Horror Humor: Open Stage puts the vamp in vampire with “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors”

September 29, 2025 | by McCaffrey Martone

Photo by Open Stage.

Transylvania transports to Pennsylvania in Open Stage’s upcoming production of “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.”

This is a retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic gothic tale, but with added camp, absurd humor and a drop of sexiness.

If you are looking for a night full of laughter and Halloween vibes, Open Stage, in the heart of downtown Harrisburg, is the place to be.

“This is not a traditional Dracula,” said Stuart Landon, the show’s director and Open Stage’s artistic director. “It is the same story but told with tongue firmly planted in cheek.”

You can expect physical gags, silly voices, crazy costumes, quick-changes, and if you’re into monsters, a Dracula you’ll want to sink your teeth into. To those loyal to the original, not to worry; this version is surprisingly faithful to the book, but with a lighthearted twist.

If sexy Dracula isn’t enough, maybe the bar at Open Stage with vampire-themed beverages will turn you. There will be a photo opportunity that includes a giant set of fangs, so you are encouraged to dress up to your heart’s desire. If you’re scared to go alone, take a friend along with you, just make sure they’re of a different blood type. We like options. Oops! Did I say that out loud?

Without spoiling a story that’s been around for over a century and redefined gothic horror, this version starts with a real estate agent named Jonathan Harker who meets with a particularly strange client. After a series of blood-curdling and ridiculous events, Harker and his fiancée, Lucy, enlist the help of the infamous vampire hunter, Van Helsing, and so begins their pursuit of the wicked Count Dracula. Naturally, they get into some tomfoolery and antics along the way.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” was written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen and originally opened off-Broadway in 2023. In a short time, it has made waves throughout the United States and even across the pond in London. At Open Stage, Landon is excited to bring to Harrisburg the unique ways in which his ensemble of skilled actors has added their own unique flair to the production.

This cast features only five players filling dozens of roles. “With everyone playing multiple roles, it’s impressive to see them all take on each character and give them life equally,” said Brad Barkdoll, who plays Count Dracula. “It’s so fun to watch.”

The rest of the cast includes Isaac Austin as Jonathan Harker, Joellen Terranova as Dr. Westfeldt, Jasmine Graham as Lucy and Anthony M.C. Leukus as both Mina and Van Helsing. The understudies are Luke Rider and Areanna Kroll.

The remaining production team is comprised of Stacy Reck (production stage manager) and Chris Krahulec, McCaffrey Martone and Evelyn Dorman (assistant stage managers). Lighting design is by Tristan Stasiulis, costume design by Jacob Schlenker and prop design by Becky Arney. Kalina Barret serves as technical director. Sound design is by Victoria Deiorio, with audio support from Anthony Pieruccini and Wayne Landon.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of comedy horror or just an enjoyer of fun things, be prepared for a journey through high energy and goofy entertainment that will leave you bloodthirsty for more. Your seat is awaiting you at Open Stage.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” runs from Oct. 4 to Nov. 1 at Open Stage, 25 N. Court St., Harrisburg. For tickets and more information, visit www.openstagehbg.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

At Open Stage
www.openstagehbg.com
717-232-6736

EFF Live!
Outrageous live readings of naughty fan fiction
Thursday, Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors”
A wild, fast-paced farce with fangs
Oct. 4 to Nov. 1

CASA Presents: “Almost, Maine”
A whimsical, romantic comedy in nine short plays
Oct. 16 to 19

Black NewsBeat: Trick, Treat & Truth
Real talk meets reflection and celebration
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 7 p.m.

Court Street Cabaret
An open mic-style night of Broadway and beyond
Sunday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m.

BaRPG
Drunken role-playing and chaotic quest
Thursday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.

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Flavor Oasis: New family-run business brings New York-style, Dominican eats to the neighborhood with store and food truck

September 29, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Yeni and Leo Pena

Leo Pena is what you might call a born entrepreneur.

When he was young, he helped manage his family’s many grocery stores in his home country of the Dominican Republic. Later, he ran a restaurant in New York City. These days, he hustles from sunup to sundown, serving customers at his Allison Hill store and food truck patio.

It’s hard to believe that Leo and his wife Yeni opened QuisQueya Grill & Delights, on 13th Street, near Chestnut, only six months ago. Customers already walk in and know the couple and call Leo with special, off-menu food orders.

The place is busy, and Leo has mostly handled things solo. He mans the cash register, he keeps things clean, and he works the grill, cooking everything from New York-style chopped cheese sandwiches to Dominican fried pork belly, chicharron, and his self-proclaimed “best burgers in town.”

“I make everything. I’m here every day,” he said. “I want to do it right—you know? I make sure everything’s perfect.”

While the shop has been open for months, Leo began his food truck, parked in the adjacent courtyard, on Labor Day weekend. The truck offers a fusion of cuisines from different Latin cultures in a colorful, welcoming outdoor space. Painted bottles, lights and plants hang from a pergola shading several picnic tables. Bright umbrellas suspended above the patio bring a fun flair to the space.

Leo said he has an eye for décor, and customers have noticed the attention to aesthetics.

Patrons can order breakfast, lunch and dinner inside and choose from dinner options outside at the truck. Everything is fresh and made with quality ingredients—a point that Leo stressed. The pastrami sandwich is a crowd pleaser, as well as stuffed and fried plantains and empanadas. There are seafood, soup and taco options. They even make their own juices with flavors like passionfruit, guava and mango.

“It’s hard to find something like this,” Leo said of the grocery store/food truck hybrid concept. “When people start work early, like 7 or 8, I’m open. When they finish work in the nighttime, like 11, I’m still here.”

Yeni said that people are responding well to the store, even taking pictures of the décor and spreading the word around town. Some may even hang out to play Dominican-style dominos on the game table outside.

“People come here and spend hours sitting and eating,” Yeni said. “We want them to feel happy like we’re family.”

Extra Mile

For Dominican Republic natives, QuisQueya will especially feel like home, even just from the name, which Leo said roughly translates to “beauty,” and which many natives lovingly call their country. The shop also sells many Dominican treats, like ice creams and baked goods shipped from oversees.

Harrisburg resident Arlienny Hernandez is from the Dominican Republic and has lived in New York City, just like the owners. She loves that, at QuisQueya, she can get dishes that hail from both places. The new food truck and courtyard remind her of places she went to in New York.

“The food tastes good, and it feels like home,” she said.

As business has kept growing, Yeni decided to transition from her previous job to work full time at the business with Leo. The couple is grateful that the community is excited about and supportive of the shop.

Ultimately, Leo and Yeni want QuisQueya to be a fun family spot where people can sit outside and join in on karaoke nights and let Leo know how they want their steak cooked when he’s manning the grill.

It’s a vision that he’s had since he first saw the vacant storefront and gravel lot.

“I said, ‘This is what I want. I’m going to fight for that,’” he said. “Everything you see here, it was in my plan. It’s amazing because it was a lot of work.”

That willingness to put in long hours and hard work is what can make or break a business. Leo has the passion and determination and plans to keep the momentum going with future additions and upgrades.

He believes his success is a testament to young people of the value of hard work.

“They’re surprised when they ask me, ‘Who’s store is that?’ and I say ‘mine.’ They’re thinking like, they can do it,” he said. “I say, ‘You can do that. Just focus on what you want. You gotta work hard; you gotta go the extra mile.’”

QuisQueya Grill & Delights is located at 34 S. 13th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Pick of the Patch: Have family fun while finding the perfect pumpkin—and smash, mash, but don’t trash it when the season ends

September 29, 2025 | by Gina Napoli

Photo courtesy of Gina Napoli

Picking your own pumpkin at a local patch is a childhood memory-maker, and the best kind of family scavenger hunt.

