I’m sincerely delighted that you found your way to this page. You see, I want to turn you on to your next creative obsession and this page exists solely to help me do just that.

I want to teach you improv comedy.

There are countless reasons why you should give improv a try. Forbes Magazine, for example, published this great article about how learning improv can help you in business. Improv is also a great way to build-up some confidence, meet new people and/or work on being a better public speaker. That’s all true, but that’s not why I want to teach you improv.

I want to teach you improv because I know you’re going to have a blast doing it.

I want to teach you improv because I know you can do it and I know you can be great.

I want to teach you improv because I know you’re going to fall in love with it as an art-form.

So take that leap with me. Class starts April 4th and you can register here. We’re also giving away a spot in class to one lucky person who enters below. Don’t wait for the end of the class to enter though (if you’re picked as the winner we’ll adjust after the fact).

Official Rules: Win a Spot in “Improv 101 with Jon Lunger” Sweepstakes

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. SWEEPSTAKES OPEN ONLY TO PERMANENT LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

1. How to Enter. No purchase necessary. To enter the Sweepstakes complete the online or hard copy form by 11:59PM on Thursday, March 24, 2016. Limit one (1) entry per person. All eligible entries have an equal chance of winning. No automated entry devices and/or programs permitted. No mechanically reproduced entries, alterations, facsimiles or forged entries. All entries become the sole and exclusive property of ArtsQuest (“Sponsor”) and receipt of entries will not be acknowledged or returned. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, stolen, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, misdirected, postage due, technically corrupted or garbled entries, which will be disqualified, or for problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor.

2. Eligibility. Participation open only to permanent legal residents of the United States 18 years of age or older. Officers, directors, and employees of Sponsor, members of these persons’ immediate families (spouses, parents, children, and siblings, and their spouses regardless of where they reside), and persons living in the same households as these persons (whether or not related thereto) are not eligible to enter or win the Sweepstakes. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law.

3. Random Drawing/Odds. One (1) winner will be selected in a random drawing from all eligible entries. The drawing will take place on or about March 25, 2016. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries. By entering the Sweepstakes, entrants fully and unconditionally agree to be bound by these Official Rules, including the release and waiver of liability contained herein, and the decisions of the judges, and Sponsor, which will be final and binding in all matters relating to the Sweepstakes.

4. Prizes. One (1) grand prize (“Grand Prize”): One (1) registration fee for “Improv 101 with Jon Lunger”. Total approximate retail value (ARV) of prize package is $119. Prizes are non-transferable. No substitutions or cash redemptions. In the case of unavailability of any prize, Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize or portion thereof of equal or greater value. All federal, state and local taxes, meals, gratuities, travel upgrades, incidentals, fees, service charges, surcharges, insurance costs or other unspecified costs or expenses associated with use of the prize are the sole responsibility of winner and/or his or her travel companion. Prize may be subject to restrictions imposed by prize sponsors.

5. Notification. Winner will be notified by email on or about the week following the Drawing and will be required to sign and return, where legal, an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability/Publicity Release within seven (7) days of prize notification. If winner cannot be contacted within three (3) calendar days of first notification attempt, if any prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, if any winner rejects his/her prize, or in the event of noncompliance with these Sweepstakes Official Rules, such prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected from all remaining eligible entries. Upon prize forfeiture, no compensation will be given. Limit one winner and one prize.

6. Conditions; Waiver and Release. All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Participation in Sweepstakes and acceptance of prize constitutes winner’s acknowledgement and acceptance of the Official Rules and winner’s permission for Sponsor to use his/her name, address (city and state), likeness, photograph, picture, portrait, voice, biographical information and/or any statements made by each winner regarding the Sweepstakes or Sponsor for advertising and promotional purposes without notice or additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. Prize awarded “as is” without any representation or warranty by Sponsor. Winner assumes all risks associated with use of the prize and participation in prize-related activities. Sponsor is not responsible if any scheduled event is delayed, postponed, or canceled for any reason. Accommodations subject to availability. Winner is solely responsible for observing and abiding by prize sponsors’ rules and regulations or terms and conditions for use of prize. By participating, entrants and winner agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers and directors, from any and all liability, loss, harm, damage, injury, cost or expense whatsoever including without limitation, property damage, personal injury and/or death arising from, relating to, or which may occur in connection with, preparation for, travel, or participation in the Sweepstakes, possession, acceptance and/or use or misuse of prize, or preparation for, travel to or from, and participation in any Sweepstakes-related activity, and for any claims based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy. Each entrant hereby agrees to indemnify Sponsor against any claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including attorney fees) arising out of or resulting from and breach by entrant of these Official Rules. Entrants who do not comply with these Official Rules, or who attempt to interfere with this Sweepstakes in any way, shall be disqualified.

