Did you know that April is the Month of the Young Child? This time is dedicated to focus on the needs of young children and their families.

An organization in Tunkhannock, Wyoming County H.A.N.D.S., does a great job of this throughout the year and in April for several years, the Dietrich Theater has teamed up with them to bring Tom Knight Puppet Shows to our community. If your little ones have never seen Tom Knight and his puppets perform, I highly recommend it. He will be at the Dietrich at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 14 for a public performance that includes songs and skits about the library, recycling, a magician, the solar system and more.

Admission is free and tickets are available by calling 570-996-1500 or at the door while they last. We would like to thank the Tunkhannock Junior Women’s Club and Toni Hockman for underwriting this yearly event.

The Month of the Young Child festivities will continue at the Dietrich at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 16 with a musical event for the entire family: Meet the Orchestra. Local musicians Abi and Timothy Zieger and some of their musical friends invite you and your family and friends to explore many orchestral instruments. Learn how these instruments are played, what kind of sounds they make and hear them work together. We also invite you to get up close to the instruments and maybe give them a try yourself.

Admission to Meet the Orchestra is free and we would like to thank a friend of the Dietrich for sponsoring the event.

Meet the Orchestra presenter Abi Zieger will also be starting a Music for Littles Series for children ages 3-5 years old and their parents, grandparents and caregivers from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. on Tuesdays, May 3 through 31. In Music for Littles, participants will be able to explore basic musical elements through song, movement and play. These classes are a great way to foster your child’s natural musicality in a fun and relaxed way.

Admission is free thanks to the support of the Tunkhannock Rotary Club. To register, call the theater.

In addition to free events for children this month, the Dietrich will host its Open Mic Night for all ages at 7 p.m. Friday, April 22. We encourage performers of all types – poets, storytellers, musicians and comedians – to take the Dietrich stage and share their talents. After the open mic portion of the evening, local actors Rich Ryczak and Owen Frazier will take the stage to entertain with some comic examples of Old Time Radio. Doors open for Open Mic Night at 6:30 p.m. and admission is free.

The Dietrich’s Spring Film Festival, which will run through April 21, is in full swing. There are so many acclaimed films to see. I can’t wait to see “The Big Short,” “Spotlight,” “Brooklyn,” “The Lady in the Van,” “Janis: Little Girl Blue,” “The Danish Girl,” “Carol,” “No Place on Earth” and so many more.

For a full list of all the theater’s festival films and showtimes, visit dietrichtheater.com.

And remember to join us at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 for a special film event, “No Place on Earth.” One of the filmmakers and cave explore Chris Nicola will be there to introduce the film and he will stay for a Q & A following its showing. Admission is $8.50 for the event and there will be a reception of light refreshments and cake after the Q & A, since April 13 is the 15 year anniversary of when the Dietrich Theater reopened in 2001.

As you can see, the Dietrich is so much more than the movies!

More Than Movies

Erica Rogler

Reach the Abington Journal newsroom at 570-587-1148 or news@s24528.p831.sites.pressdns.com.