Nothing feels more like autumn to me than an afternoon field trip hunting for that perfect pumpkin, hidden among their shady peek-a-boo leaves. I remember the pumpkin patches of my childhood as an entirely wholesome experience, with farms offering hayrides, coloring pages with orange and green crayons, obstacle courses, train and tractor rides, and peep-board photo ops. A dixie cup of apple cider and popcorn in a brown lunch bag rounded out each trip.

Local pumpkin farms have upgraded this field trip since I was a kid, becoming autumn destinations offering trendy attractions. Some choice local pumpkin farms have enough activities for kids to fill an entire afternoon, and then return another day to do them again.

Mt. Airy Orchards, owned by Dan and Karen Paulus, has been operational in Dillsburg for several decades. They offer the typical farm activities kids expect to find, plus a huge jumping pillow, a mega slide and a corn maze—proof that there are other fruits and vegetables to get excited about too.

Patchwork Pumpkin Farm in Grantville also offers a host of fall activities, with many revolving around the season’s orange gourd. In addition to traditional pumpkin carving, proprietors Patrick and Kristy Mitchell set up a “de-crafting” station for smashing pumpkins. A bulk order of Patchwork’s pumpkins even appeared at a World Wrestling Entertainment event in Hershey last year. I’m not usually one to start a food fight, but smashing a pumpkin and yelling my boss’s (editor’s?) name sounds like cool stress relief.

You would think that smashing so many pumpkins, splattering and scattering seeds thither and thus, would propagate pumpkin plants for next year. But our farmers are much more intentional than that.

Although pumpkins are a 100-day crop, Patrick Mitchell assured me “the list of farm chores stretches year-round.”

To enrich the soil and help control weeds, farmers plant a cover crop during spring. You can plant pumpkins in full sun because they provide their own shade. Farmers sow seeds in the summer, continually watering, fertilizing and praying for good weather. When it’s too cold for any crops, it’s time to research new seed varieties and pest control.

So much goes into cultivating the perfect pumpkin.

Karen Paulus said, “An ideal pumpkin has good color, sturdy, has a great stem, and stands up well.”

Patrick added that one should look for a pumpkin that “feels heavy for its size, has unmarked skin, no soft spots, and has a strong, green handle, free from blemishes.”

Into the Oven

What to do with your pumpkins after your homeowner’s association sends you a nastygram to remove all gourds from your porch? Pumpkin pie is the logical answer, but I don’t quite have an heirloom family recipe I trust.

As far back as I can remember, after every Farmers Fair parade, we would drive from downtown Dillsburg to the top of my grandparents’ mountain, just to have a slice of my grandmother’s locally legendary pumpkin pie. Her “secret” recipe calls for boiling the fleshy neck of the pumpkin only, yielding filling so smooth that you would think it was pudding. Nanny always cooked from scratch, still wastes nothing, and one day I will ask her what she did with the other parts of the pumpkin.

But today, I’m throwing shade at my grandmother. My cousin Patty once caught Nanny at the grocery store the week prior to Farmers Fair, buying a stack of frozen pie crusts. Patty charged each family member 50 cents to learn this secret, and made almost $9 that day. Do I suspect Nanny’s pie filling maybe had Libby’s on the label? You bet I have trust issues.

Karen Paulus, a trustworthy surname synonymous with local farming, shares some of her favorite pumpkin recipes, like pie, cookies and cheesecake, on Mt. Airy Orchards’ website.

If you don’t feel like boiling your own pumpkin flesh to make these goodies, you can visit their bake shop. There’s even pumpkin ice cream. If you try to pass Paulus’ homemade goodies off as your own at the family potluck, I’ll keep your secret for 50 cents.

I don’t bake much. But after carving my pumpkin, I rinse, dry, season and roast the seeds on low heat. Not a secret family recipe, and not a technique worthy of Mrs. Rosemary Ruggieri Baer’s column, but still a fall family favorite.

Smashing in a different way, Kristy Mitchell has assisted guests with marriage proposals, writing, “Will you marry me?” on a pumpkin that the girlfriend just happened to find. The agritourism setting makes a Patchwork Pumpkin proposal an ideal photo op.

“I guess you could say we help to create new families,” Patrick said.

A pumpkin patch is a perfect destination to bring your own family. Pro tip… whether a pumpkin is considered a fruit or a vegetable, don’t tell your kids they’re healthy, or they’ll stay in the corn maze all day and won’t help you look for one.

Pumpkin Patchwork Farm is located at 311 S. Faith Rd., Grantville. For more information, visit www.patchworkpumpkinfarm.com.

Mt. Airy Orchards is located at 522 E. Mount Airy Rd., Dillsburg. For more information and pumpkin recipes, visit www.mtairyorchards.com/fall/pumpkin-patch.

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Adventure Together: Autumn is the perfect time to embrace change and try something new as a family

September 29, 2025 | by Natalie diSanto

View from the Front Street Susquehanna River access

Keeping in step with nature by aligning with the changing seasons, I decided to mix things up and take the family to a previously unexplored Susquehanna River access this month.

The section of Front Street between Fort Hunter and the Route 39 Junction has more to offer than a gorgeous view of the water. There are placards along the walkway that provide information about the region sponsored by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. You may be surprised to learn that Harrisburg has its own Water Gap called the Susquehanna Water Gap, and it is a registered National Landmark. You can observe the gap where the river cuts through the mountains just north of Fort Hunter Park. We were shell-shocked to learn that some common river turtles, red eared sliders, are considered invasive since their numbers skyrocketed when pet owners began releasing them into our waterways.

About halfway along the corridor is a river access located almost directly across from the Pizza Hut on Front Street. It has a fairly steep incline, so we pretended to be ducks and waddled slowly down to the rocky banks of the Susquehanna.

This river access is a perfect place for a picnic during these cool autumn days. We packed snacks from home, but if you’re looking to pick something up on the way, stop by Joe’s Kwik Stop or Two Brothers Pizza nearby. If you plan ahead, correlate your adventure with the open hours of Alvaro’s bakery on Front Street for the best cannoli in town.

In the water, we found crayfish, snails and clams. These tiny crustaceans, gastropods and bivalves are building blocks for many Susquehanna River food webs. Challenge your little to identify distinctive traits on each tiny creature they find. Some questions to ignite critical thinking are: Does this creature have a shell, and, if yes, is the shell hard or soft? Is the shell round, pointy or hinged? How does the creature move around? Is it slow or fast? What type of food does this creature eat and what type of creatures eat it? Encourage your kiddo to bring a notebook to draw their specimens and take notes.

Try to Fly

While playing in the river, we learned about ecosystem interconnectivity and the value of little creatures in a big world. Fishing is also an excellent activity to let kids see this phenomenon firsthand. Many of the fish in the Susquehanna love to feast on bugs and, since we didn’t want to hurt any of the little creatures we just found, we decided to try our hand at tying flies.

The goal of fly fishing is to trick a fish into thinking your hook is a bug. Depending on the age of your little and the equipment available to you, consider experimenting first with a “mock fly,” using a pipe cleaner instead of a hook. We opted to use a real hook but put a dab of hot glue on the sharp end so no one would get stabbed while crafting. I’m by no means a professional fly tier and admittedly thrifty, so, to create our ties, I repurposed some embroidering thread. We used the thread to create the base of our bug. If you’re interested in fly-tying with proper equipment, support your local sporting goods store where they can steer you in the right direction.

For the purposes of fun and artistic experimentation, we wrapped our fishing hooks with embroidery thread about 20 times to create a fat little bug shape. Next, my kid wanted to add buttons, which we did, rendering our hooks unsafe for fishing. Despite being unusable, the craft was fun and got my kid excited to learn and play at the crossroads of science and art, so I highly recommend it.

