By Alicia Grega and Tom Graham
january
“Tom Waits has that great line about how you leave one town and go to the next and there’s a Frosty Freeze just like there was in the town you left. I guess that’s where a lot of my stories come from” — playwright Matthew Hinton at a rehearsal for his play Quiet Cowboy, which saw its world premier run at The Mellow Theatre in Scranton Jan. 6-9 in the hands of Gaslight Theatre Company.
Honesdale native Josh Fox receives an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary for his film Gasland. Jan 10-11.
The F.B.I. and local police arrest around 125 suspected mobsters among seven families in New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island on Jan. 20. Charges include murder, racketeering and extortion.
MTV’s Jersey Shore announces it will shoot its fourth season in Italy on Jan. 25.
“I was once told that females cannot be funny, that it’s very hard for a female to be funny. I was told that I wasn’t funny, either, in that same conversation. Now I’m just trying to be like, ‘Haha!’ I think I’m pretty funny.” — Lindsay Barrasse, Up Close & Personal, Jan. 27
february
The Sydney Peace Foundation of the University of Sydney annouces Julian Assange has been awarded the Sydney Peace Foundation gold medal for his “exceptional courage and initiative in pursuit of human rights” on Feb. 2.
The Green Bay Packers take the championship after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31–25 in the most-watched television broadcast ever on Feb. 6. Christina Aguilera flubs a line in the national anthem at the start of the Super Bowl after “getting lost in the moment” and losing her place.
“Sounds like things can get pretty hard trying to get men and women together,” former ec and dc editor Randy Shemanski to Cupid, the Roman God of Love in Up Close & Personal, Feb. 10.
Broadway Theatre League brings the Blue Man Group theatircal tour to the Scranton Cultural Center Feb. 11-13.
“That’s what she said.” -Cupid. Feb. 14
A satellite gallery opens under the auspices of Laura Craig on first floor of Connell Building in conjunction with First Friday Scranton, introducing the Independent Arists Collective to a wide audience. The IAC will later confuse and annoy many city residents with its protest exhibition on August’s First Friday Scranton after it is asked to vacate the pop-up gallery.
The Calvacade of Jazz concert is presented Feb. 25 at Downtown Arts in Wilkes-Barre in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the first recorded Jazz Festival in America, held February 23, 1951 at Hotel Redington & Hotel Hart in Wilkes-Barre.
“I remember when this stage was built and it felt like beyond Broadway to me. …To this day I wish I could open my plays here. I love this school and I love my hometown.” — nationally acclaimed playwright and Scranton native Stephen Karam at a rehearsal for The University of Scranton Players production of his play Speech and Debate which opened at The Royal Theatre in the McDade Center for the Literary and Performing Arts on Feb. 25.
A seemingly intoxicated James Franco decides to live tweet from on stage and behind the scenes at the Academy Awards on Feb. 27.
march
Rebecca Marshall Ferris documentary Miller’s Tale debuts on WVIA on March 2. “You know, my Dad wrote this play to get us out of poverty. What it became, in his own words, was beyond his wildest dreams. But he was never able to escape the glory, not unlike these five characters. Their struggle became his own. Now our own.” — Jason Patric in The New York Times on Feb. 3 in advance of the star-studded Broadway revival of Jason Miller’s That Championship Season that opened on March 6 after several weeks of previews.
Charlie Sheen fired from CBS’s Two and a Half Men on March 7.
“If you don’t change as an artist, you kind of get stale and stagnant,” painter Georgiana Cray Bart in advance of The Luzerne County Women in Pastel Invitational Exhibition, which opened March 13 at Misericordia University’s Pauly Friedman Art Gallery.
Times-Shamrock Regional Director of Marketing Tim Holmes guests directs the Northeastern Pennsylvanua Philharmonic along with Marvin Hamlisch at the Scranton Cultural Center on March 26.
“If you don’t change as an artist, you kind of get stale and stagnant,” painter Georgiana Cray Bart in advance of The Luzerne County Women in Pastel Invitational Exhibition, which opened March 13 at Misericordia University’s Pauly Friedman Art Gallery.
Times-Shamrock Regional Director of Marketing Tim Holmes guests directs the Northeastern Pennsylvanua Philharmonic along with Marvin Hamlisch at the Scranton Cultural Center on March 26.
april
Anthology New and Used Books of downtown Scranton closes for renovations on April 3.
First Friday Art Auction mystery video depicting (faux) vandalization of Scranton landmarks hits YouTube. Will eventually be traced to 25/8 Productions.
In an effort to end an escalating controversy, President Obama releases his long-form birth certificate. The birth certificate from 1961 proves that he was born at Kapiolani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu. April 27
Steve Carell’s final episode of The Office airs April 28 on NBC.
Panked! dance party celebrates its fourth birthday at The Bog on April 28.
The April 28 Royal Wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine “Kate” Middleton in London dominates American TV and newspapers.
may
Osama Bin Laden is reported killed on May. 1.
David Zarko resigns as producing artistic director of Electric Theatre Company on May 2.
Scranton Cultural Center exectuive director Matthew Flynn dies at age 57 on May 4 following a long illness.
Pages and Places at Anthology Books celebrates a grand re-opening on May 6.
Outrageous opens in downtown Wilkes-Barre on May 20 after closing its shops in Shavertown and Scranton.
Belly Dancer Diana Shahein of Beledi Dance Theatre in Scranton dies on May 20.
“You and this show have been the great love of my life.” — a tearful Oprah Winfrey says goodbye on May 25.
june
A 14-year-old Abington Heights Middle School student, Sukanya Roy, wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee June 3.
The first Scranton Zine Fest is held on June 11.