7. Additional Terms. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, extend or suspend this Sweepstakes should Sponsor determine, in its sole discretion, that fraud, mistake, or other causes beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes. In such case, Sponsor will select the winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds, in its sole discretion, to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes. Sponsor may prohibit an entrant from participating in the Sweepstakes or winning a prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unfair playing practices or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrants or Sponsor representatives. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. The Sweepstakes and these Official Rules will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Pennsylvania. Unless expressly prohibited by governing law, entrants agree that any and all disputes, claims or causes of action in connection with this Sweepstakes shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action. Any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual, direct out-of-pocket expenses incurred, but in no event and under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to claim or obtain indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages or any other damages other than actual, direct out-of-pocket expenses.

8. Valid email address required in order to win. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to the official sweepstakes rules and the terms of our privacy policy. You will also be registered to receive email notices from ArtsQuest. Our goal is to provide you with important, valuable and timely updates about upcoming events and promotions. We will not sell your personal information. Also, you have the opportunity to unsubscribe at any time.

9. List of Winner. To obtain the name of the winning individual, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope by March 25, 2016 to: ArtsQuest / “Improv 101 with Jon Lunger” Sweepstakes Winner, ATTN: Marketing Manager: Ben Youngerman, 25 W Third St, Bethlehem, PA 18015.

10. Sponsor. ArtsQuest

Lehigh Valley Music Awards Shine Spotlight on Neurofibromatosis

This year’s event will honor Tyden Lewis, who has battled the disease for the past seven years

tyden lewis
By Kailee Baylor

After being born with more than 30 birthmarks, one-month-old Tyden Lewis visited an ophthalmologist, who checked his eyes for markings that might be similar to those that were on his skin. There were no spots, so the doctor sent him to St. Christopher’s Hospital to see a neurologist, who agreed that everything looked as it should.

About three years later, Tyden developed what looked like a bug bite on his right earlobe, so his mother took him to the family doctor who prescribed a cream. Over time, the earlobe continued to grow. After a year of going from doctor to doctor, Tyden had an MRI that revealed he had had a tumor inside his head. He was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis.

“My whole chest felt like it had collapsed,” says his mom, Danielle Finch. “A storm of questions came coursing through my brain. ‘Where do we go from here?’”

By the following year, Tyden needed surgery to remove the tumor. His mom calls him ”an amazing child,” saying he handled it all extremely well.

“The only time he was scared was when they came to get him for the surgery and I had to leave,” Finch says. “As they took him, he screamed and cried. I turned around, balling my eyes out. It was the worst feeling in the world.”

While the surgery was a success, Tyden’s fight is far from over. As of now, this courageous 7-year old has nine tumors on his body. But despite everything, he remains a happy, loving, energetic boy who loves music and dancing. It’s for this reason that the Greater Lehigh Valley Music Association is honoring Tyden and his family at this year’s Lehigh Valley Music Awards ceremony with their annual Community Youth Award.

During the LVMAs on March 6, Tyden will share the stage with some of the area’s most popular musicians as he receives his honor. In addition, the School of Rock, Lesson Center and the Lehigh Valley Charter Arts High School for the Arts will pay tribute to Tyden, dedicating their performance of David Bowie’s song “Space Oddity “to him.

“Tyden loves music and has a very positive outlook on life despite all the adversity he has faced,” says Gloria Domina, co-coordinator of the music awards. “We’re honored that we can recognize this courageous young man while helping to shine the spotlight on NF. He truly is an inspiration to us all.”

At the music awards, Tyden and his family will also be accepting donations for the NF Network and providing information about the Great Steps 4NF Awareness Walk, organized by Danielle Finch, set for May 14 at the Bethlehem Township Community Center.

Lehigh Valley Music Awards
All Ages
Sunday, March 6
Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling

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ArtPop Helps Parkland’s Jeremy Gipson to ‘REACH’ for His Dreams

xcsjo6
By Cezanne Colvin

The ArtPop Lehigh Valley billboard competition gives you a reason to look up when you’re stuck in traffic!

Through December 2016, motorists on the Lehigh Valley’s busiest thorofares will be able to see dynamic works of art from the ArtPop winners on Adams Outdoor Advertising billboards throughout the region. Among the seven winners this year is Parkland High School senior Jeremy Gipson, whose charcoal drawing “REACH” earned him the first-ever ArtPop Scholastic winner title.

We recently caught up with Jeremy to learn more about him and his work. Here’s what he had to say:

Jeremy, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Jeremy Gipson: I love to make art and music. I’m excited to grow and become a better artist and person.