Treat Time

While in the mind of disguising one thing for another, Halloween and trick or treat are coming our way this month! If you’re looking for an awesome free event in the Harrisburg area to celebrate, check out the Bash at the Brownstone. Held every year on the Wednesday before trick or treating night at the Reservoir Park Brownstone, this event is quickly becoming a staple of central PA spooky festivities. The first year we went, there was a bubble machine, a costume contest, free hot dogs and crafts for kids. A different year, they had a fog machine and a magician. This year, they anticipate adding face painting as well as some other spooky surprises.

Despite the season change, October is the month when the Earth seems perfectly balanced between summer and winter. As parents, balance can be a nearly impossible goal to strike. Try to take this month to strengthen your fulcrum, clearing the scales and honoring a momentary center.

To learn more about the Bash at the Brownstone keep an eye on the www.harrisburgpa.gov/services/events.php page.

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Bien Venue: Music and stars highlight Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra’s 2025-26 season

September 29, 2025 | by Lori M. Myers

Walk into the Forum auditorium before start time for a Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra concert, and it is right then and there that the show begins.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a long-time fan, you can’t help but be in awe of this place, which is as glorious and majestic as the music that wafts out its doors. Every nook and cranny, everywhere your eye wanders, is a work of art.

“The building is comprised of eight varieties of marble from Africa, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Tennessee and Vermont,” said Matthew Herren, HSO’s executive director. “The ceiling is painted on individual canvas sections and decorated with constellations and depictions from the Zodiac. More than 1,000 stars are shown in their proper position.”

The stars are also aligned “in their proper position” on stage for HSO’s 2025-26 season, led by Music Director Stuart Malina. Herren admits he’s excited about every one of the concerts being performed at The Forum, HSO’s home for 96 years.

For instance, there is something for all musical tastes in the Masterworks Series of shows. On Nov. 8 and 9, audiences will take a 100-year orchestral odyssey, from Benjamin Britten’s “Four Sea Interludes” to Richard Strauss’ “Death and Transfiguration,” then Stacy Garrop’s “Becoming Medusa,” until the final stop with Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.”

On Jan. 10 and 11, HSO will present Zoltan Kodaly’s “Dances of Galanta,” Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Symphony #6, “Pastorale.”

The Feb. 14 and 15 concert, “Mozart and More,” opens with Mozart’s Symphony #35, “Haffner,” and concludes with Louise Farrenc’s Symphony #3. The presentation also includes a new work for four players and numerous instruments (including wine glasses!) by Viet Cuong entitled, “Re(new)al.”

On March 14 and 15, Anna Clyne’s “Masquerade” will be performed, along with the rarely heard Symphony #2, “Fantaisie Symphonique,” composed by Kurt Weill just before his escape to France during World War II. Wrapping up the March performances is Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphony #3, which the composer proclaimed was one of his best pieces.

While Herren is excited about the full slate of performances for the 2025-26 season, he admits to being particularly thrilled about what will be presented on April 18 and 19—”The Verdi Requiem.” The orchestra will be joined by The Susquehanna Chorale, The Messiah University Concert Choir and Choral Arts Society, along with soloists Othalie Graham, Sabrina Carten, Israel Lozano and Ben Wager, who will combine their talents and glorious sounds.

“‘The Verdi Requiem’ stands out to me as a beloved, timeless masterpiece,” Herren said. “It shows off everything, all on a grand operatic scale. This one is not to be missed.”

Rounding out the Masterworks Series on May 9 and 10 is Jean Sibelius’ “The Swan of Tuonela,” Bela Bartok’s “Concerto for Orchestra,” and pianist Joyce Yang playing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto #1.

Special programs, such as Musical Chairs, Check Out the Symphony, and Student Rush Tickets, offer discounts for Masterworks concerts and Youth Orchestra performances.

Opening the Capital Blue Cross POPS Series on Oct. 25 and 26 is “To Whitney with Love” where “American Idol” finalist, LaKisha Jones, celebrates the great ladies of soul, including Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston.

“LaKisha has a wonderful personal story, and this is a program packed with greatest hits by remarkable female artists,” Herren said.

Singer and pianist Paul Loren returns to HSO on Dec. 6 and 7, performing the swinging hits of Frank Sinatra in “Come Swing with Me.” Audiences will delight in some of Sinatra’s best, including the tunes “Come Fly with Me,” “My Way,” “The Best Is Yet to Come” and others.

HSO journeys to the Great White Way on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, spotlighting music from wonderful Broadway shows, including “Hamilton,” “Wicked,” “Spamalot” and others. The POPS Series then moves from stage to screen on Feb. 28 and March 1 with scores from cinema including themes from “Casablanca,” “Gone with the Wind,” “Cinema Paradiso” and more. The POPS series winds up with “The Music of Billy Joel” starring Michael Cavanaugh on April 25 and 26. Cavanaugh was the original star of “Movin’ Out,” Twyla Tharp’s Tony-Award winning Broadway show.

For those young and young at heart, HSO also offers Young Persons’ Concerts in the fall and spring, playing for about 2,000 students. The fall production will feature highlights from the November Masterworks Series. The spring production will feature Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” and includes staging by the Really Inventive Stuff theater group.

All this music, under the stars

For more information on the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, visit www.harrisburgsymphony.org.

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Musical Notes: Sounds Like Autumn

September 29, 2025 | by Skye Cadzow

As “Spooky Season” descends upon us, I’d be remiss not to mention the most seasonal of delights coming to stages near you.

Starting off the month, I highly recommend experiencing the sonic immersion that attendees are likely to feel at Michael Stearns’ Ambient Church event at Grace United Methodist Church on Oct. 4. Between the theatrical elements of the Gothic Revival sanctuary and the acoustics in that space, along with Stearns’ legendary status as a pioneer in synth music, this show is sure to be a good one. [Note: this show has been postponed.]

Mid-month would be an opportune time to enjoy Public Disco Porch’s free show at Strawberry Square Music Series on Oct. 17, especially as the York-based rock band celebrates the release of its latest album, “Agriculture.”

Rounding out the end of the month is a Psychedelic Halloween party at The Abbey Bar featuring the likes of Babel Map and Field Trip—need I say more?

YES, AND…?

10/3, WXPN Welcomes Marc Rebillet, XL Live

Marc Rebillet is a rising improvisational electronic artist whose online popularity has caused his catchy hooks to skyrocket in fame, thanks to the likes of Tik Tok and YouTube. Strong notes of funk and hip-hop color his approach to mixing in what are often humor-driven lyrics that he’s making up along the way. Make sure to pack your dancing shoes for this one.

WORTH THE DRIVE

10/17, Madi Diaz, West Art

Head east to Lancaster to see indie singer-songwriter Madi Diaz break your heart at West Art in an intimate concert, featuring works from her latest album, “Fatal Optimist,” which is set to be released on Oct. 10. Her music will appeal to fans of artists in the vein of Phoebe Bridgers or Jensen McRae. The emotional weight of her songs, like the beautiful new single “Ambivalence,” or “Feel Something,” hurt in the very best way. In fact, Diaz’s voice may be familiar to frequent WXPN listeners, as songs from her two most recent efforts, “Weird Faith” and “History of A Feeling,” have been in regular rotation over the last few years.

‘HELL OF A PICKER’

10/29, Kable House Presents Kaia Kater, Central Market York

Canadian folk songstress and banjo player Kaia Kater will join the lineup for this season of Kable House Presents shows in York. Just a few weeks ago, when I saw Lizzie No in this series, No was quick to praise Kater, calling her a “hell of a picker, as they say in Nashville.” I’d trust any musicians that No endorses after her incredible performance (though I did my due diligence and checked out Kater’s work; she’s the real deal). Don’t miss this unique show.