Riverfest celebration was held at Wilkes-Barre’s Nesbitt Park and River Common. June 18, 19 and 20. The festivities included dragon boat racing for the first time.
Former Lackawanna County Commissioner Robert C. Cordaro is found guilty on 18 of 33 charges, including bribery, extortion, money laundering, racketeering and several counts of conspiracy on June 22. Commissioner A.J. Munchak is found guilty on eight of 21 counts.
New York legalizes same-sex marriage on June 24.
“Creativity is mankind’s default state.” — artist Michael Hardesty at the Wayne County Arts Alliance opening gala for Arts on the Edge at the recently renovated Hawley Silk Mill on June 25.
The Everhart Museum launches what proves to be a successul kickstarter.com campaign on June 27 to raise funds for Terra Temporalis, a temporary art installation presented as part of its Blooms, Buds, and Berries exhibition.
july
Scranton sees its first known flash mob on July 1, Staged by the non-profit Marley’s Mission it features a dozen young women in white t-shirts and jeans dancing to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” (youtu.be/r8iXGp7MUNA)
The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic moves its annual Independence Day concert with fireworks to Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton on July 3.
Casey Anthony is found not guilty of murder on July 5.
Cinemark other local theaters see fans lined up for the final Harry Potter film, which opened at midnight on July 14. $25 million was earned nationally.
“The only thing I can draw is a gun,” Scranton Police Chief Dan Duffy at a press conference for Drawcore Skate Park Mural held July 15-17 at Jackson Street Park in West Scranton.
“Bookstores are gathering places. They are community,” former The Fine Print columnist Andrea Talarico on July 21 following the annoucement that Borders Books and Music stores nationwide would close.
Troubled singer Amy Winehouse dies. July 23. Three months later the corner finally cites alcohol as the culprit, ruling “death by misadventure.”
“There’s really an encampment, this group of artists, that are just entrenched here, and they’re really trying to change it from the inside out. And I think it’s working.” — poet Amye Archer in Up Close & Personal on July 28 in advance of the second editon of Prose in Pubs.
Scranton’s first Punk Rock Flea Market is presented by WFTE 90.3 FM on July 30.
august
The Citizens’ Voice reports on Breaking Benjamin infighting on Aug. 2. The Associated Press picks up the story, propelling it onto news and entertainment websites across the world.
Downtown Scranton’s only professional, resident theatre company —- Electric Theatre Company — annouces its dissolution on Aug. 5.
The 3rd Annual Raising the Rooftop party to benefit the Osterhout Free Library North Branch was held. Aug. 12
Kim Kardashian, 31, and Kris Humphries, 26, marry. Seventy-two days later, Kardashian and Humphries split. Aug. 20
Scranton shook by 5.8 earthquake originating three miles below sea level just outside Mineral, Va., on Aug. 23
NASA Shuttle Program oficially ends Aug. 31
september
Cities along the Susquehanna River are flooded in the wake of Tropical Storm Lee on Sept. 8 through the weekend.
The Steamtown Original Music Showcase presents almost 50 bands in seven downtown Scranton venues in one day on Sept. 4.
“I have a mantra for myself, which is that I should make more than I consume,” artist and author Noah Scalin in advance of his appearance at the Lackawanna County Arts & Culture Department’s Wake Up with the Arts Breakfast on Sept. 16.
The inaugural Oktoberfest is held at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Sept 16-18.
“We will all get to dance around the burn. We will all have rainbows.” -John Bromberg on Mudball Festival 2011, Sept. 18
“Not all of my performers have danced before, and I kind of like that. I like having this ball of clay to just be like “this is how you do it, the Ellen Doyle way!” (Evil Laugh). -UpClose & Personal with Ellen Doyle, Sept. 18
“I believe (music) really is healing — one note at a time,” Classical Guitar Society president Jay Stevesky, Sept. 22.
The Inaugural Jason Miller Playwrights’ Project Invitational, Dyonisia ‘11, presents nine, new short plays by regional playwrights at The Olde Brick Theatre in Scranton Sept. 22-25.
Killer Michael Simonson briefly escapes Lackawanna County Prison Sept. 28.
Scranton Reads celebrates its 10 year anniversary on Sept. 30 with birthday cake and free copies of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.
october
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies Oct. 5
The Scranton Cultural Center launches its Listen Local series launches on Oct. 7.
Occupy Scranton official encampment begins Oct. 15.
MacArthur “Genius” Award-winning playwright Sarah Ruhl, twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, speaks at the University of Scranton non Oct. 21.
The first of what is expected to be an annual Celtic Samhain Bonfire & Harvest Fest is held at the historic Scranton Iron Furnaces on Oct. 21.
A Halloween Storm dumps almost a foot of snow across the region on Oct. 29.
Colosseum Nightclub and Lounge closes after equipment is removed with no notice on Oct. 31.
november
Dorothy Howell Rodham dies at age 92 on Nov. 1
POSH at The Scranton Club opens for lunch on Nov. 1.
Justin Bieber agrees to take a paternity test after Mariah Yeater claims her 3-month-old child is his. A short time later, Yeater drops her suit. Nov. 21.
Regis Philbin hosts his final show after 17,000 hours on television on Nov. 18.
President Barack Obama speaks for 15 minutes at Scranton High School on Nov. 30. Traffic is backed up across the city for hours.
december
Poet Jennifer Diskin of Scranton dies at age 38 on Dec. 11, following a long battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“We want to come across as 13-year-old girls who are just discovering Christmas for the first time, eevery year, over and over again.” Timothy McDermott describing his Christmas project The Push, Up Close & Personal, Dec. 15.
The last convoy of American troops drove into Kuwait on Sunday morning, punctuating the end of the nearly nine-year war in Iraq. Dec 18.
Occupy Scranton is threatened with evacuation.
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