Honoring Arts Giants Annette Evans and Al Groh

Honoring Arts Giants Annette Evans and Al Groh

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When the Luzerne County Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame announced its inductees for the class of 2024, the list included two names with a long legacy at Wilkes University - Annette Evans and Al Groh. Both Evans and Groh made an impact on the Wilkes campus and in the surrounding community, founding the Fine Arts Fiesta and enhancing the cultural landscape of northeastern Pennsylvania.

Evans and Groh will be inducted into the Luzerne County Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 8, at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. Read on to find out more about how they inspired and supported the creative spirit in our region.

Annette Evans (1893-1969)

Annette Evans was born in Wilkes-Barre to Marion Wells and Clark Wright Evans. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College. After graduation, Evans joined the Jitney Players and toured the United States with the theatre troupe before returning to her hometown in the 1920s. Her interest in theatre continued and she co-founded the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, one of the oldest continuously operating community theatres in the country. Evans wrote, directed and produced plays, also sharing her talents as a freelance newspaper writer and publicist for local charitable organizations.

Evans served in the Wyoming Valley Motor Corps of the American Red Cross during World War I and the Civilian Defense program during World War II. Her service touched many areas of the community, but she had a particular fondness for the arts. Evans wrote a biography of famed Wilkes-Barre painter George Catlin and was responsible for bringing some of his paintings from the Smithsonian Institution to display in Wilkes-Barre. She was the director of the Pocono Arts Center and the Wyoming Valley Philharmonic Society and also served as president of the Community Concert Association.

As a founding member of the Fine Arts Fiesta in 1956, Evans's arts legacy continues to this day with the annual celebration on Public Square each spring. Here on campus, Evans served on the Board of Trustees. The Annette Evans Alumni House, the tudor-style building on River Street, served as the home of the first president of Wilkes, Eugene S. Farley, and honors Evans's commitment to Wilkes.

Alfred "Al" Groh (1921-2013)

Alfred "Al" Groh, son of Jacob and Ethel Groh, was born and raised in the Wyoming Valley. He graduated from Bucknell University Junior College, which would later become Wilkes University. Groh continued his education at Syracuse University before serving as an Army Air Force gunner in World War II. After flying 50 aerial combat missions over Europe and earning the Certificate of Valor, Groh returned to northeastern Pennsylvania to follow his artistic calling.

Groh founded Wilkes University's theatre arts program in the 1940s, staging productions in the Chase Hall garage that existed when campus was still Bucknell University Junior College. He brought plays and musicals to the stage for five decades and was a driving force behind the current theatre facility, securing millions of dollars from Dorothy Dickson Darte to build the Center for the Performing Arts. He also worked closely with President Farley to create the college's initial mission and vision statements. He was married to Jane Lampe Groh, the former dean of students at Wilkes.

As a founder of the Wilkes Summer Theatre Workshops, Groh provided high school students with a chance to discover theatre and develop their skills. He also directed the Wilkes Concert and Lecture Series, bringing talented performers to local audiences. In addition, Groh enjoyed writing and sharing poetry, often touting the healing power of the arts in his work. Along with Evans, Groh was a founder of the Fine Arts Fiesta, the oldest free, full-scale arts festival in Pennsylvania.

The significant contributions to the arts by Evans and Groh set the stage for arts to flourish in northeastern Pennsylvania and built a foundation for more recent initiatives like SOMA, the South Main Street arts district, surrounded by South, Franklin, Northampton and Washington Streets. Mike Wood, special assistant to the president at Wilkes University, noted the contributions of Wilkes and partners like Building Blocks in bringing SOMA to life with the positioning of the Sordoni Art Gallery and the plaza at 116 South Main Street, as well the family block party sponsored by Building Blocks in the spring. "It's helped that block of South Main Street thrive," he said.

Now, the Luzerne County Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame induction ceremony will provide an opportunity to honor Evans and Groh while also reflecting on the University's contribution to the arts in the area. "Since they're so integral to our community, it's an opportunity to celebrate the University's Involvement in the arts community and the community as a whole," said Wood. "We need to embrace the moment."

There's still time to join in the celebration honoring Evans, Groh and 14 other artists selected for this year's class of the Luzerne County Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 8, at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the show begins at 6 p.m. The evening will feature the awards ceremony and performances. Tickets are $60. For more information, go to the F.M. Kirby Center box office webpage or the Facebook page for the Hall of Fame.