If your friends or favorite local band have a show coming up, or you’ve caught word of a cool gig that should be on our radar, drop me a line at [email protected].

HONORABLE MENTIONS

10/2, SFMS Presents Julie Fowlis, West Shore Theatre
10/2, Keith Urban, GIANT Center
10/4, WXPN Welcomes Oteil & Friends, XL Live
10/11, WXPN Welcomes Low Cut Connie with Le Ghast, XL Live
10/17, Future Joy Now, H*MAC
10/25, WXPN Welcomes Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers, XL Live
10/25, Cris Jacobs, The Abbey Bar
10/30, Mac Saturn, Capital City Music Hall

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

A Mystery for Our Times: “It Was Just an Accident” expertly explores the personal, the political

September 29, 2025 | by Gabriel Brown

Image Courtesy of Neon.

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi’s excellent new film follows several people in Iran who come together to try to identify a man one of them has kidnapped—someone they might share a dark past with.

“It Was Just an Accident,” winner of the Palme d’Or, the top award at Cannes Film Festival, explores what they should do with the man—if he really is who they think he is.

There are two ways to tell a mystery.

The first is to clue an audience member onto the solution of the mystery and then follow the people trying to solve it. I call this the “Columbo” structure, after the fictional TV detective played by Peter Falk. The other is to let the audience try to solve the mystery along with the characters in real time, which is a more traditional way to write a mystery, a la Sherlock Holmes.

“It Was Just an Accident” adeptly combines the best aspects of a truly challenging political and philosophical drama with the structure of a traditional mystery thriller, unveiling each character and their motivations and ethics, as well as the events that brought them together, through masterfully written and directed dialogue, performed naturalistically by an incredibly talented cast.

On a technical level, the film is extremely simple. The takes are long, and nearly the whole film is delivered with dialogue instead of action or set pieces of any kind, aside from the van where most of the story takes place.

At one point, a character refers to Samuel Beckett’s stage play, “Waiting for Godot,” which parallels the dialogue-heavy and play-like dramatic structure that the film adopts to tell its story, and the reference isn’t a cheap aside. I believe it stands side by side with the strong level of writing in “Godot.”

Two of last year’s films come to mind when I try to compare this to previous films to play at Midtown. Walter Salles’ “I’m Still Here” explored the effects of a fascist kidnapping on family life in Brazil in the 1970s, and Mohamed Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” followed a family in Iran torn apart by distrust under a fascist regime—the same regime under which “Accident” was filmed.

Panahi, like Rasoulof, has been vocal about his criticism of the Iranian government. Rasoulof escaped Iran to Germany to release “Sacred Fig,” and Panahi escaped the latest of several imprisonments in Iran to release “Accident” from France, where it is the country’s official submission for the Academy Awards’ “Best International Feature Film” this year and is a clear front-runner.

“Accident” may be set entirely in the country and political atmosphere of Iran, which has had its current theocratic government in place since 1979, but it prompted invaluable questions that I believe every American should ask themselves in 2025. Where do we draw the line between revenge and forgiveness, for ourselves and for others? And at what point does it become worthwhile, in consequences moral and physical, to fight back against fascism?

“It Was Just an Accident” opens at Midtown Cinema in October and isn’t one to miss.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com. Gabriel Brown serves as assistant manager at Midtown Cinema.

October Events
At Midtown Cinema

Potential First Run Films

“The Smashing Machine,” Oct. 3
“Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,” Oct. 24
“Bugonia,” Oct. 31
“Nouvelle Vague,” Oct. 31

Cinemaaah! Series

“Re-Animator” (1985)
Friday, Oct. 3, 9:30 p.m.

“Alien” (1979)
Saturday, Oct. 4, 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.

“Rosemary’s Baby” (1968)
Sunday, Oct. 5, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m.

“Carrie” (1976)
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 11, 9:30 p.m.

“Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom” (1975)
Sunday, Oct. 12, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m.

“Halloween” (1978)
Friday, Oct. 17, 9:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 31, 9:30 p.m.

“Night of the Living Dead” (1968)

Friday, Oct. 17, 9:45 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 24, 9:45 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 31, 9:45 p.m.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975)

Saturday, Oct. 18, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 25, 10 p.m.

“Army of Darkness” (1992)

Sunday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m.

“Shin Godzilla” (2016)

Friday, Oct. 24, 9:30 p.m.

Down in Front! Comedy Riffing

“The Incredible Melting Man” (1977)

Friday, Oct. 10, 9:30 p.m.

“Bride of the Monster” (1955)

Friday, Oct. 24, 9:30 p.m.

Halloween Family Film Series

“Hotel Transylvania” (2012)

Saturday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m.

“The Addams Family” (1991)

Saturday, Oct. 11, 12 p.m.

“The Addams Family Values” (1993)

Saturday, Oct. 18, 12 p.m.

National Theatre Live

“Frankenstein” (Jonny Lee Miller as Creature)

Sunday, Oct. 5, 5 p.m.

“Frankenstein” (Benedict Cumberbatch as Creature)

Sunday, Oct. 12, 5 p.m.

Community Events

Open Mic Night, 7 to 9 p.m.

Tuesdays, Oct. 7, Oct. 21

Trivia Night, 7:15 p.m.

Tuesdays, Oct. 14, Oct. 28

Music at the Cinema
Every Thursday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

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A Chicken in One Pot: Rosemary’s roast chicken is delicious—and easy

September 29, 2025 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Cooking, and food that is in vogue at a particular time, changes constantly.

In my early years of cooking, my favorite magazines (Food and Wine, Gourmet and Bon Appetit) touted French and Italian cooking. Those dishes remain my favorites today. Asian-influenced cuisine seemed to come next. Now, as I browse current cooking magazines, the recipes contain many ingredients I’ve never heard of or know where to obtain.

A current trend is “one pan cooking.” One pan as in “sheet pan” which, for me, is more difficult than the cooking gurus would have you believe (lots of last-minute activity going on here).

But one of my favorite Italian cookbook authors, chef and restaurant owner, Lidia Bastianich, has published a small cookbook of her favorite recipes. Many of them are her versions of the “one pan” trend. But hers are really one pot dinners (maybe Italians have been doing this for a while).

I am totally in love with Lidia’s roast chicken. I have been making it at least once a week and find I can alternate several of the ingredients with success. You can add a green salad to the meal but, with all the vegetables in this dish, it is all you need for an almost hands-off dinner. It really is “one pot!”

One of the keys to making a great roast chicken is a good, heavy casserole dish so that all the good chicken juices are retained. I have a mid-sized oval Le Creuset “Dutch oven” that is perfect. These types of roasting vessels are forgiving if your meal has spent a little extra time in the oven.

One Pan Roast Chicken

Ingredients

One whole small chicken, about 3½ to 4 pounds
A mix of root vegetables such as yellow gold potatoes, whole carrots, turnips, sweet onions, butternut squash or sweet potatoes, all peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes. (I change this up every time I make this chicken; heavy on the potatoes for me!)
Mixed chopped fresh herbs. Sometimes, I only use parsley. Add what you like or none at all. A single bay leaf adds an interesting flavor.
Good olive oil or sweet, unsalted butter. I alternate between the two but use plenty to cover the bird.
At least 2 cups of braising liquid: beer, white wine or chicken broth.
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Scrub and peel the root vegetables you have chosen. If you are using very small “new” potatoes, you can leave them whole and unpeeled. Place them all in your casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels. No need to tie up the legs and wings.
Spread olive oil or softened butter all over the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Good sea salt really amps up the flavor. Sprinkle chopped parsley or herbs, if using, over all.
Pour your chosen braising liquid all around the chicken. Two cups seems like a lot, but you need to moisten the chicken when serving. (Beer sounds odd, but it works!)
Cover the pot and place in a pre-heated, 350-degree oven. Roast for 2 to 2½ hours until the chicken is golden brown. When done, the chicken should practically fall off the bone.
Lift the chicken and vegetables onto a platter and drench them with the braising liquid. Everything should be soft and tender.