Looking at your work, it’s difficult to believe you struggle with anything artistic, but what’s the hardest thing for you to draw?

Jeremy Gipson: The hardest thing for me to draw is when I don’t know what it is I’m drawing. I draw and doodle constantly, but some days nothing stands out to me. When I focus on the techniques and placement of the lines and values, though, I find that I’m not scribbling for nothing. I play around with it like a puzzle, attempting to make it into a final piece that can be used. The more that I work, the better I get, and that’s my drive.

What was the ArtPop competition like for you?

Jeremy Gipson: It was fantastic. After I saw the proportions required for this contest, I knew I had to start something that would work with the 24’ x 6’ format. Knowing that it was a billboard contest, I wanted to make the final version contain more realism so that the driving viewer could easily interpret it.

I was so excited to win and I’m very humbled that people liked my art enough to make a massive print of it and put it on a billboard. Opportunities like this just make me want to create more.

If you could sit down with any artist and ask him or her any question, who would it be?

Jeremy Gipson: Tim Burton. I’d ask him, “What were the most important steps and events that made you the artist you are today?”

What’s next for you after you graduate from high school?

Jeremy Gipson: I want to go to college and get a job in both art and music. Hopefully, I can work within these fields and be able to feed myself and care for my friends and family.

For more information on ArtPop Lehigh Valley, please visit www.bananafactory.org/artpop. For details on the national ArtPop program, check out ArtPopStreetGallery.com.

Oscar Picks: Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas Staff

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By Ben Youngerman & the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas Staff

The Academy Awards are almost here! After all the smaller awards shows, speculation, controversies and questions, we’ll finally see who get all of those golden statues on Sunday!

Our Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas staff is hard at work preparing for the best Oscars viewing party in town: The Red Carpet Party presented by Wegmans! But they took a few momement to make their predictions on who will make Hollywood history at this year’s Academy Awards to help you win your office pool!

OUR STAFF

Ryan Hill, Programming Director
Lauren McAloon, Performing Arts Specialist
Lawrence Milano, Cinema & Comedy Assistant
Anthony DeSanctis, Cinema & Comedy Assistant

BEST PICTURE

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Will win:

– The Revenant (Anthony, Ryan, Lauren)
– Mad Max: Fury Road (Lawrence)

Should win:

– The Revenant (Ryan)
– Room (Lauren)
– Mad Max: Fury Road (Anthony & Lawrence)

Comments:

Lauren: I would like Room or Brooklyn to win; they’re both very touching films that have great acting and directing. The Revenant or Spotlight will win based on the following they’re receiving, however. Also, think about who’s voting this year…

Lawrence: George Miller’s return to the Mad Max franchise is an unforgettable, unforgiving, rollercoaster experience and that’s what cinema is and should be about: An experience. His latest post-apocalyptic installment stands out among the nominees as a unique, visually poetic, chaotic, breathtaking, and outstanding achievement in the world of filmmaking.

Best Director

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Will win:

– George Miller (Ryan & Lauren)
– Alejandro G. Inarritu (Anthony)
– Tom McCarthy (Lawrence)

Should win:

– George Miller (Anthony & Lauren)
– Lenny Abrahamson (Lawrence)
– Tom McCarthy (Ryan)

Comments:

Ryan: This category is pretty much a toss up between Miller, McCarthy, and Alejandro G. Inarritu, but I think Inarritu’s win last year, combined with his almost-cocky Golden Globes speech, will keep him off of some ballots. Miller will get this as something of a Lifetime Achievement Award, but McCarthy deserves the win. He knew exactly when to ease off the pedal on Spotlight, a film that in less-talented hands would have veered into overwrought pap.

Best Actress

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Will win:

– Brie Larson (Anthony, Ryan, Lauren)
– Saoirse Ronan (Lawrence)

Should win:

– Brie Larson (everyone)

Comments:

Anthony: Brie Larson broke my heart in this movie. One of the most powerful performances I’ve seen in years.

Ryan: Saoirse Ronan does an excellent job in Brooklyn, but the role didn’t call for the kind of emotional calisthenics Academy voters require to hand over the trophy.

Best Actor

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Will win:

– Leonardo DiCaprio (everyone)

Should win:

– Leonardo DiCaprio (Anthony, Lauren, Lawrence)
– Michael Fassbender (Ryan)

Comments:

Lawrence: DiCaprio’s performance in The Revenant was blistering and incredible. It’s also the best thing about the film.

Ryan: Do I credit Leo for all the hard work that had to have gone into his role in The Revenant? Sure. But do I ever believe Leo in a role that isn’t a smug bastard? No.

Lauren: Tom Hardy should’ve been in this category! I do think Leo should win though, just because he had to eat that raw liver.

