New York-born, Macungie based R&B and neo-soul artist Maniya joins us ahead of her April 11, 2026 performance at ArtsQuest’s Fowler Blast Furnace Room in Bethlehem.
Known as “Songbird,” Maniya has been building her sound since childhood, performing with Harlem’s Emmy Award-winning Gospel for Teens choir, studying vocal performance at Berklee College of Music, and now stepping further into the spotlight with her own music.
In this episode, we talk about her background, her artistic style, and what people can expect from Covered in Soul, an intimate live show that reimagines classic R&B, pop, and soul through her own voice and perspective. We also touch on her single “Curious,” her upcoming EP Dear Diary, and the path that continues to shape her as both an artist and vocal coach.
Poets for Justice is bringing its “Unplugged: Speak Your Truth” spoken word showcase to Bethlehem on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. The event will take place at the Bethlehem Visitor Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
“The sermon was about the circumcision of Baby Jesus.” That’s how Lisa VanArsdale describes a recent trip to a mega-church in Phoenix, and it is exactly the kind of unexpected, funny, and slightly unsettling real-world moment that fuels her live show, Lisa Joins a Cult, coming back to Bethlehem this month.
Families can ring in the New Year at Bethlehem’s SteelStacks as ArtsQuest and Just Born Quality Confections bring back PEEPSFEST® 2025. The two-day family celebration runs December 30 and 31 from 3 to 6 p.m., filled with live entertainment, hands-on activities, crafts, and plenty of PEEPS®-themed fun.
ArtsQuest, in partnership with Embassy Bank and Phoebe Ministries, will host its annual Veterans Day Q&A Panel on Monday, November 10, at 9:30 a.m. in the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks.
ArtsQuest’s Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas will launch its fall Cinema Film Studies series on October 18, offering audiences an in-depth look at how storytelling evolves across genres, history and media. Hosted at the ArtsQuest Campus at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, the series brings together professors, filmmakers and editors for interactive lectures and workshops.
🎤 In this episode of the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast, host George Wacker sits down with comedian, writer, and performer Kathleen Aldrich, whose brand-new one-woman show Tumor Baby premieres April 12 at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.
We talk about how Kathleen got her start in the Lehigh Valley comedy scene over a decade ago, what it was like turning a real-life medical emergency into a heartfelt (and hilarious) show, and how Tumor Baby blends storytelling, vulnerability, and humor into something totally unique. From sketch comedy with Pigeon City to personal pieces in Dear Diary, Kathleen’s journey is as inspiring as it is funny.
You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at how the show came together—from handwritten journal entries to Google Docs and years of performance experience—and why this isn’t stand-up, but something more intimate and impactful.
Kathleen Aldrich and the Comedy of Crisis in TUMOR BABY
“I’ve been talking about doing a one-woman show since 2014.”
For comedian and writer Kathleen Aldrich, Tumor Baby isn’t just a show—it’s a culmination of more than a decade of finding her voice in the Lehigh Valley comedy scene. What started as strange abdominal pressure and a reluctant trip to the ER turned into a 10-pound tumor and, eventually, the foundation for a deeply personal, unexpectedly hilarious one-woman show.
From Improvised Bits to Intimate Storytelling
Kathleen’s journey began in 2012 with improv classes at ArtsQuest, where she found her creative tribe and a passion for performance. Over the years, she honed her craft with local favorites like Dear Diary, Pigeon City Sketch, and Improvised Stand Up. Her work is rooted in real life—often uncomfortable, always honest—and Tumor Baby is no exception.
“It’s not stand-up,” she explains. “I’m a storyteller.”
Kathleen weaves her cancer diagnosis into a broader narrative—childhood memories, messy relationships, weird blog awards, and moments that are just too good not to share. It’s comedy that doesn’t flinch. And it’s all been years in the making.
The Writing Process (and a Lot of Google Docs)
So how do you write something like Tumor Baby? According to Kathleen, it all starts with pen and paper. She breaks down memories into moments, finds the funny in the pain, and then builds the show line by line.
“I write down the significant moment first,” she says. “Then I ask—how do I make this funny?”
With guidance and mentorship from fellow comic Alia Brown, Kathleen transformed those raw stories into a full-length show. It’s not just about a tumor—it’s about life, survival, and making people laugh in the face of the absurd.
