WILKES-BARRE — The Luzerne County Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame has announced its 2024 graduating class.
The Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at a gala event on Nov. 16 at the FM Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre.
The 2024 inductees in the “Arts” category are:
• Annette evans — The ultimate supporter of the arts in Luzerne County for decades. She has close ties to several local arts institutions, including Wilkes-Barre's Little Theater, and she co-founded Fine Arts Fiesta with Al Groh.
• Erica funke — Throughout his career in radio and television, he served as a voice for contemporary art in northeastern Pennsylvania. Her contributions balance the creative, journalistic, and academic. And she's interviewed countless artists along the way.
• Al glow — Co-founder of Fine Arts Fiesta (with Annette Evans) and Wilkes University's original and most active artistic voice. He founded the Wilkes University Theater Arts Program and spent the rest of his life supporting the program in various ways.
• Joan Harris — From a child prodigy, he became a theater artist and a pioneer in dance. Her many accomplishments include opening her own namesake dance studio, producing numerous television projects, and spearheading the “College for Kids” program.
• Franz Klein — A prominent expressionist painter who was at the forefront of the art movement in the 1950s. His obscure works have been exhibited around the world, and many are considered essential in the world of Abstract Expressionism.
• Herman J. mankiewicz — A witty writer who won Oscars for Citizen Kane and The Pride of the Yankees and was one of the top screenwriters of Hollywood's Golden Age. His life and work were depicted in his award-winning 2020 film Mank.
• Joseph L. mankiewicz — A legendary film director, screenwriter, and producer who has worked on masterpieces such as “A Letter to Three Wives,'' “All About Eve,'' and “Cleopatra.'' He is today hailed as one of the most successful screenwriters and directors in Hollywood history.
• herbert simon — A sculptor whose work and insight have contributed significantly to the Luzerne County art scene for more than half a century. His Two Modules (Cole Street Park) and his Facets (Wilkes University) are well known to county residents young and old.
• ted grass — A prolific and creative teacher with credits as a writer, director, producer, and actor. His unique experience in all parts of the dramatic production process has made him a sought-after talent for television, film, and stage for decades.
The 2024 Hall of Fame inductees in the “Entertainment” category are:
• abilene — A popular group that took the region by storm with their fusion of country and rock. At its peak, it attracted large audiences across genres, and from the late 70s through the 80s it became one of the most popular and important bands in local music.
• george graham — Radio personality and recording engineer whose history of supporting the arts goes back over 50 years. His long-running WVIA-FM shows “All That Jazz” and “Mixed Bag” are just two of his many contributions to the Luzerne County music scene.
• Sean Crusch — A rising vocalist whose accurate tribute to Elvis Presley has earned him admiration and admiration from fans around the world, as well as support from Elvis Presley Enterprises. His live shows celebrating the “King of Rock and Roll” are often considered the most consistent with Presley's iconic performance style.
• Rex Romane — A veteran musician who has embraced sounds from jazz, folk, and everything in between. His lyrical musings on local topics, such as the rise and fall of coal mining, have conveyed the history of northeastern Pennsylvania to a wide audience.
• jesse wade and spencer cotman — a music duo whose careers in the world of entertainment are intertwined. Lifelong friends, they were respected figures in the community and artistically united to form the “Just the Two of Us” duet, touring around the state under that moniker.
• legend of Warmland — The innovative disc jockeys who built WARM Radio into a national radio powerhouse. Their collective talent for promotional broadcasting and ear for musical talent brought cultural excitement to the region in the 1960s. The Hall of Fame inductees are Tom Woods, Harry West, Joey Shaver, Len Woloson, Don Stevens, Ron Allen, Bill Stewart, Terry McNulty, George Gilbert and Bobby Day.
• george wesley — a charismatic reggae musician whose work influenced nearly every artist in the county who followed him, regardless of genre. His distinctive style, collaboration, and prolific output made him one of Luzerne County's greatest artistic voices.
The Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame was established in 2022. The members of the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Organizing Committee are: Joe Nardone Sr., Gallery of Sound, Bill O'Boyle, Times Leader. Lindsey Griffin Boylan, President and CEO, Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce Tony Brooks, Wilkes-Barre City Council/Wilkes-Barre Preservation Society. Mayor George Brown, City of Wilkes-Barre. Alan K. Stout, Luzerne County/105 Visit the River. Jody Bush, musician/recording engineer. Beverly Jean Johnston, artist/community leader and past president of the Wyoming Valley Art League. Pittston Mayor Mike Lombardo. Morris Walker, musical performer. Memo Lara, Governor's Advisory Committee on Latino Issues. Will Beekman, ASM Global, Kathy Banks, Mets Catering.
“We are thrilled to announce the entering class of 2024,” the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame Organizing Committee said in a statement. “The Arts and Entertainment Committees have spent much time considering the works that will be honored in 2024, and we look forward to celebrating their many accomplishments later this year.”
Ticket information for the induction event to be held at the FM Kirby Center on November 16th will be announced soon. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/LCAEHOF.