It's been an eventful year at the Barrow-Civic Theatre with a busy schedule of plays, musicals and special acts. 

To honor the standout performances from community members, the theater has created the Barry Awards.

Not named after anyone named Barry, rather it's a fun play on the Barrow. This is the first of what the organizers are hoping becomes a yearly event.

Similar to the Emmys and Oscars there are multiple categories with nominees picked by a committee.
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​The categories include Lead Actor and Actress for both plays and musicals, Featured Performers in plays and musicals, Youth Lead Actor and Actress in a Musical, Best Play, Best Musical, Best Youth Musical, Best Costume Design, Best Choreography, Best Director for both plays and musicals, Best Music Direction and Best Musical Ensemble. (See graphics for the list of nominees.)

The winners will be determined by a voting committee of audience members who attended all the shows nominated based on box office ticket records kept by the theater.

The awards will be announced during a Red Carpet & Black Tie fundraiser at 7 p.m. on January 17, 2026 at the theatre.

​August Babington will serve as the host for the event, which will also include performances and a sneak peek at next year's schedule.

​Tickets are $30 and on sale now. 

We aren't on the voting committee, but we were lucky to take in all the shows. Well except "Who's Holiday", which is on our list for next month. 

So many memorable moments and performances that we could mention, but don't want to influence any judges decisions.
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So if seeing this awards announcement has got you feeling reminiscen and you're looking for a remindert, we've got you covered.

Below are links to our coverage of all the 2025 shows, listed in the order in which they were performed throughout the year.

​And if you are struggling to think about a certain show, there are tons of photos to help you remember and relive the great performances and productions.

​Enjoy!

Cindy Lou Who is all grown up, a little rough around the edges, and ready to spill the eggnog-soaked tea about what really went down after that fateful Christmas with the Grinch.

Equal parts festive and wildly fun. Who's Holiday is the twisted adult comedy you never knew you needed - where holiday cheer comes with a dash of sass, a splash of booze and a lot of heart.

​Shows will be at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 11, 12 and 13; and at 2 p.m. on Dec. 13 and 14. Some performances will be in the Little Theatre and others on the Main Stage. 

Tickets on sale now. 

For the next month and a half motorists rounding the corner from 13th Street to head through the heart of Franklin's downtown along Liberty Street will be surrounded by the lights and colors of the holiday season. 

Franklin lit itself up in grand fashion once again with several activities for kids including a holiday flavored nighttime parade followed by a no holds barred fireworks display that commenced shortly after the town's Christmas tree was electrified to the sounds of ooh and ahh.

Each year it is a spectacle unique to this little town that draws thousand to the downtown streets to experience the shared spirit of community as they kick off the holiday season.

Tonight and tomorrow night treat yourself to a little early holiday cheer while supporting young talent at the Franklin Area High School's performance of the Irving Berlin classic "White Christmas.

​The show starts at 7 p.m. and features students from both Rocky Grove and Franklin, as well as an older FHS member playing a general with a shot up leg

What does your costume of choice say about you at Halloween?

I'm  going to reveal something that might shock people who know me as a creative sort. When it comes to Halloween I suck at being creative. 

Maybe because I ended up in the emergency room getting my stomach pumped as a wee lad after eating something we weren't exactly sure why it made me so sick, but I just never quite figured out how to get into the dressing up vibe.

​I guess those that know me and see how much effort I put into my everyday wardrobe might say my lack of attention to dressing up for anything jives.

But it is fun, as a photo journalist, to see how people represent themselves. With kids it gives you insight into what they are into at the moment. Whatever Disney film is current usually dictates quite a bit of attention.

Kids YouTube shows also dominate.

T-Rex blow up costumes are fun to watch as the wearer tries navigate simple things like walking or grabbing candy from a bowl held by Dracula while threatening to bite the Lord Prince of Darkness' head off (see above photo.)

And Dracula is fun from the comical representations to the pretty darn realistic. Again, perhaps revealing of character traits, at least in terms of the ability of committing to a charactor.

​From sexy to scary, whimsical to odd, well thought out to tossed together, we tell something about ourselves in how we decide to dress up.

For me, after my ill-attempted hobo where I still had charcoal on my cheeks as the ER doc shoved a tube passed my tonsils making me want to die even more than whatever evil was churning in my belly, but I just haven't found my personality in dress up beyond just remembering to wear pants.

My two costumes of note were my "guy with a stick" that I picked up in the yard after realizing I totally forgot it was a costume party and the time I cut the rear end out of a pair of jeans and told everyone I was Prince  at the Grammy's. (not convincing but my hairy derrière did become a popular photo op among my photographer friends that night.}

So I guess even my ill-attempts were still quite personality revealing?

I'm amazed at how people really go all out decorating their yards and businesses and have so much fun doing so. The bigger the decorating scheme the more visitors and therefor more money spent on candy.
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And I love how many communities create dozens of activities for families to come out and engage with one another. It is curious to witness the numbers of people and sheer support folks have in sharing simple things like sweets with one another just for the smiles they receive in return.

​Many organizations spend hundreds of dollars to give families a little community fun several times throughout the season.