A Decade of Comedy and One Big Stage
One of Kathleen’s proudest moments? A sketch she wrote for Pigeon City called Sex in Senior Living—a drag parody imagining the Sex and the City crew as Golden Girls. “The crowd just loved it,” she says. “That moment… it was electric.”
Now, with Tumor Baby, Kathleen steps into the spotlight solo. It’s vulnerable, funny, and full of heart—and it all happens live this weekend.
🎟️ Don’t Miss It Catch Tumor Baby on Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 PM 📍 Bethlehem Visitor Center at SteelStacks 🎟️ Tickets & info: steelstacks.org
We’re joined by Lisa Van Arsdale to talk about her one woman show “Lisa Joins a Cult”, which is taking place on March 23 at SteelStackts at 7:30 p.m!
Lisa VanArsdale is a comedian, podcast host, and cult enthusiast whose love of culty groups and curiosity about the divine has taken her to holy sites all over the world. Lisa’s years of visiting with these groups is what drives her podcast-turned-live-performance “Lisa Joins A Cult.”
Lisa approaches the complexity of cults and the people inside these communities with tenderness and humor, sharing a side of humanity many outsiders don’t get to see. Lisa has performed standup on three continents, but mostly here in the Lehigh Valley. She is also probably the only human to own both Mormon underwear and a Moonie crown and she’s obnoxiously proud of that.
Combining timeless music with wit, charm, storytelling and a dash of soft shoe and ukulele performances, Tony Danza performs a selection of his favorite standards from the Great American Songbook while interweaving stories about his life and personal connection to the music.
Today, I ask him some of your questions. We talk about his career from its beginnings in the gym and big break with “Taxi”, to his time on “Who’s the Boss” and, most recently, “Raising Kanan”.
We ask him about the making of some of his movies like the “The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon” and we get into what keeps him dancing and singing into his 70s.
We also ask him what he thinks about everyone signing “Hold me Closer Tony Danza” and where that all came from in the first place.
Thank you, Tony!
GUESTS
Tony Danza
Links
Tony Danza Performs his Newest One-Man Show, Standards & Stories: SteelStacks.org
On Friday, November 17, Underground Music Collective in collaboration with Your Next Favorite Band Podcast returns to Bethlehem, PA, presenting “Nashville Meets Bethlehem: An All-Local, Nashville-Style Songwriter Night at SteelStacks.” This intimate musical experience, featuring two Nashville-style songwriter’s rounds, connects artists and audiences, honoring the past while celebrating the region’s most talented acts.
And we’ve got the two men responsible for all of this with us, Gerard Longo of Underground Music Collective and Phil Reese of Your Next Favorite Band.
Get Tickets: https://www.steelstacks.org/event/14169/nashville-meets-bethlehem-an-all-local-nashville-style-songwriter-night-at-steelstacks/
Best known for his contributions to ‘Epic Rap Battles of History,’ Zach Sherwin is a comedian, writer, rapper, and the creative mind behind The Crossword Show, coming to SteelStacks in Bethlehem on 10/22.
In this episode, we delve into Zach’s diverse career, from viral rap battles to crafting crossword puzzles for The New York Times. We talk about how he got started, some of his favorite Epic Rap Battles, and find out what makes his upcoming performance at SteelStacks on October 22nd an event not to be missed!
GUESTS
Zach Sherwin – The Crossword Show / Epic Rap Battles
American Hospitals is the fourth in a series of documentaries produced by the Unfinished Business Foundation, founded by Richard Master, CEO of MCS Industries Inc., who took a deep dive into the economics of the U.S. health-care system after his company was hit year after year with double-digit health insurance rate increases.
Master teamed up with filmmaker Vincent Mondillo to produce Fix It: Healthcare at the Tipping Point; Big Pharma: Market Failure; Big Money Agenda: Democracy on the Brink, and now, American Hospitals.
We speak with Richard and Vicent about what spurred them to make the films, the research behind the films, and how you can get more involved.
Attend the Lehigh Valley premiere and discussion on April 24 at 7 p.m. at SteelStacks in Bethlehem by reserving your ticket.
GUESTS
Richard Masters & Vincent Mondillo: American Hospitals
Artist, comedian, all around awesome person Kate Hughes joins us to talk about her upcoming show, “Kate Hughes: Most Flammable Episode II” taking place Friday, February 28 at SteelStacks. Tickets MIGHT still be available so check it out now!
We also talk dating, Tyler gets super deep, and this may be one of our most fun episodes yet.