Welcome to a new favorite fall and winter dinner—great for Sunday dinner but works on weeknights too.

The French call this stew-like dish “Pot au Feu” or “pot on fire,” and the Italians, “Bollito Misto.” I think you will call it delicious.

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Happenings: Our October Calendar of Events

September 29, 2025 | by Missy Smith

Museums & Art Spaces

AACA Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100; aacamuseum.org

“Tailgate Travelers—Classic Station Wagons,” through Oct. 17

“Don Allen Chevrolet Dealership Retrospective,” through Oct. 17

“The Corvette Then and Now,” through Oct. 17

“Husqvarna—Get Your Husky On,” through Oct. 25

Art Association of Harrisburg
21 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-1432; artassocofhbg.com

“Villains, Misfits & Anti-Heroes,” fall membership exhibition, through Oct. 16

“40 Eyes,” the art of Rachel York, focusing on the depiction of light, nature and the body, often dealing with the intersection of the spiritual and material, through Oct. 17

“Stitched & Woven,” fiber art show featuring the work of Jordan Bashore, Andrea Finch and Karen Troyer, Oct. 24-Nov. 27

The Art Center School & Galleries
18 Artcraft Dr., Mechanicsburg
717-697-2072; theartcenterschoolandgalleries.com

“Observations & Intuition—Seeing Beyond the Obvious,” works by Jonathan Frazier, Paul Nagle and Julie Riker, through Oct. 2

“Watercolor Reflections,” featuring watercolor works by Yachiyo Beck and her students, Oct. 10-28; reception: Oct. 10, 5:30-7 p.m.

Arts on the Square
20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-257-1270; marketsquarechurch.org

“Along the River & Beyond—Landscapes by Jonathan Frazier and Carrie Wissler-Thomas,” through Dec. 14 (at select times)

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Artist of the month: Gail Walden Coleman

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

Featured artist of the month: Adelaide Fuhrman, “Quilts by Addie,” Oct. 1-25

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

“Under the Colors” annual fall membership show, Oct. 24-25 at Hershey Library

HAAA Member Artwork at Hershey Public Library, hallway gallery, through Oct. 23

HAAA Member Artwork at Hershey Public Library, community room, through Nov. 29

Historical Society of Dauphin County
John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion
219 S Front St., Harrisburg
717- 233-3462; dauphincountyhistory.org

Mansion Tours, Tuesdays-Friday, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Lebanon Picture Frame & Fine Art Gallery
847 Cumberland St., Lebanon
LebanonPictureFrame.com

New Oil Paintings by Robert Heilman, Oct. 3-Nov. 28; reception: Friday, Oct. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

“Metanoia,” (a profound, possibly spiritual transformation), works by Stephen Althouse, through Oct. 12

Emily Fussner and Art 205, Hand Papermaking, Oct. 3-Nov. 16; artist talk and reception: Oct. 3, 4:30 p.m.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

New works by Ann Benton Yeager, Kristin Livelsberger, Kathy Mina, Ambria Michelle, Caren Shelley, Caleb Smith and Tami Bitner, through Oct. 12

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

The Photography of Melissa Penley Cormier, through Nov. 1

Mark Muhich, “Turtles of PA,” through Dec. 27

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

11th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, through Nov. 20

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

“Game Changers—Pennsylvania Women Who Made History,” celebrating women from across PA in diverse fields, detailing their contributions and challenges they faced in their lifetimes

“Bannered Heroes—Celebrating Pennsylvania’s African American Veterans,” presented by Beta Pi Boulé, the Harrisburg chapter of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (the Boulé)

“Home Improvements—New to the Collections,” artifacts designed and marketed in the first half of the 1900s as modern conveniences

“Portraits of Identity—HAAPI Through The Lens”

“Horse2Auto: A Transportation Revolution”

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; susquehannaartmuseum.org

“Common Ground—Works by Betsy and Gerry Bannan,” oil paintings and representational drawings, through Oct. 5

“Future Fossils,” imagined relics by international artists that depict a future apocalypse, collectively offering a preserved, contemporary snapshot of present-day life, through Nov. 2

“Collage Philadelphia Presents: Tactile Shift,” featuring three collage works by Philadelphia-based artists Jason Chen, Jake Dombroski, and Florence Weisz, through Nov. 30

Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery
Lebanon Valley College
101 College Ave., Annville
717-233-8668; lvc.edu/gallery

“Viewing the Indigenous Landscape,” an exhibition exploring different artistic perspectives on the American landscape and Indigenous cultures, through Oct. 12

“Wendy Red Star—Her Dreams Are True,” through Feb. 7

The Trout Gallery
Dickinson College
240 W. High St., Carlisle
717-254-8159; troutgallery.org

“To Listen Deeply,” examines how sound is a key component for diverse works of art, through Dec. 13

Wheel of Light Studio
3738 Peters Mountain Rd., Halifax
wheeloflightstudio.com

“Walela—Wings of Nature,” photographer James Wheeler captures a hummingbird mother’s journey from a new nest to egg laying and rearing young to their final fledge, through Oct. 31

Read, Make, Learn

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

Oct. 1, 15, 22, 29: Swing Dancing Classes, 6-9 p.m.

The Art Center School & Galleries
18 Artcraft Dr., Mechanicsburg
717-697-2072; theartcenterschoolandgalleries.com

Oct. 1, 15: Watercolor Painting Step-by-Step, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Oct. 2: Supervised Glass Studio, 6-7 p.m. and/or 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Oct. 7: Supervised Lampworking Lab, 10:30-11:30 a.m. and/or 12-1 p.m.
Oct. 7, 14, 28; Nov. 4: Figure Drawing Studio (ages 18+) 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 9: Supervised Lampworking Lab, 10:30-11:30 a.m. and/or 12-1 p.m.
Oct. 9, 16, 23, 30: Introduction to Figure Drawing (ages 18+) 6-8:30 p.m.
Oct. 14: Pumpkin Needle Felting, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Oct. 14: Supervised Glass Studio, 6-7 p.m. and/or 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Oct. 15: Date Night with Glassblowing, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 16: Fire & Fungi—Flameworking Mushrooms in Glass (ages 12+ with guardian) 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 16: Halloween “Ghosties” Workshop (ages 9 – adults) 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 16: Intro to Paper-cutting Workshop, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Oct. 16, 23, 30; Nov. 6: Pottery Wheel Throwing, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 23: “Collage is Cool” workshop, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 23: Supervised Lampworking Lab, 10:30-11:30 a.m. and/or 12-1 p.m.
Oct. 23- Nov. 13: Intermediate/Advanced Pastel Painting, Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 23-Dec. 4: Pottery for All (ages 15+), Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.
Oct. 28: Supervised Lampworking Lab, 10:30-11:30 a.m. and/or 12-1 p.m.
Oct. 28-Nov. 18: Intermediate Pottery (ages 15-adult), Tuesdays, 12-3 p.m.
Oct. 30-Nov. 20: Beginning Drawing, Thursdays, 6-8 p.m.