Without jumping high up on a soap box and getting called all levels of hypocritical, it's disheartening getting on social media to read those comments by people complaining about this or that trivial thing about a three day festival that they didn't like. 

​One that draws over 100,000 people to experience it's downtown to choose from a dozen varieties of cheesy fries, perhaps buy a big wooden sign to decorate the house or an equally big bag of kettle popcorn to chomp on for days, eat a free apple, listen to some music to get away from the hustle bustle for a breather, play on bouncy houses, see old friends, get up close to a Packard in mint condition, pet a mini-goat or just get off our fat behinds and walk around a bit outside.

This is Franklin, Pennsylvania for three days in October. The rest of the time it's your quaint little downtown that many brag about.

So why take the time to get all Kareny on social media to complain about the crowd size or any number of weird things that bother you about a festival you decided to go to?

The annual Applefest gets its fair share of curmudgeony sorts that find a need to express their opinions that no one asked for on social media, which is their right.

I admit I don't like crowds or taking twice as long to walk from point a to point b, but you know what... I don't have to go. I could decide not to cover the festival. 

But I do go to cover it, I do find moments to get out of the crowd for a breather, and there are plenty of places to get away. 

I choose to go because it is important for the area and it is filled with people and businesses that I care about. It is just three days.

And I do have fun than more 10 times over than those things that bother me. And if I have a complaint, that's on me. No need to get on social media and show everyone what jerk I am.

​Applefest is perhaps the one event that really puts Franklin on the map. And not just those three days, people come back to experience the town the other 362 days.

It is also an event that brings tens of thousands of dollars to the area... that puts some farmer's market folks into the black for the year and frankly, is just a fun time for 94.37% of the people who go and 100% of the people who don't have to listen to idiots bitching about nothing. (Just a an educated guesstimate.)

There are always ways to improve things. I know personally that the people who put so much time into Applefest welcome constructive ideas.

They understand there is no event that can't be improved upon and that others can have good ideas that lead to positive advancements of an already successful festival.

They welcome input properly delivered. Usually Facebook post complaints are not the best avenue.

​Some of the things overheard or read this weekend astound and truly make me understand how little people actually know about how things work. 

This year a small group of folks who feel a need to spread their brand of Christian beliefs took advantage of the huge number of people in Franklin to stand on very public ground in front of the courthouse to spread their ideas.
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They had the right to be there as long as they did not disrupt visitors to the festival from passing by from one park to the other.

​I never felt they were disruptive physically and when I personally found myself disrupted mentally I knew that was on me. 

I did laugh out loud passing by at one point because of something that was not directed at me at all that I found ironically amusing. I thought, "I can choose to let it bother me, as one social media commentator most certainly did, or not let it bother me and go about my business."

The usual complaints about how difficult it can be getting through town or finding parking close to downtown..

Yet there are several alternative parking venues that are free and the Applefest organizers use their budget to pay for free shuttle services. Several area businesses turn their lots into pay lots, often donating that money to a non-profit organization or group.  And in the 10-ish years of covering this festival I've always found a spot. Yes I have to walk a little sometimes, but again, my big belly could use more of that.

Applefest 42 by the Numbers:
75 apple dapple cakes
100 bushels of apples handed out
175 apple pies
300+ vendors
400+ vehicles in the car show
500+ runners/walkers in the 5K
700+ pancake meals
3,000 apple dumplings
1 million views on Facebook
TOO MANY VISITORS TO COUNT
The 3 Best Days of the Year.

Franklin's Barrow Civic Theatre's stage will get a little wet over the next two weekends.

​No they are not having roof issues, they are ready to present their two months of hard work to bring you their production of  Singin' In The Rain.

And on the third day... Sammie got her prize.

Oil City ninth-grader Samantha Bartlett, who won a chance at a bow hunt for a bull elk, got one on her third day of hunting.

She had earlier opportunities  to bag smaller bulls, but chose patience instead.

It paid off.

Early Monday, just as day was breaking she was able harvest this bull estimated between 750-850 pound, 13-point (7x6) with an estimated green score of 310 inches.

Soon after her proud grandparents shared a couple photos of they smiling 14-year old granddaughter.

Applefest, a three day festival in Franklin each October, has been listed as the 29th best arts and crafts festival out of 200 nationwide by Sunshine
Artist, 

According to their press release, "vendors have named Applefest, already recognized as the region’s premier arts and craft event, among the most profitable in the country."
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This isn't the first time they have made the list, but this was a huge jump this year in the rankings.
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“We are honored once again to make the list of the best festivals nationwide." Jodi Lewis,
Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce executive director said. "It is a reflection of
all the hard work of our CORE committee volunteers, a source of pride for our chamber
members, and wouldn’t be possible without the support of our entire community,” 

The rankings are split into two
categories – Fine Art and Design for events that focus on unique, fine-art pieces, and Classic and Contemporary Craft for events that focus on traditional or modern craft and production work.

Applefest’s ranking was in the Classic and  Contemporary Craft Show category.

The Franklin High School Black Knight Marching Band has returned to the center of the field in a year they will get center stage in the celebration of our nation's 250th year.

