NEPA Philharmonic to present ‘Planets, Moons & Star Wars’

Choirs, multimedia projections, and NASA astronaut Nicole Stott join NEPA PHIL for “Planets, Moons, & Star Wars” at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 1, anchoring a weekend of family-friendly space-themed events in Scranton at the Cultural Center, the Everhart Museum, and the Lackawanna County Children’s Library.

Following the recent success of “Jurassic Park in Concert,” the NEPA Philharmonic presents “Planets, Moons, & Star Wars” at the Scranton Cultural Center in a fully immersive multimedia experience with three space-centric works designed for audiences of all ages.

The symphonic program begins with John Williams’ iconic “Star Wars Suite,” featuring fan-favorite themes from the original trilogy of Star Wars films, followed by the world premiere of composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg’s “The Moons Choral Suite,” inspired by the science and beauty of the moons of the solar system and introduced live by NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott. The program continues with Gustav Holst’s iconic “The Planets,” a bombastic work journeying the solar system from “Mars, the Bringer of War” to “Neptune, the Mystic.”

The Marywood University Concert Choir, under the direction of Rick Hoffenberg, accompanies the Philharmonic for “The Moons,” along with multimedia projections developed by Falkenberg in conjunction with Black Cat Studios, Matrix Design, and NASA scientists and astronauts. The Choral Society of NEPA, directed by Joshua Harper, will join the Philharmonic for “The Planets,” which will be paired with stunning artistic projections by projection designer Camilla Tassi. Tickets are available at NEPAPHIL.org/tickets or by calling 570-270-4444, starting at $29 for adults and $16 for students.

NEPA PHIL and the Everhart Museum also co-present a panel discussion at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30 at the Everhart Museum, featuring Everhart curator James Lansing, composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg, projection designer Camilla Tassi, and NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott.

The discussion explores the art and science behind both the May 1 concert and the Everhart Museum’s exhibit of NASA imagery, “Hubble Space Telescope: New Views of the Universe”, on view through July 2026. The Everhart Museum will extend public hours that evening until 7 p.m. with a cash bar with wine and beer from AV Restaurant & Lounge available during the event.

On Saturday, May 2, at 10 a.m. at the Lackawanna County Children’s Library, the Philharmonic presents a free event as part of their Once Upon an Orchestra series, geared to children ages 2-6 by connecting the excitement of music and reading.

NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott will narrate astrophysicist Brian Greene’s children’s book “Icarus at the Edge of Time,” an imaginative sci-fi story about a boy journeying to the edge of a black hole, while accompanied by a group of NEPA Philharmonic musicians performing the music of Philip Glass.

Tickets for “Planets, Moons, & Star Wars” on May 1 start at $29 for adults and $16 for students, available at NEPAPHIL.org/tickets or by calling 570-270-4444. The Everhart Museum discussion on April 30 is included with the cost of admission ($10 adults, $5 students/seniors, children 12 & under free), though registration is recommended through the Everhart’s website. Once Upon an Orchestra on May 2 at the Lackawanna County Children’s Library is a free, non-ticketed event.

The NEPA Philharmonic’s 2025–2026 season is sponsored by PNC. The Symphonic Series is sponsored by the Thalenfeld Family Foundation, and “Planets, Moons, & Star Wars” is presented by the Eureka Foundation. Additional support for this performance is provided by F. Warren Breig & Carol Nelson Dembert, Paul & Adrienne Horger, and Pat Atkins.