ABOUT THE HALL

The Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame was established in 2022, and was announced at a news conference at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on October 20 of that year. The criteria for induction were determined by the initial members of the steering committee.

Eligible candidates for induction include anyone who has made a mark in the arts or entertainment fields. Geographically, those who are Luzerne County natives, have lived in Luzerne County, or who have made their mark in Luzerne County, are to be placed under consideration.

Nominees — whose names are typically submitted by the public — are collected by two committees: one representing the Arts, and one representing Entertainment. The two committees spend months debating and voting on the merits of each nominee. After the votes are cast, the official list of inductees is announced in the spring.

Generally, the split between “Arts” and “Entertainment” inductees is as follows:

• Inductees considered in the Arts category include film and television actors, writers, directors, dramatic theater performers and dancers, visual artists (including painters, production or costume designers, and architects), and arts journalists.

• Inductees considered in the Entertainment category include musicians (both bands and solo artists), musical theater performers, music producers and sound engineers, stage designers, and music journalists and broadcasters.

Bill O’Boyle and Joe Nardone Sr. founded the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame, and the pair were joined on the first steering committee by Tony Brooks, Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown, Jody Busch, Lindsay Griffin-Boylan, Alan K. Stout, and Constance Wynn.

The first induction class was announced in March 2023, with 18 individual artists and bands being cited as inaugural members. The first ceremony took place later that year on Oct. 14 at Mohegan Pennsylvania in Plains Township.

Ahead of the second ceremony, Kathi Bankes, Will Beekman, Beverly Jean Johnston, Memo Lara, Pittston Mayor Mike Lombardo, Gina Malsky and Morris Walker were added to the steering committee. The 16-member Class of 2024 was announced in April of that year, and the ceremony — now held at the Kirby Center — was held on Nov. 8, 2024.

Class of 2025 inductees were announced in April 2025, and Sam Zavada was added to the steering committee before the third ceremony. Additionally, the Hall of Fame’s Distinguished Achievement Award was established. The third class, made up of 16 artists and entertainers, was inducted on Oct. 3, 2025.

The Arts committee includes Brooks, Johnston, Zavada, Basil Kaczmarczyk, Jennifer McClinton-Temple, and Margaret Roarty.

The Entertainment committee includes Busch, Nardone, Stout, Walker, Zavada, Kathy Bozinski, Tony Callaio, Victor Guiliano, Marshall Kornblatt, and Richie Kossuth.