To view more photos please visit: sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p751880555

​The Mountain Man climbed back to the top at the 25th annual Pennsylvania Stone Skipping Tournament.

​Kurt Steiner of Emporium, who won the first contest in 2001, took Saturday’s first place award with 41 skips.

It is the seventh win for the current Guiness World Record holder for stone skipping. Steiner also won in 2001 (25 skips), 2002 (34), 2005 (31), 2011 (39), 2012 (40) and 2015 (38).  

"It's been a minute," Steiner said about his ten year absence from hoisting the trophy.

When asked what he will do now that he is the winningest competitor in PA stone skipping history, breaking the tie with tournament originator Russ Byars, Steiner replied “Now I can retire” with a chuckle.  

Steiner was joined at the top by two other tournament regulars and past champions.

​Dave “Spiderman” Ohmer of Erie came in second with a top skip of 40 and the highest second of 38. Ohmer won the contest in 2013 and 2014 (43 skips each time) and 2021 (45).
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Andy “Big Rock” Severns of Tidioute came in third with a top skip of 40 and a second skip of 36.

Severns is the only contestant to record 50 or more skips during the competition winning in 2022 (53) and 2023 (50).
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Enzo Ferrari of Baltimore, Maryland also recorded a toss with 40 skips this year but just missed the podium with a second highest skip of 23.
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There was a large crowd gathered in Riverfront Park for the contest that typically draws competitors from across the country and sometimes around the globe.

A young man, Joel Lewis from Liverpool, England competed as a exhibition thrower with the pros.
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There were 55 contestants in the amateur category. Logan “Igneous” Campola won the division with 31 skips.
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He elected to “go pro” and threw consistently throughout the six-toss competition on his way to capturing the Highest Cumulative Total honor with 178 skips (28, 27, 37, 19, 32, 32).

He was also one of 12 people to record a toss of 30 skips or more on Saturday, representing nearly half of the 25 professional competitors.
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Along with Steiner, Ohmer, Severns, Ferrari and Campola, contestants in the 30s and their top skips included Aiden “The Wizard” Woolsey of Buffalo, New York (39), Colin “Noodles” Hales (38), Kyle Graff of Soquel, California (37), Jonathan Jennings of Louisville, Kentucky (37), David Michael Ohmer of Titusville (36), Greg Winger of Franklin (33) and Alex Ferry of Warren (31).

Thursday's cooler temperatures found band director Steve Johnston smiling as the Franklin High School Black Knight Marching Band continued to fine tune this year's show. 

​With band camp in full swing, Johnston says they are not only gearing up for Friday nights and several Saturday performances, but also the 250th anniversary of the United States of America and the Semiquincentennial celebration in Philadelphia next year.

​"It's because of all the Washington, D.C. parades we did that we were invited," Johnston said. The band has been a frequent participant in the Memorial Day parades in D.C. for many years.

"The Pride of Pennsylvania," as Johnston announces each halftime of the Franklin football games, gets recognized because they deliver time and time again locally and on the national stage.

Last weekend

Deadline extended to Monday

What does art do?

Some think of it solely as decoration, something to beautify our surroundings.

But for others, art reaches inside us to elevate feelings we don't always allow to be shown in public.

"Rabbit Hole" by David Lindsay-Abaire is a Pulitzer Prize winning work of art that fits into that latter category. And this small Off-Barrow production, opening Friday in the Barrow-Civic Little Theatre, delivers this rollercoaster of simultaneous emotions straight into that lump in your throat that you will fight to swallow until after the final bow.
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This show explores the human condition. It examines how we all carry grief in different ways.

To deliver  laughter, anger, empathy, being lost, and suffering deep in sorrow  and to pull these emotion from the audience all in the span of around two hours is a truly remarkable thing.

​And good actors don't just memorize lines, they deliver them with their whole body.

Elizabeth Williams use of hand gestures  from  wringing, hands, clenching fists and putting down and picking up the same items over and over again help us along for the ride of her emotional toll.

The work her hands do holding a tissue as her facial expression looks out past the audience sitting in seconds from loss to hopeful wonderment of an alternative version of herself that is happy.

Her counterpart Evan O'Polka also has to navigate through the portrayal of moving on. His lost stoic stares, frustrated drooped shoulders, and restraint in tough scene after tough scene that many wouldn't blame his character from exploding with raw unfiltered emotion.

One scene after learning one of his prized processions that he watched to remember his son had been accidentally destroyed he had to move from his aggressive pain to acceptance that it too, like his sons death, was an accident and, though easy to place fault on another, in the end it does not serve his pain to carry it further, 

Williams' and O 'Polka's dynamic isn't a black and white portrayal of characters. It is a woven tapestry of emotional sparring that isn't easy to pull off.

​And yet they have found these characters and allow themselves to drain every ounce of blood from their veins and leave it on the stage.

And if you don't believe that, watch them when they take their bows. All characters are emotional drained.

​Nate Boley, in some ways has the hardest character to pull off. As a young actor with not many performances under his belt, Boley has to deliver awkward emotional lines with a lack of confidence like a teenager would but with the importance of learning the life lesson of connection and becoming an adult despite the difficulty of the situation.