Best Supporting Actor

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Will win:

– Sylvester Stallone (Anthony, Lauren)
– Tom Hardy (Ryan)

Should win:

– Tom Hardy (Ryan, Lauren)
– Sylvester Stallone (Anthony)

Comments:

Anthony: Stallone brings a vulnerability to Rocky Balboa that audiences haven’t seen before. How he did not win an Oscar for such classics as Over-the-Top, Cliffhanger, and Stop or My Mom will Shoot, I’ll never know.

Lauren: Tom Hardy deserves all the awards.

Best Supporting Actress

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Will win:

-Alicia Vikander (Anthony, Lauren)
-Kate Winslet (Ryan)

Should win:

– Alicia Vikander (Lauren, Ryan)
– Jennifer Jason Leigh (Anthony)

Comments:

Ryan: The toughest category to call. Vikander deserves the win for carrying The Danish Girl – a film I only liked when she was onscreen, if then – and her turn in Ex Machina. I’m having a hard time voting against Jennifer Jason Leigh, too… this one is harsh.

A FEW MORE PICKS…

2

Best Documentary Feature

Will & Should Win:

– Amy (Lawrence)

Music documentaries seem to be a favorite at the Oscars and this year should be and will not be an exception. Amy is a wake up call about the pressures of the music industry, manipulation, abuse, and addiction. This is a film that should be seen by everyone.

Best Animated Feature

Will & Should Win:

– Inside Out (Anthony)

My favorite movie of the year. It should have been nominated for Best picture. Nothing else stands a chance.

Best Original Screenplay

Will win:

– Spotlight (Anthony)

Should win:

– Ex Machina (Anthony)

Ex Machina is one of the most original and intelligent science fiction films ever written.

Best Cinematography

Will & Should Win:

– The Revenant (Ryan)

In any other year, I’d give this one to Carol. But damn, Emmanuel Lubezki, you ain’t bad at this.

The Red Carpet Party presented by Wegmans
Sunday, February 28 at 6:30 PM

Buy Tickets

GIRL SCOUT COOKIE CRUNCH: Caramel deLites® Chicken Wontons w/ Peanut Butter Sandwich® Sauce Recipe

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by Kailee Baylor

With the Girl Scout Cookie Crunch now nearly a week away, we just can’t help but get excited to taste all of the delicious culinary creations area restaurants are putting together. And new comers, including students at the Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, are bursting out of the gate with unique eats sure to satisfy your cookie cravings.

The 2nd annual Girl Scout Cookie Crunch is Sunday, February 28 at the Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling. For a taste of what participating restaurants will be preparing, try whipping up the BAVTS’ recipe for Caramel deLites® Chicken Wontons with a Peanut Butter Sandwich® Sauce, then sample theirs at the event on the 28th!

BETHLEHEM AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
CARAMEL DELITES® CHICKEN WONTONS
WITH A PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH® SAUCE

Yield: 8
Serving Size: 2 wontons

INGREDIENTS

SAUCE
Peanut Butter Sandwich® Cookies, ½ cup
Coconut Milk, 3 Tbsp
Soy sauce, 2-3 Tbsp
Fresh garlic, minced, ½ tsp
Hot Sauce, 1 tsp
Brown sugar, 1 Tbsp
Fresh lime juice, 2 Tbsp
Hot water, 1-2 Tbsp
Cilantro, minced, to taste

CHICKEN
Chicken breast, 1 pound, sliced into thin strips
Olive oil, ½ cup
Flour, seasoned, 2 cups
Eggs, 6
Green Onion, chopped, ¼ cup

WONTONS
10 wrappers

GARNISHES
Cilantro, chopped, ¼ cup
Red Onion, diced, ¼ cup
Caramel deLites®, crushed, 2 sleeves

DIRECTIONS:


Peanut stir fry sauce:
In a blender or food processor combine the Peanut Butter Sandwich® Cookies, coconut milk, soy sauce, minced garlic, hot sauce, brown sugar and lime juice. Blend or process, slowly adding hot water until desired consistency. Keep warm.

Chicken: Slice Chicken thin. Season. Take chicken, dip into flour, then into egg, then back into flour. Add oil into pan over medium heat. Toss chicken and green onions in pan and sauté until golden brown. Then bake until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Shred thinner if needed.

Wonton wrappers: Add olive oil to pan over medium high heat. Fold the wonton wrapper into a triangle but do not seal. Fry or bake until golden brown on one side, turn, and fry until golden brown on the other side.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Spread a thin coating of the peanut sauce on the inside of the fried wonton. Add the chicken and top with crushed Caramel deLites® Cookies, minced cilantro, and red onions.

Serve and enjoy!

Girl Scout Cookie Crunch
All Ages
Sunday, February 28
Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling

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