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23: Daytime Beginning Watercolor, Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23: Beginning Oil Painting, Thursdays, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 3: Retro Remix (ages 5-12), 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Oct. 4: Cyanotype Printing, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25: Figure Drawing (ages 17-adult), 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25: Animals of All the Continents, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Oct. 11: Put Your Color Pedal to the Metal, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 11: Copper Enamel Open Studio (ages 13-adult), 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Oct. 13: Haunted CALC (ages 5-12), 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Oct. 14: Circle Sampler Statement Necklace, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 14: Storybook Studio (ages 2-5), 10:30-11:45 a.m.
Oct. 15: Experimental Mixed Media, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Oct. 15-Nov. 12: Art Club (K-2nd grades), 3:45-5 p.m.
Oct. 17: Craft Beer & Clay, 7-9 p.m.
Oct. 17-Nov. 14: Art Club (3rd-6th grades), 3:45-5 p.m.
Oct. 18: Pumpkin Party (ages 6-12), 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 18: Spooky Season Eraser Prints, 12-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 20: Third Space Craft Night, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 21: Halloween Ghosties Workshop, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21-Dec. 2: Tuesday Wheel 101, Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 24: Fused Glass Tiles, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 25: Fall Themed Encaustic Painting, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Dauphin County Library System
dcls.org

Oct. 4: Once Upon a Rainbow, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 11: Reading Rainbow at LGBT Center of Central PA, Harrisburg, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 14: Books on Tap at Rubber Soul Brewery, Hummelstown, 6-7 p.m.

East Pennsboro Library
98 S. Enola Dr., Enola
717-732-4274; eastpennsborobranch.org

Oct. 2: Story Time with Alpacas, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 7: Read to Dogs, 6-7 p.m.
Oct. 8: Family Game Night, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 9, 23: Story Time and Craft (ages 3-6), 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 14: Pumpkin Painting, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 16: Drop-In Monster Bookmarks, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21: Drop-In STEM Play, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 28: Drop-in Balloon Ghosts Crafts, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 29: BINGO for Books, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

East Shore Area Library
4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg
717-652-9380; dcls.org

Oct. 4: Figment Forge, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 4, 24: East Shore Cinema, 3 p.m.
Oct. 6: The Stitch Sitch, 2-3:30 p.m.
Oct. 25: Family History Month—Genealogy Fair, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Oct. 26: The 1619 Project—Justice, 1-4 p.m.
Oct. 28: A History of Pennsylvania Witches, 6-7 p.m.

Edward S. Finkelstein Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival

hbgjff.com

Unsung Hero double feature: “Lady in the Black Dress” and “Oz’s List”
Oct 16, 7 p.m.: Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life, 2986 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
Oct 19, 2. p.m.: Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg

Elizabethtown Public Library
10 S. Market St., Elizabethtown
717-367-7467; etownpubliclibrary.org

Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Homeschool Happening, 2-4 p.m.
Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Fiber Artists, 3-6 p.m.
Oct. 4: Knitter’s Group, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28: Card Making Group, 5-7 p.m.
Oct. 11: Fiber Artists, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Oct. 18: Book Discussion Group, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 25: Board Game Meetup, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

Oct. 8, 9, 15, 16, : Homeschool Days, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Oct. 9: PawPaw Walk, 1-2 p.m.
Oct. 9: Art Heals—Succulent Pumpkin workshop, 6-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 18: Macabre Mansion Tour, 6-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19: Fort Hunter Conservancy Fall Foliage Hike, 1-3 p.m.
Oct. 19: Fort Hunter Mansion and McAllister Cemetery Combo Tour, 1-3 p.m.
Oct. 26: Trick or Treat Trek, 2-5 p.m.

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

Oct. 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29: Children’s Story Time, 11-11:30 a.m.
Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Baby & Toddler Story Time, 10-10:30 a.m.
Oct. 2: Special Themed Storytimes (ages 3-5), 10-10:30 a.m.
Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Meditation to Calm the Mind, 12-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Fredricksen Knits, 1-4 p.m.
Oct. 3: Chess Club, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 5: Tween Escape Room, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28: Food and Farm Discovery Zone (ages 3-5), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 7, 21: Book Dragon Club, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 10: STEAM Discovery Play, 10-11 a.m.
Oct. 13: Zoology Club, 6-7 p.m.
Oct. 14, 28: Read to Dogs, 6-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 17: Peaceful Poses Yoga Storytime for Preschoolers, 10-10:45 a.m.
Oct. 26: Pokémon Club, 3-4:30 p.m.
Oct. 27: Money Smart, 4-5 p.m.

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

Oct. 10: Whimsical Fall Pumpkin, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 12: Sunflower Basket, 12:30-4:30 p.m.
Oct. 13-15: Watercolor 3-Day Workshop, 10:30-3 p.m.
Oct. 18: Halloween Mosaics, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Oct. 25: Flower Drying and Pressing, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

George & Hettie Love Memorial Library
530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg
717-234-3934; dcls.org

Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22: Zine for Teens, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Oct. 4: Otherworldly Book Club, 12-1 p.m.
Oct. 11: Knit One, Crochet Too!, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 14, 28: Coloring for Adults, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Oct. 18: Silent Book Club, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyart.org

Oct. 18: Watercolor Workshop, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Hershey Public Library
701 Cocoa Ave., Hershey
717-533-6555; hersheylibrary.org

Oct. 1: LEGO Club, 1-2 p.m.
Oct. 1, 8: Self Discovery, 2-3:30 p.m.
Oct. 1, 8, 22, 29: Community Crochet Night, 6-7 p.m.
Oct. 1-31: Spice of the Month: Cumin
Oct. 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30: Penn State Hershey Mothers & Babies, 10:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 2, 9, 16: Storytime for Everyone, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Teen Time, 2:30-4:15 p.m.
Oct. 2, 16, 30: Hershey Quilters, 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 6: Read to a Hockey Player, 4-4:45 p.m.
Oct. 6, 13: Books and Babies, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Oct. 6, 13: Storytime for Everyone, 11-11:30 a.m.
Oct. 7: Spontaneous Sparks Improv Class with Gamut Theatre, 2-3:30 p.m.
Oct. 7, 14: 1, 2, Whee!, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Oct. 11: Chess Tournament, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Oct. 18, 25: Chess Club, 1-3 p.m.
Oct. 21: Splash of Serenity—Watercolors for Relaxation, 2-3:30 p.m.
Oct. 21, 28: Silent Book Group, 10-11:30 a.m.

Historical Society of Dauphin County
John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion
219 S Front St., Harrisburg
717- 233-3462; dauphincountyhistory.org

Oct. 5: “1775, The Prequel” book lecture with Professor Richard Moss, 1 p.m.

Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education
4945 Horn Road, York
717-757-6441; hornfarmcenter.org

Oct. 3: Backyard Wildlife—Safety & Rehabilitation with Raven Ridge, 5:30-7 p.m.
Oct. 5: Teas & Trees—Early Fall Foraging Walk, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 5: Kitchen Table Art—Making Plant Prints, 1:30 p.m.-4 p.m.
Oct. 17-18: Coppice Agroforestry—Resprout Silviculture for a 22nd Century, Oct. 17, 7-9 p.m. and Oct. 18, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Oct. 26: Foraging for Roots, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Oct. 27: The Land & Peoples of the Lower Susquehanna Valley, 6-8 p.m.

Joseph T. Simpson Public Library
16 N. Walnut St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0171; simpsonlibrary.org

Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Rhyme Time, 10:15-10:35 a.m.
Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: LEGO Time, 10:15-11:15 a.m.
Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28: Tea and Stitches, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28: Storybook STEAM, 6-7 p.m.
Oct. 18-19: October Book Sale
Oct. 24: Apple Users Group for Seniors, 1-2 p.m.
Oct. 24: Dungeons & Dragons, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 25: Trivia at Home—Halloween, 6-8 p.m.

The LGBT Center of Central PA
717-409-5781; centralpalgbtcenter.org

Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Common Roads (ages 12-17), 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25: Passageways, 2 p.m.
Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26: Young Adult Group, 4 p.m.
Oct. 11: QTPOC Advisory Group, 6-8 p.m.

Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library
2410 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-232-7286; dcls.org

Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22: Coloring for Teens, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Oct. 4: Decluttering with Carolina, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 28: Coloring for Adults, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Middletown Public Library
20 N. Catherine St., Middletown
717-944-6412; middletownpubliclib.org

Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Teen Time, 4-5 p.m.
Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27: STEAM Club, 6 p.m.
Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28: Tiny Tots Storytime, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28: Wee Readers Storytime, 1-2 p.m.
Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28: Tales with T.A.I.L.S., 6-7 p.m.
Oct. 11: Family Board Game Days, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Cafe
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

Oct. 15-19: 13th Annual Harrisburg Book Festival
Oct. 15: An Evening with Nick Offerman, 7-8 p.m.
Oct. 17: An Evening with Ngozi Adichie, 7-8 p.m.
Oct. 19: American at 250—The Pursuit of Liberty, 4-5 p.m.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

Oct. 12: Acrylic Pouring Class, 1-3 p.m.
Oct. 12: Dog or Cat Night Light Fused Glass Class, 1-3 p.m.
Oct. 26: Mask Making, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

Oct. 2: Zoom Civil Conversation—Hero of Ft. Sumter, the Extraordinary Life of Robert Anderson, 7-8 p.m.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

Oct. 18: Saw-whet Owl Banding Program, 6-9 p.m.
Oct. 18: Fall Hike, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

Oct. 1: Zombie Barbies (ages 5 and older), 5-6 p.m.
Oct. 1: Piece Seekers, 6-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 1-6: Unicorns vs. Dragons LEGO Contest (ages 5 and older)
Oct. 1-31: Hallow-Read Challenge (ages 0-18)
Oct. 1-31: Harry Potter Scavenger Hunt (ages 0-12)
Oct. 2: PlayDoh Palooza (ages 2-5), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Oct. 2, 10, 17, 24: 1,2,3 Play With Me (ages 0-3), 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 2: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 4, 11, 18: Take and Makes (ages 0-12)
Oct. 6, 20: Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 9: Toddler Time (ages 2-3), 10:30-11 a.m.
Oct. 9: Murder Mystery at the Planetarium (ages 12-16), 6-7 p.m.
Oct. 11: Teen Craft Kits (ages 13-17)
Oct. 14: Shelf Love, 6-7 p.m.
Oct. 14: Tales for Tails (ages 6-12), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Oct. 15: Spooky Paint Party (ages 5 and older), 5-6 p.m.
Oct. 16: Musical Mornings (ages 2-5), 10:30-11 a.m.
Oct. 16: STEAM Scene (ages 6-12), 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Oct. 16: Teen Tarot Club (ages 12-16), 5-6 p.m.
Oct. 17, 31: Lawn Chair Cinema, 8-9:30 p.m.
Oct. 18: Storybook Parade, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 22: Wicked Party (ages 5 and older), 6-7 p.m.
Oct. 23: Movers and Groovers (ages 2-5), 10:30-11 a.m.
Oct. 25: Crafty Crafters Club, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 26: Cultural Series—“Vicki’s Angel Walk” with Mickey Minnich, 3-4 p.m.
Oct. 27: Block Party (ages 0-3), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Oct. 28: Storytime STEAM (ages 3-5), 10:30-11:15 a.m.
Oct. 29: Junior Scientists (ages 5 and older), 5-6 p.m.
Oct. 30: STEM Sort & Match with Fall Sensory Bins (ages 2-5), 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Palmyra Public Library
50 Landings Dr., Annville
717-838-1347; palmyra.lclibs.org

Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Strength & Stretching 50+, 10-11 a.m.
Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Smart Start Storytime, 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Little Explorers Early Learning Class, 1:30-2 p.m.
Oct. 6: Genealogy Group, 10-11 a.m.
Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27: Little Explorers Early Learning Classes, 10:30-11 a.m.
Oct. 13: Book Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 16: Debut Author Book Club @ Book Bar, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 27: BYO Craft Nights Adults 18+, 4:30-6:45 p.m.
Oct. 30: Gift of Conversation, 1-3 p.m.

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

Oct. 8-Nov. 12: After School Art Classes, 6-week series (grades 4-9), 4:30-6 p.m
Oct. 15: Spooky Vintage Paintings, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 21: Mosaic Candy Corn, 6-8 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

Oct. 1: Homeschool Program—Susquehanna River, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Oct. 1-31: Legends of the Night Sky, 11-11:30 a.m.
Oct. 1-31: Two Small Pieces of Glass
Oct. 1-31: We Are Aliens
Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24: Virtual Program—Archaeology, 11 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Oct. 3, 18: Storytime, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Oct. 4: Home Improvements, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25: Violent Universe, 12-12:30 p.m.
Oct. 8: One Room Schoolhouse, 11:30 a.m.
Oct. 10: Curiosity Kids—Dinosaurs, 11:30 a.m.
Oct. 16: Grist Mill, 11:30 a.m.
Oct. 18: PA’s Fossil, 1-3 p.m.
Oct. 22: Rocks in our Daily Life, 11:30 a.m.
Oct. 24: Curiosity Kids—Dinosaurs, 11:30 a.m.
Oct. 30: Fallfastic Crafts, 11:30 a.m.

Wheel of Light Studio
3738 Peters Mountain Rd., Halifax
wheeloflightstudio.com

Oct. 11: Pumpkin Platters Workshop, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Oct. 11: Candy Corn Candle Sconce Workshop, 2:30-4 p.m.
Oct. 14: Mosaic Bats with Amanda of Mosaic Montage, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 16: Mosaic Candy Corn with Amanda of Mosaic Montage, 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 24: Dirty Date Night, Gnomes, 7-9 p.m.
Oct. 25: Textured Wall Sconce Workshop, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Oct. 25: Spooky Wee Ghosties Workshop, 2-3 p.m.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; explorewildwoodpark.org

Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Wednesday Wellness Walks, 1-2:30 p.m.
Oct. 2: Bird Walk—Fall Migration at Wildwood, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Oct. 4: Eucalyptus Magic, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Oct. 11: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Oct. 18: Night at the Nature Center, 5:30-8 p.m.
Oct. 25: Penn State Extension Master Gardeners’ Hellebores—Winter’s Jewel in the Garden, 9:30-11 a.m.
Oct. 26: Tree Walk, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library
200 W. Second St., Hummelstown
717-566-0949; dcls.org

Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23: Digital Detox Book Club, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Oct. 4: Genealogy with Library Resources, 1-3 p.m.
Oct. 11: Crafternoon, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Live Music

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

Oct. 11: Amy Grant
Oct. 12: Simply Three—“Il Divo by Candlelight”

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Open Mic Night
Oct. 10: Hunter Root
Oct. 25: Cris Jacobs, The Adventures of Matte Black
Oct. 31: Doom Gong, Babel Map, Field Trip, Windowsilk

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

Oct. 3: Jazz in the City
Oct. 4: York Symphony
Oct. 11: YES
Oct. 12: Blackberry Smoke, Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Oct. 22: Tommy Emmanuel
Oct. 24: Del McCoury Band
Oct. 25: M3G

Arts on the Square
20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-257-1270; marketsquarechurch.org

Oct. 19: Margaret Woods and J.J. Penna

Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar
204 Locust St., Harrisburg
717-909-9191; carleysristorante.com

Oct. 2, 22, 23: Andrea Britton
Oct. 3, 10: Dr. Nyce
Oct. 4, 9, 18, 30, 31: Chris Emkey
Oct. 11: Roy Lefever
Oct. 15: Christine Purcell
Oct. 17, 24: Ted Ansel
Oct. 25: Anthony Haubert

Carlisle Theatre
44 West High St., Carlisle
717-258-0666; carlisletheatre.org

Oct. 4: The Weber Brothers

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

Oct. 6-7: Toby—A Tribute to Toby Keith
Oct. 20-21: The Karen Carpenter Story Tribute Concert

Englewood Hershey
1219 West End Ave., Hummelstown
717-256-9480; www.englewoodhershey.com

Oct 4: Dale Stipe
Oct 9: The Warped Band – The Official Tribute to Warped Tour
Oct 18: The April Skies, The Jellybricks and Longride
Oct 19: Live Music Brunch Buffet

H*MAC
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

Oct. 3: Dogpark
Oct. 17: Future Joy
Oct. 25: Suicide Puppets
Oct. 25: Screaming Infidelities present Hallowemo Party

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra
The Forum at 5th and Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-545-5527; harrisburgsymphony.org

Oct. 25-26: To Whitney with Love

Johnson Memorial Library
799 East Center St., Millersburg
717-692-2658; dcls.org

Oct. 21: Weekday Getaway, 4-5:30 p.m.

Keystone Concert Band
145 E. Main St., First Floor, Mechanicsburg
717-329-7541; keystoneconcertband.com

Oct. 11: Concert at Linglestown Life United Methodist

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

Oct. 16: Amy Grant
Oct. 17: Gipsy Kings
Oct. 25: Twitty & Lynn
Oct. 26: A.J. Croce

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

Oct. 17: Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion Featuring: Ringdown

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

Oct. 4: Messiah University Symphony Orchestra Family Concert and Instrument Petting Zoo
Oct. 4: Messiah University Concert Choir & Alumni Reunion Concert
Oct. 4: Messiah University Jazz Ensembles
Oct. 10: Project Trio

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

Oct. 11: Ensemble du Bout du Monde

Pine Street Presbyterian Church
310 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-238-9304; pinestreet.org

Oct. 26: Jacques Forestier and Yoni Levyatov

Stock’s on 2nd
211 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg
717-233-6699; stocksonsecond.com

Oct 3: Mark Santanna

Susquehanna Folk Music Society
717-745-6577; sfmsfolk.org

Oct. 2: Julie Fowlis and Seasons at West Shore Theatre
Oct. 9: Cécilia
Oct. 18: Fall Coffee House

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

Oct. 3: Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez Trio
Oct. 24: DANDY, Cordi & the Light

West Shore Theatre
317 Bridge St, New Cumberland
717-759-5464; www.westshoretheatre.org

Oct. 2: Julie Fowlis and Seasons, presented by Susquehanna Folk Music Society
Oct. 4: High Noon—A Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Southern Rock
Oct. 11: A Farewell to Kings—A Tribute to Rush
Oct. 12: The Rat Pack Together Again with Tony Sands
Oct. 18: Nicks in Time—Stevie Nicks Tribute
Oct. 19: Sempre Dolce
Oct. 25: Crystal Ship—A Tribute to The Doors
Oct. 26: Forever George and Tammy—Alyssa & Wayne Brewer’s tribute to George Jones and Tammy Wynette

XL Live
801 S. 10th St., Harrisburg
717-409-8975; xlhbg.com

Oct. 1: The Floozies + Dirtwire, Honeycomb
Oct. 2: Greensky Bluegrass
Oct. 3: Marc Rebillet
Oct. 4: Oteil & Friends
Oct. 5: Geoff Tate, Fire and Water
Oct. 8: Leftover Salmon, Sicard Hollow
Oct. 9: Reprise recreating an iconic Phish show
Oct. 10: The Four Horsemen
Oct. 11: Low Cut Connie, Le Ghost
Oct. 22: HIRIE, Signal Fire, Mr. Mota
Oct. 23: Here Come The Mummies
Oct. 25: Tommy Conwell and The Young Rumblers
Oct. 30: The Iron Maidens
Oct. 31: !Dead! My Chemical Romance Tribute

The Stage Door

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

Oct. 1: David Sedaris
Oct. 3: Masters of Illusion
Oct. 9: The Price is Right Live!
Oct. 10: Whose Live Anyway?
Oct. 16: John Crist

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

Oct. 5: The Vampire Circus
Oct. 9: The Outlet—Music & Poetry Open Mic
Oct. 9: Yakov Smirnoff & Mark Gungor

The Belmont Theatre
27 S. Belmont St., York
717-854-3894; thebelmont.org

Oct. 10-19: “The Shawshank Redemption”

Carlisle Theatre
44 West High St., Carlisle
717-258-0666; carlisletheatre.org

Oct. 15-19: “Dracula”

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

Oct. 1-Nov. 1: “A Chorus Line”

Gamut Theatre Group
15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamuttheatre.org

Oct. 4: Popcorn Hat Players present “Little Red Riding Hood”
Oct. 4-19: “The Revolutionists”
Oct. 24: TMI Improv
Oct. 29-Nov. 15: Popcorn Hat Players present “The Frog Prince”

Gretna Theatre
Mt. Gretna Playhouse
200 Pennsylvania Ave., Mount Gretna
717-964-3627; gretnatheatre.org

Oct. 9-18: “Whispers in The Dark”

Harrisburg Comedy Zone
110 Limekiln Rd., New Cumberland
717-920-5653; harrisburgcomedyzone.com

Oct. 3, 4: Corey Alexander and Justin Lamar
Oct. 10, 11: Philly Plowden and Ben Jones
Oct. 17, 18: Larry XL and Jared Stern
Oct. 24, 25: Jake Klark and Von Mychael
Oct. 31, Nov. 1: Mike Speenberg and JD Colwell

H*MAC
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Poetry Night at H*MAC

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

Oct. 3: Level 3 Class Graduation Show, Goose Parade, Bondfire Society, Barn Bitches
Oct. 4: Free Improv Mixer, Solo Sleepover, Lil’ Stinkers, Ham Juice
Oct. 5: Level 3 Class Graduation Show
Oct. 10: Team Z, Girl’s Trip, Left Unsupervised, Tater Tot Dish, Spice Drones, Neighborhood Gossip
Oct. 11: Uncomfortable, Awkward Timing, Uncomfortable, Rockstar, Rockstar Karaoke
Oct. 17: Level 2 Class Graduation Show, Goose Parade, LoS CoMpLiCaDoS, Offbeats, The Real Fast Coast Wives of Central PA, Wrastlin’
Oct. 18: Spiced Ham, Original 6, The Next Leaver, Unshushed Sisters, Barbra, Blackest Thing Ever
Oct. 19: Level 2 Class Graduation Show
Oct. 24: Left Unsupervised, Tater Tot Dish, What? Hell Yeah! What?!, Ass I the Assshow
Oct. 25: Introduce a Self, Homie-Sexual, All Over the Place, Elderprov, Cosmic Trash, Big Business LLC
Oct. 26: Level 1 Class Graduation Show

Hershey Area Playhouse
830 Cherry Dr., Hershey
717-533-8525; hersheyareaplayhouse.com

Oct. 16-26: “Ghost The Musical”

Keystone Theatrics
The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; www.keystonetheatrics.com

Oct. 10-26: “Shear Madness”

Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg
915 S. York St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0535; ltmpa.com

Oct. 11-27: “Dial M for Murder”

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

Oct. 7: “A Taste of Ireland”
Oct. 11: Anjelah Johnson-Reyes
Oct. 28: “Swan Lake” by International Ballet Stars

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

Oct. 3-4: “Eisenhower—This Piece of Ground”
Oct. 30-Nov. 2: “Little Women The Musical”

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

Oct. 2-12: “Nunsense”

Open Stage
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

Oct. 4-Nov. 1: “Dracula—A Comedy of Terrors”

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

Oct. 11: Manual Cinema’s “The Magic City”

Whitaker Center
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

Oct. 3: “Taste of Ireland”

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Introducing: 1st Defense™ Checking1 —Security, Savings, Perks from Members 1st

September 29, 2025 | by Member's 1st Federal Credit Union

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